TOP
Exploring Tourism in Syria
Syria
icon Worldwideicon
Places to Visit Details

Latakia

Latakia, Syria

Latakia

is the principal port city of Syria and capital city of the Latakia Governorate. Historically, it has also been known as Laodicea in Syria or Laodicea ad Mare. In addition to serving as a port, the city is a manufacturing center for surrounding agricultural towns and villages. According to the 2004 official census, the population of the city is roughly 383,786, It is the 4th-largest city in Syria after Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs. It borders Tartus to the south, Hama to the east, and Idlib to the north, and Cape Apostolos Andreas, the north-eastern tip of Cyprus, is about 68 miles (109 km) away

Although the site of the city has been inhabited since the 2nd millennium BC, the city was founded in the 4th century BC under the rule of the Seleucid Empire. Latakia was subsequently ruled by the Romans, followed by the Ummayads and Abbasids during the 8th–10th centuries AD. Byzantines ruling groups frequently attacked the city, periodically recapturing it before losing it again to Arab powers, particularly the Fatimids. Afterward, Latakia was ruled successively by the Seljuk Turks, Crusaders, Ayyubids, Mamluks, and the Ottomans. Following World War I, Latakia was assigned to the French mandate of Syria, in which it served as the capital of the autonomous territory of the Alawites. This autonomous territory became the Alawite State in 1922, proclaiming its independence a number of times until reintegrating into Syria in 1944.

Discover the best top things to do in Lattakia, including Saladin Castle, Seaport, Blue Beach, Ugarit, National Museum.

Did you know that the top clay tablet traces back to the fifteenth century BC was found in Ugarit city on the Latakia ?

This alphabet was found transcribed on small cuneiforms “clay tablets” in the Royal Palace of Ugarit, discovered in 1948; and according to archaeologists, the Ugaritic writing system is the oldest alphanumeric writing system in the world.

Check out more Places to Visit