طرطوس
Al-Khawabi is a castle in the mountains east of Tartus, one of the network of fortresses held by the Nizari Isma'ilis in the time of the Crusades. It stands…
Al-Khawabi is a castle in the mountains east of Tartus, one of the network of fortresses held by the Nizari Isma'ilis in the time of the Crusades. It stands on a rocky spur above a valley, guarding the routes between the coast and the interior. A village has grown up within and around the old walls, and families still live inside the castle, which gives it a lived-in character unlike many other ruins in the region. It is usually visited as part of a tour of the castles of the Tartus mountains.