Palmyra - Temple of Bel

The Sanctuary of Bel rising behind the Palmyra Oasis, Syria	The vast Sanctuary of Bel is the largest of the Palmyran ruins	Northwest corner of the Sanctuary of Bel	The western wall of the Sanctuary of Bel, fortified in 1132 by the Arabs
Sanctuary of Bel, Palmyra	The former propylaeum of the Sanctuary of Bel, converted into a fortified gateway in 1132	Sanctuary of Bel, or Baal to the Babylonians, was the supreme god of the Palmyrenes	Bel = Baal = Zeus = Jupiter
Fallen columns reused during the 12th Century fortification of the ancient temple by the Arabs	Sanctuary of Bel, Palmyra	The Cella of the Temple of Bel, Palmyra	Cella of the Sancutary of Bel, Palmyra
Sculpture of a man, Temple of Bel	The Sanctuary of Bal measures 200m x 200m	The Cella, the holiest part of the temple	Cella, Sanctuary of Bel, Palmyra
Detail of the Cella of the Sanctuary of Bel, Palmyra	The moon god Aglibol and the sun god Yarhibol were worshipped here as well	Sanctuary of Bel, Palmyra	Sanctuary of Bel, Palmyra
During the Byzantine-era, the temple was converted into a church	In the 12th Century the church was then converted into a mosque	The temple remained in service as a mosque until 1929	Sanctuary of Bel, Palmyra
Sanctuary of Bel, Palmyra	Weather-worn carved stone from the temple	Sanctuary of Bel, Palmyra	Sanctuary of Bel, Palmyra
Remains of a column	A piece of carved rubble	The inner side of the fortified gateway, Temple of Bel	Remains of a Palmyran sculpture
Fallen columns littering the courtyard of the Sanctuary of Bel	Main (western) entrance to the Cella	Sooty residue of centuries of cooking fires on the carved ceiling of the southern shrine	Interior of the Cella, once roofed with Lebanese cedar
Pale remains of frescoes from the Byzantine church	Ceiling of the north shrine, Sanctuary of Bel	Jupiter surrounded by the signs of the zodiac	North shrine, Cella of the Sanctuary of Bel
Cella of the Sanctuary of Bel, looking south, Palmyra	Relief carvings, Sanctuary of Bel, Palmyra	Stone carving, Sanctuary of Bel	A bedouin tent set up for the Palmyra Festival
Fortified gateway to the Sanctuary of Bel	Palmyra Oasis