Churches and mosques coexist peacefully throughout Syria. © Syrialooks

Syria, or officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a Middle Eastern country that shares borders with Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey.

Sunni Islam is the majority religion of Syria, but the country is officially secular. In Syria, Christians are generally able to live and worship in peace alongside their Muslim neighbors.

Syria has been home to an astounding array of cultures and religions over its long history, from the Hittites, Canaanites, and the inhabitants of Ugarit to the Romans, Christians (St. Paul was famously converted on the road to Damascus) and finally Muslims, who have been the majority in the country since the 7th century.

Given its rich religious heritage, it is no surprise that Syria abounds in fascinating religious sites: pagan temples dedicated to Baal and Jupiter; ancient monasteries and synagogues; and mosques, churches and shrines full of worshippers.

Syria Sacred Sites List Our extensive index of mosques, churches, biblical sites and ancient temples in Syria. Religion in Syria Learn about the rich history of religion in Syria with this brief overview.

Interactive Syria Map A birds-eye view of Syria with interactive, high-resolution imagery and links to articles. Also available: a collection of static Syria maps. Syria Photos A collection of more than 500 photos of Syria's religious and historic places.

Syria Travel Forums Ask experienced travelers for travel advice or browse previous discussions. Syria Travel Deals Browse the latest package deals and discount holidays available for Syria

	Aleppo Syria's second-largest city has an Umayyad Mosque with a beautiful courtyard, a 13th-century citadel, and many churches of various Eastern traditions in the Christian quarter.		Apamea   This archaeological site features an exceptionally long Roman street, with many columns still standing, as well as other ruins dating mainly from the Roman period. It was the home of Evagrius the church historian and Theodoret the bishop.
	Bosra   This southern city's most impressive feature is its incredibly well preserved Roman theater complete with tall stage buildings. There are also early Christian ruins and several old mosques to be found within its great walls.		Damascus Syria's largest city may be the oldest continously inhabited city in the world. It is home to the great Ummayad Mosque with its original mosaics, an important Shia shrine, sites associated with St. Paul on Straight Street, and more.
	Dead Cities The environs of Aleppo in northern Syria are home to the "Dead Cities" - abandoned ruins of some 700 towns, villages and monastic settlements with some of the best-preserved and earliest Byzantine churches in the world.		Dura Europos   This important archaeological site on the Euphrates River has been called the "Pompeii of the Syrian Desert." It was abandoned in the 3rd century and is home to the oldest surviving house-church and synagogue ever found, both complete with frescoes.
	Maalula   This picturesque, historic mountain village is the only place in the world that Aramaic is still spoken. It is home to two important Christian monasteries, one dedicated to the virgin martyr St. Thecla.		Palmyra   Palmyra was once a great and powerful Roman city. It is most associated with Queen Zenobia, an ambitious woman who took on the Roman emperor. Substantial ruins of pagan temples of Bel and Baal can be seen here.
	Qal'a Sim'an   This desert site was once a major pilgrimage destination. Pilgrims came from afar to visit the pillar of St. Simeon the Stylite, a hermit monk who sat atop a column for decades.		Rasafa (Sergiopolis)   Rasafa is an isolated archaeological site with a ruined 5th-century Byzantine church dedicated to the famous saint St. Sergius, a Roman soldier martyred c.303 under Maximian. The church was a major pilgrimage site and was later shared with Muslims as a place of worship.
	Seidnaya   This hillside town 20 miles north of Damascus is crowned with a 6th-century monastery founded by Justinian and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It contains a miraculous icon said to have been painted by St. Luke, and attracts Christian and Muslim pilgrims seeking healing.		Ugarit   Ugarit is a Bronze Age city whose ruins lie near Lattakia on the Mediterranean coast. Ugarit flourished from about c. 1450 to 1200 BC, then lay hidden until its discovery in the 1920s. Excavations revealed the world's first linear alphabet and information about Canaanite religion that is highly significant for study of the Hebrew Bible.

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