What is Palmyra famous for?
Palmyra is known for its oasis in the middle of the desert and for the colonnades still standing in it. It was once the richest stop on the caravan road between Rome and Persia, and in the 3rd century AD, under Queen Zenobia, it briefly stood up to Rome. The destruction between 2015 and 2017 erased part of the site for good — the Temple of Bel and the triumphal arch above all — while the great colonnaded street, the theatre and the tower tombs in the Valley of the Tombs are still there.
Highlights
- The great colonnaded street
- The Roman theatre
- The tower tombs in the Valley of the Tombs
- The date palms of the oasis
What to see
Palmyra Castle
A medieval Arab castle on the hill west of the ruins. The only point that fits all of Palmyra into a single frame — go up an hour before the sun goes down.
The tower tombs of the Valley of the Tombs
Multi-storey stone tower tombs in the valley west of Palmyra. The only place that shows how Palmyrene families buried their dead, storey by storey. A car is needed.
The Palmyra Ruins
A colonnaded street over a kilometre long, a Roman theatre and the tower tombs. What survives at Palmyra, how long a visit takes, when to go, and where shade is.
Transparency
- How this was chosen
- The answer on this page is written by hand. The lists are built from published records tied to this city and grow on their own as records are added.
- Last updated
- August 20, 2026