The Byzantine Church at Deir al-Salib

37 kilometres west of Hama, just outside the village of Deir al-Salib and a short way east of Masyaf. The church dates from the 5th or 6th century, built in the manner typical of the Justinian period in Syria, and it has two chapels. The stone walls run from beige to ochre, and fig trees grow around them.

Getting there

Fifteen minutes east of Masyaf on the main road. Signs give the village as Deir al-Salib; the church is not inside the settlement but just outside it. Deir Mama lies to the north-west, Baarin and Aqrab to the south.

How long it takes

Forty-five minutes. The building is single-storey and open; walking it is quick, looking at it is not.

What to see

To the right of the entrance is a baptistery, and the cross-shaped font inside it is still there — a detail lost in most Byzantine churches in Syria. The narthex is preceded by a central atrium, and five columns marking the aisles are standing. The apse is semi-circular, and on the ground floor there is a gallery that was reserved for women. Beside the baptistery stands a small mausoleum holding three sarcophagi; medallions were carved on them to take crosses.

What most visitors miss

The font. Most people walk towards the apse and past it, though it is the one piece that shows the building’s oldest function. The second thing to stop for is the medallions on the sarcophagi; the church takes its name, the Monastery of the Cross, from carving of that kind.