Bourzey Castle

Bourzey is a Crusader castle ruin in Syria's Latakia governorate, set on a commanding ridge above the Ghab plain and the Orontes River. It served as the easternmost outpost of the Crusader presence in the region, marking the frontier between the coastal mountain territories held by the Crusaders and the flatlands stretching toward the interior. Traces of Byzantine construction embedded in the fabric suggest the site was fortified before the Crusades. Today Bourzey is a largely unvisited ruin, but those who make the ascent are rewarded with sweeping views across the Ghab valley and the hills beyond.