http://www.sltrib.com/06172001/travel/105789.htm
Syrian Fortress Was a Stronghold Of Mysterious Assassins Order
Sunday, June 17, 2001
BY HAMZA HENDAWI
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MASYAF, Syria -- They worked in twos or threes, stalking victims with the
utmost secrecy, then brazenly striking them down at crowded mosques or
markets.
They knew such public slayings made escape impossible and their own
executions certain. But with murder their profession, death was an
occupational hazard.
The Assassins belonged to a mysterious medieval sect that terrorized Syria at
the time of the Crusades. Now, more than 700 years after they were
vanquished, Masyaf castle in western Syria's highlands is perhaps the most
famous reminder of that dark chapter in Syria's history.
But years of neglect have taken a toll on the forbidding, six-level stone
castle perched on a rocky peak in the shadow of the Ansary Mountains. The
Assassins, also known as the Hashashin for their alleged use of hashish to
muster enough courage to slay opponents, acquired the castle that became
their main stronghold from a local chieftain in about 1140.
Today, Masyaf castle is among the best preserved fortresses in Syria, though
several of its walls have collapsed and others look perilously close to
tumbling down. Local authorities short of cash and expertise have for decades
carried out routine restoration work on the site, but the work has been
inadequate.
The government last year accepted an offer from the Aga Khan Trust for
Culture to restore the castle with all expenses paid by the Geneva-based
charity chaired by Aga Khan IV, spiritual leader of the world's 15 million
followers of Islam's Ismaili sect.
The Assassins order, whose origins were in Iran, recruited its men from
followers of the Ismaili faith. Ismailis today make up 30 percent of Masyaf's
35,000 people.
The rise of the Assassins in 12th-century Syria -- then a swath of land
covering present-day Syria, Lebanon and Israel -- coincided with one of the
worst eras of political fragmentation in Syria. Muslim rulers fought one
another as the Crusaders made inroads in the Arab hinterlands.
To escape the persecution of Orthodox Sunni Muslims, Ismailis seized
well-defended castles in the highlands and entered tactical alliances, with
Muslims as well as Crusaders, to ensure their sect's survival. Members also
murdered several of their Sunni opponents.
But with Sunni power consolidated in Syria and the sect's base in Iran
overrun by the Mongols in 1260, the Assassins finally ceased being a
political entity in the 1270s, when the Mamluks of Egypt suppressed an
Ismaili revolt there.
Stefano Bianca, director of the Aga Khan Trust's Historic Cities Support
Program, said urgent work to save parts of the castle in immediate danger is
done but the project's goal is to make the castle "the centerpiece for a new
route for the visitors of Syria."
Mohammed al-Russais, the trust's Masyaf representative, said the project
includes archaeological digs in the castle and installing lighting. Local
authorities, he said, also would receive assistance from the trust to restore
and develop ancient sites in the town of Masyaf.
Plans include removing houses built too close to the castle, turning
Ottoman-era guest houses into a market for traditional crafts and restoring a
12th-century mosque believed to have been built on the site of a church.
"We cannot just carry out restoration work at the castle without thinking of
the town, too. We need to revitalize the town economically," Russais said.
Both Russais and Bianca said it was too early to estimate the cost of the
project.
Wildflowers flourish at Masyaf castle near heaps of rubble, scaffolding and
metal barrels. Though the site is open to tourists, few make their way out to
see the maze of long, narrow corridors, rooms connected by steep flights of
stairs, courtyards, stables and defensive towers. Water reservoirs are carved
out of rocks on the bottom level.
A good view of the town of Masyaf is offered from the castle's western side,
together with hilly and mountainous terrain that extends to the coastal
plains 30 miles (50 kilometers) to the west.
During Roman times, Masyaf castle was part of a network of military
fortifications extending from Syria's east Mediterranean coast to the
interior.
Masyaf's military role continued until the Ottoman era early in the 16th
century, when families began living in parts of the castle, according to
Mamdouh Mahmoud, government archaeologist in charge of the Masyaf area.
Mahmoud said the castle began to deteriorate when the French took over in
Syria in 1920. French authorities evicted the residents and used the castle
as a warehouse. Some of the residents who left, Mahmoud said, quarried castle
walls for stones to build new homes.
Syria, which long has promoted a secular culture among its 17 million people
-- a mosaic of Muslim and Christian sects -- required the trust to fund two
other restoration projects. Syria, Mahmoud noted, won't accept foreign aid
targeting a single religious group.
So, tourists eventually also will be able to visit restored medieval castles
in the northern city of Aleppo and a castle near the Mediterranean port city
of Latakia that was once used by Saladin, a legendary Muslim ruler who fought
the Crusaders in the 12th century. Work on those projects is expected to be
completed by 2005.
IF YOU GO
Getting There: Most European airlines fly to Damascus. For most
nationalities, Syrian visas cannot be obtained on arrival and should be
picked up before leaving home or, if traveling in the region, at a Syrian
embassy in a neighboring nation. Hiring a car with a driver -- a tourist taxi
with a medallion on the side -- is the best way to go to the castle of
Masyaf. Round-trip from Damascus, including a three-hour wait while you
explore the castle, costs $120 (7,000 Syrian pounds). The taxi ride is about
2.5 hours, making the castle a full-day excursion. A $5 (250-pound) tip to
the driver at the end would be adequate.
Public transport is possible but requires a bus to Hama ($2), an overnight
stay, then another bus the following day to Masyaf ($2).
The castle charges a $3 admission fee.
Lodging: The only lodging in Masyaf is a two-star hotel. It's clean but
basic. The best bet is to make your visit a day trip from Damascus or Aleppo,
where hotels to fit the budgets of all travelers are available.
Exploring the Castle: There are no guides to offer a tour, so read up on the
sect of the Assassins and the history of the castle before you go.
Other Sites in Masyaf: You may want to make a quick tour of the town to see
the local government building, which was built by the Ottomans 120 years ago,
and a 12th-century mosque in the old part of the town.
What to Wear: Comfortable shoes or sneakers are important. Large areas of the
castle grounds are covered with rubble or loose dirt.
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