Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Related Articles
Damascus, SANA – A team of experts from the General Directorate of Archeology and Museums finished the first stage of the project for restoring Krak des Chevaliers castle in Homs and repairing the damage caused to it by terrorists.
Head of the Directorate Maamoun Abdelkarim told SANA that following a preliminary assessment of the damage to the castle, the first stage of the project was carried out last month, consisting of clearing debris and waste left behind by terrorist groups.
He said that damage to the structure was documented using schematics and photographs, with the experts classifying and sorting broken stone fragments and labeling them in order to return them to their original places.
Abdelkarim said the first stage also included temporary support work for parts in risk of crumbling and surveying cracks and dislodgement in walls, and that damage to the castle was classified using three categories: light, medium, and severe.
He said that severe damage is classified as what affects the structural balance and integrity of parts of the castle, an example of which was the crumbling of more than half the wall of the tower named after al-Zahir Baibars, the collapse of the lower part of the stables overlooking the moment, the displacement of stones in the eastern wall of the wall, a slight collapse in a stone formation bearing a bridge, the collapse of the stairs in the knights hall, the collapse of part of a wall in a guard room inside the internal wall, parts of the ceilings of the soldiers’ barracks and the corridor leading to the kitchen, a parts of the decorations of two arches falling off, and the collapse of the inner stairs of the storage tower and part of the supports of its top ceiling.
The team in charge of restoration will work throughout the next six month to complete structural surveys and prepare studies for final structural repairs.
H. Sabbagh
