Palmyra

Palmyra is perhaps the major tourist attraction of Syria. Although it is thought that its history began some four thousand years ago, very little of it is known until the time of the Roman Empire. Under Emperor Caracalla, Palmyra became a "Roman colony", a coveted privilege. Palmyra is mostly known in history for its mythical Queen, Zenobia, who led the city and its empire from 266 A.D. until 272 A.D. Her qualities, ambition, courage and her exceptional destiny made her a major female figure in history. No wonder she became synonymous with Palmyra and was the subject of legends that can be traced in Western as well as Oriental literature. The site is surrounded by a very fragile ecosystem (the Syrian steppe), but Palmyra still offers to the visitor the stunning beauty of its ruins, draped in their golden colours especially at sunset.