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French Team Inspects War-Damaged Saint Simeon Monastery in Syria, Estimates 30-40% Loss
A French archaeological team visited the fifth-century Saint Simeon monastery on July 20 to assess damage from Syria's civil war. Experts documented collapsed arches and scattered column remains while confirming the main church stands intact. Restoration will involve Syrian and French institutions with donor support.
Jul 20, 9:30 AM·1m read1 source
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A French archaeological delegation inspected the Saint Simeon monastery complex in northern Syria on July 20, 2026, accompanied by AFP, to document war damage and begin planning restoration. Al-Monitor reported that the fifth-century Byzantine site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site also known as part of the dead or forgotten cities, includes one of the oldest major churches in Christianity.
The monastery was built around the column where Saint Simeon Stylites sat for years.
Site director Abdel Jalil Arabi said the monastery endured looting, illegal excavation, military use and neglect during the civil war that began in 2011. He estimated 30 to 40 percent of the site has been damaged, with the western arch and its columns collapsed and the remains of Saint Simeon's column scattered around its base.
An airstrike hit the monastery in 2016, which UNESCO condemned without naming the responsible party.
A major earthquake caused further damage in 2023. Arabi added that various armed groups controlled the site at different points in the conflict. Archaeologist Micheline Kurdy stated there is irreparable damage in the southeastern section, though the church remains standing firm and in good condition.
She said the team will review old plans to reinstall the base of the main column and the remaining part of it. French charge d'affaires Jean-Baptiste Faivre said cooperation will proceed between the Syrian Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums and French cultural institutions to restore and develop the site.
