Before Syria's civil war, the fabled antique ruins of Palmyra were the country's top tourist destination, with around 150,000 visitors a month.
Now, the site stands as a shadow of its former self, its most iconic monuments, including a 2,000-year-old temple dedicated to the Mesopotamian god Bel, blown up a decade ago by ISIS.
What is the extent of the damage? How should it be rebuilt? How should recent atrocities, including the beheading of the 82-year old man responsible of the site's antiquities, be included in future exhibits?
Since the fall of the Assad regime last year, Syrian officials, archaeologists, international organisations and donors have been grappling with those questions.
Speaking to The National, they have all outlined a process expected to be long, expensive, and sensitive. For it to be successful, the local community − a small number of whom took part in recent looting of priceless antiquities − must be involved.
“Palmyra needs to breathe, honestly, and hopefully its soul will return. We must stand by her so that she remains standing,” said Anas Haj Zeidan, director of Syria's Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums, on the sidelines of a recent conference in Switzerland organised by the international fund Aliph, Unesco and the University of Lausanne.
All are aware of the power of attraction of the site, which has fascinated visitors for centuries. In the 1930s, British crime author Agatha Christie visited Palmyra with her archaeologist husband, Max Mallowan. She described “its slender creamy beauty rising up fantastically in the middle of hot sand” in her short book of autobiography and travel literature Come, Tell Me How You Live.
“It is lovely and fantastic and unbelievable, with all the theatrical implausibility of a dream. Courts and temples and ruined columns … I have never been able to decide what I really think of Palmyra,” she wrote.
Yet today, there are barely any locals left to cater to tourists as hotels and restaurants remain shut. According to Hasan Ali, Palmyra Museum director, some 80 per cent of houses were destroyed in the war, and there is little basic infrastructure, including water, electricity and the internet. Near the archaeological site, the Tadmur Municipality Building also lies in ruins. Mines have killed scores of civilians.
“People are reopening parts of hotels that were abandoned to help provide lodging to visitors, but these kinds of initiatives are rare,” Mr Ali said. “Hopefully, services will get better so that big projects can start in Palmyra.”
The site's rehabilitation over the next years is expected to cost “a huge sum”, Mr Haj Zeidan said, and take “six to seven years”. It's about Syria's “sense of belonging, memory and national identity”, he added.
Some 80,000 people have visited Palmyra since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, according to Mr Haj Zeidan, who said it was remarkably good considering the circumstances.
He hopes that the new authorities will succeed in dramatically increasing the number of visitors to more than a million non-Syrians a year. Asked whether foreigners might not be discouraged by sectarian massacres that have rocked the country this year, Mr Haj Zeidan said Syria was safe for them, pointing at the many recent diplomatic and economic delegation visits to the country.
“Also, Syria is full of people arriving from border crossings from Jordan or the Yabouz crossing from Lebanon or Bab Al Hawa in Turkey. These arrivals mean that Syria is safe,” he said.
Remembering tragedies
What tourists will be visiting is the next question that experts have yet to answer. No decision has been made yet about how to restore the site's famous ruins – if they are to be restored. There have been comparisons made with the rehabilitation of the museum of the Iraqi city of Mosul, which was also vandalised by ISIS. Damage caused by a crater bomb was purposefully left as a memory of events.
Emergency interventions will be needed after initial damage assessments are conducted, said Mr Ali, pointing at the gates of the Temple of Bel, which remain standing despite ISIS partially destroying the building with explosives in August 2015. “The focus needs to be on documenting what happened so that it can remind us of the tragedies that occurred in Palmyra or in Syria in general,” he said.
Overall, roughly less than half of Palmyra's heritage site, which lies across more than 16 square kilometres, was destroyed during the civil war, according to recent visitor Michel Chalhoub, an engineer who specialises in the restoration of built heritage.
Some structures, like the Arch of Triumph, were totally destroyed by ISIS explosives – a carefully choreographed destruction that horrified the world and became powerful symbols of Syria's civil war. In London, a 3D replica of the site was erected in Trafalgar square.
The Roman theatre, in which Russia organised an open-air classical concert in 2016, before Palmyra was taken again by ISIS, was only partially damaged.
The site also suffered from bombs falling from the sky as the Syrian regime battled for control over the area, destroying around 20 per cent of the 13th century Palmyra castle as well as the first floor of Palmyra museum.
'A place to heal the nation'
Additionally, more than 80 per cent of the 116 funerary structures on site have been damaged, mostly by looting, according to an initial assessment conducted by Lina Kutiefan, deputy director of the Syria General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums.
“Palmyra was once a famous trading city,” Ms Kutiefan in a speech at the Lausanne conference. “Now, it must be a sign of refusal to accept destruction. More deeply, it must be a place for healing the nation, helping to rebuild both the physical ruins and the spirit of the local people.”
Looting can be prevented by better co-operation with local communities, experts say. In his presentation, Japanese archeologist Kiyohide Saito said 11 bust-type sculptures were stolen from the south-east necropolis two years before ISIS invaded Palmyra, suggesting the theft was likely by locals.
Mr Saito was part of a team of Japanese archaeologists who worked on site for two decades, yet rarely engaged with locals.
In 2001, when they unearthed gold bracelets, necklaces and rings from the Hellenistic period − from 323 BC to 32 BC − rumours spread in the town about the archaeologists finding “a large nugget of gold,” he said. Today, the artefacts are missing from the Palmyra museum.
“We now deeply regret that the Japanese team failed to convey the importance of cultural heritage to the local population,” Mr Saito said. “We believe this very point lies at the heart of why looting became rampant amid the chaos of the conflict.”
Mr Ali, who is from Palmyra, said there is no denying that locals have taken part in looting, but believed this is not widespread.
“When the city was freed, a lot of people went directly to Palmyra Museum to monitor it and sleep there because there were afraid of looters,” he said.
“Most people understand that the stones are part of their heritage, culture and their identity. This is something we'll continue working on.”
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
The biog
Family: Parents and four sisters
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah
A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls
Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction
Favourite holiday destination: Italy
Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning
Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes
Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
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Favourite hobby: Football
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The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
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Wicked
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EA Sports FC 26
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
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Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
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The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
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Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
Essentials
The flights
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A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
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Match info
Premier League
Manchester United 2 (Martial 30', Lingard 69')
Arsenal 2 (Mustafi 26', Rojo 68' OG)
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
India Test squad
Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rahul, Vijay, Pujara, Rahane (vc), Karun, Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Pandya, Ishant, Shami, Umesh, Bumrah, Thakur
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
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Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
