Homs

Halfway between Damascus and Aleppo, and the gateway to Krak des Chevaliers and Palmyra.

Status today

Updated weekly by our Homs correspondent.

Every line carries who checked it and when

ElectricityNationwide: in August 2026 the Ministry of Energy said supply rose from about 8 to 20+ hours a day in some areas. Hours vary by city and neighbourhood; many hotels use generators or solar.Checked by: فريق التحرير (من مصدر منشور) · SourceLast updated: 21 October 2026

InternetMobile internet runs on the Syriatel and MTN networks, with 4G in cities. Speed and coverage vary outside cities. Plans and prices change; ask at an operator service centre.Checked by: فريق التحرير (من مصدر منشور) · SourceLast updated: 21 October 2026

RoadsPer the General Authority for Ports and Customs (Aug 2026), the main crossings with Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey are operating. We have not yet field-checked roads inside this province; check official announcements before travelling.Checked by: فريق التحرير (من مصدر منشور) · SourceLast updated: 21 October 2026

WeatherForecast for 2026-10-21: partly cloudy, high 28, low 16 degrees C. Rain chance 3%.Checked by: المدير · SourceLast updated: 21 October 2026

EventsSANA publishes a daily 'cultural agenda' listing events at cultural centres, theatres and galleries across the provinces.Checked by: فريق التحرير (من مصدر منشور) · SourceLast updated: 21 October 2026

Every line carries who checked it and when. We don't make safety claims, only dated facts with a link to the official source.

Homs’s architecture

Black and white

Black basalt marks the old city, alternating with white stone as in the Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque.

This page’s pattern and the arch of its photo frames come from this style.

Sights

12 places

Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque

Domes and twin minarets in black and white stone.

Church of Saint Mary of the Holy Belt

One of the oldest churches in the old city.

Krak des Chevaliers

A Crusader castle above the Valley of the Christians, about an hour from Homs.

Anwarbakdones · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Covered souq

The old-city souq near the Great Mosque and the clock.

Homs Citadel

The citadel mound at the south-west edge of old Homs, with remains of Islamic-era walls and towers.

Great Nuri Mosque

The great mosque in the centre of old Homs, built on the site of an ancient temple and later a church, and renewed by Nur al-Din Zangi.

Church of Mar Elian

A Greek Orthodox church holding the tomb of Saint Elian of Homs, known for its colourful frescoes.

Church of the Forty Martyrs

A Greek Orthodox church in old Homs with a decorated stone entrance.

Zahrawi Palace

A Mamluk-era palace in old Homs in black-and-white ablaq stone, used as a folk traditions museum.

Atassi Mosque

A mosque in Homs named after the city's Atassi family.

New Clock Tower

A clock tower in central Homs, a city landmark and well-known meeting point.

Palmyra

An ancient city in the Homs desert about 160 km east of Homs, UNESCO-listed, with its colonnaded street, theatre and temples. Its monuments suffered heavy destruction in the war.

From the people of Homs