Temple of Bel, Ancient temple ruins in Tadmur, Syria.

The Temple of Bel is an ancient ruin in Tadmur, Syria, built from massive stone blocks. A rectangular enclosure wall surrounds the large courtyard where the main sanctuary once stood.

Construction started in the year 32 and continued for over a century until the sanctuary was complete. Through the centuries the complex became a fortress, then a Christian church, and later a mosque.

Bel was worshipped at Palmyra in a triad with the lunar god Aglibol and the sun god Yarhibol, and the temple was dedicated in AD 32. Inscriptions name three Greek craftsmen who worked on the building, among them an architect called Alexandras. The cella held two inner sanctuaries, the north and south adytons, for Bel and other local deities.

The site is located in a region that has been affected by conflict in the past, so travelers should check the current security situation before visiting. The location is in the center of Tadmur and can be reached on foot from the old town.

The northern adyton's ceiling carries a bas-relief of the seven planets known to the ancients ringed by the twelve zodiac signs, with Jupiter at the centre. Its upper frame shows a winged eagle, the symbol of Bel, with Aglibol and Yarhibol carved at the wing tips. A beam beside the cella was carved with a procession of camels and veiled women.