Royal Palace of Ugarit, Archaeological site in Latakia, Syria
The Royal Palace of Ugarit is a large excavated complex with dozens of connected rooms organized across multiple levels around open courtyards. The stone walls remain visible today and show the solid construction of this ancient structure.
French archaeologists began excavating the site in the 1920s and uncovered palace structures dating from the 15th century BC. The discovery shows that Ugarit served as an important center for an ancient civilization.
The palace archives reveal daily trade relationships and diplomatic contacts through thousands of inscribed tablets that show how this place was central to ancient commerce. These records demonstrate the importance of this site in connecting different civilizations.
Visitors should wear comfortable shoes as the ground is uneven with sandy areas throughout the site. There is little shade across the excavation, so a hat or umbrella is helpful during hot times of day.
Underground burial chambers lie beneath the northern section and contain stone-built vaults showing construction methods of that era. These hidden rooms offer insight into how the ancient elite were buried.
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