Description Of Place
The Church Of The Monastery

Located in the middle of the east façade of the northern wing, it consists of a single nave supported by two arcs of stone, giving a semi-circular apse with two superimposed arcades. Unlike the usual apse ends in the upper shell, but includes a flat wood poplar

At Naos of the building has two floors made by two arches stone stacked vertically. This architecture is unusual and unique finds that Sergiopolis in a funeral chapel. The room above the altar is called by the inhabitants' high room.
The church has two layers of wall paintings. Based on the work of the German Archaeological Institute in Damascus who led three missions to complete restoration and study, the oldest layer could date back to the XI th century while the most recent layer is the thirteenth.

THE FRESCOES: WHAT REMAINS TO BE

It stays on very few fragments. The Directorate General of Antiquities seeing the alarming state of neglect of monastery sent in the early 70's mission to drop everything that could be. The parties filed as follows: fragments were restored with museum of Damascus, while others are exhibited at the Museum of Deir Atiyeh. We keep the deposit remaining fragement in 5 cases. These funds have been made in the monastery as well as fragments exposed at the Museum of Deir Atieh.

In May 2003 a congress was organized by the German Archaeological Institute and the Universities of Leiden and Louvain-la-Neuve to study how best to complete this restoration. At the same time we received a donation french Senate to start work. The restoration is to begin in spring 2005.
1 - Discover fragments hidden in the plaster on the walls of the church.
2 - Cleaning, consolidation, upgrading and replacement of fragments that are restored in 5 cases returned to the monastery by the Directorate General of Antiquities in Syria.
3 - Rest of the fragments exhibited in museums in Syria.
4 - Scientific publication on the restoration of the monastery and the frescoes of the church.

THE TOUR
Its foundations date back to the first century. It would have served as a surveillance post for caravans from the Anti-Lebanon toward Damascus. The ground floor consists of two rooms with longitudinal barrel vault, worked in the Roman manner but with clay bricks.
The tower has a shaft that continues to operate.
The first floor has been completely redone. It consisted of four large cells. According to tradition it was the residence of the Bishop.
Another floor was added. Today the tower houses the monks.

THE CRYPT SAINT JACQUES


(Translation to be continued ...)