Barad براد | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Ruins of the North Church AD561 at the ancient site of Barad, 2009 | |
  Barad | |
| Coordinates:36°23′8″N36°53′57″E / 36.38556°N 36.89917°E /36.38556; 36.89917 | |
| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | Aleppo |
| District | Afrin |
| Subdistrict | Afrin |
| Control |  TurkeySyrian Interim Government |
| Population (2004 census)[1] | |
• Total | 1,229 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Barad (Arabic:براد) is a mountainous village in northernSyria, administratively part of theAleppo Governorate, located northwest ofAleppo. Nearby localities includeBurj Abdullah to the northwest,Kimar to the north,Aqiba to the northeast andNubl to the east. On March 21, 2018, the village came under the control of theSyrian National Army.
According to theSyria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Barad had a population of 1,229 in the 2004 census.[1] Although the vicinity of Barad is still populated, it is listed as one of theDead Cities, aUNESCO World Heritage Site.[2] It is the most extensive ancient site in the area[3] with an important group of buildings dating from theByzantine era.[4][5]
The archaeological remains in the vicinity of Barad include several old churches, an ancient monastery, a large public bathhouse, five warehouses, meeting house, amagistrate's residence, atetrapylon, two monasteries and a cathedral. Most of these date from the Byzantine period.[4][5]
The cathedral, known as the Church of Julianos,[6] was built between 399 and 402 CE.[4] It is a large building containing a sizablebema ("elevated position") in the center of the hall which represents the centrality ofJerusalem. At the end of its wall is a book rest.[7] Of the seven churches that were built in northern Syria before 400 CE, the Church of Julianos was one of two large three-aisledbasilicas; the other five were smaller, with only a single aisle.[8][9]
A second church was built in Barad in the 6th century.[10] The monastery, known as Qasr al-Barad, is situated about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) southwest of the village site.[11]
In February 2010,Lebanese Maronite ChristianMichel Aoun led a delegation to visit Barad, in order to commemorate the 1600th anniversary ofSt. Maron's death.[12]
On 22 March 2018, Barad was bombed by Turkish forces during theOperation Olive Branch. Several important structures were damaged or destroyed, including the tomb of St. Maron, and the Julianos Church.[13][14]
