Taybat al-Imam طيبة الإمام Tayyibat al-Imam | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Taybat al-Imam Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates:35°15′58″N36°42′41″E / 35.26611°N 36.71139°E /35.26611; 36.71139 | |
| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | Hama |
| District | Hama |
| Subdistrict | Suran |
| Control |  Syrian Salvation Government |
| Population (2004) | |
• Total | 24,105 |
Taybat al-Imam (Arabic:طيبة الإمام, also transliteratedTayyibat al-Imam orTaibet el-Imam), historically known asTayyibat al-A'la, is a town in northernSyria, administratively part of theHama Governorate, located 18 kilometers (11 mi) northwest ofHama.[1] Nearby localities includeHalfaya andMhardeh to the west,Lataminah to the northwest,Morek to the north,Suran to the east,Maar Shuhur to the southeast,Qamhana to the south andKhitab to the southwest. According to theSyria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Taybat al-Imam had a population of 24,105 in the 2004 census.[2]
The town was formerly known as 'Tayyibat al-A'la'.[3] Between 1786 and 1799, duringOttoman rule (1516–1918), Tayyibat al-A'la was part of a lifetime leasehold of Muhammad Effendi al-Muradi, the secretary of thediwan ofDamascus.[4] In an 1828 Ottoman tax record, Tayyibat al-A'la was classified as a grain-growing village consisting 65feddans, making it one of the larger villages of theHama Sanjak.[5] In 1838, it was recorded aSunni Muslim village.[6]
The name of the town gained its appendage 'al-Imam' at a later point after a tomb-shrine located there which locals ascribed to a descendant of theImam,Ali ibn Abi Talib.[3]
As part of the ongoingSyrian civil war, Taybat al-Imam was the scene of violent clashes between the rebelFree Syrian Army and the government'sarmed forces in December 2012. The clashes were part of arebel offensive intoHama Governorate. In August 2016, rebels managed to recapture the city.[7] On 20 April 2017, Syrian Armyrecaptured the city from HTS rebels.[8]
On 30 November 2024,HTS rebels captured the city from the Syrian Army during theHama offensive.[9] A day later, the Syrian Army recaptured the city from HTS rebels.[10] On 3 December, HTS regained control over the city.[11]
Taybat al-Imam contains theByzantine-era Church of the Holy Martyrs that dates back to 442 CE.[12] The church, which now serves as a museum in the center of town, consists of threenaves and contains a large mosaic covering the building's entire floor.[1] The mosaic was accidentally discovered in 1985 during road construction in the town. Between that year and 1987 it was excavated by theJordan-based Franciscan Archaeological Institute. The mosaic is noted for both its size and for its depiction of 20 different building types, including religious and civil structures. Other images depicted include the scene ofParadise, theTigris andEuphrates rivers, the churches ofJerusalem andBethlehem, thebasilica of St. Simeon Stylites and the double towers ofQalb Lozeh, both sites in northern Syria nearAleppo.[1]
