Description: Temple of Baal, or sometimes called Temple of Bel, is a temple with an oriental design. The means that given a rectangular floor plan, the entrance is in the center of the long side, not the short side as is customary for Christian churches. Thus, the temple was not really a place of worship for the masses, and provided sacrificial altars at both ends of a huge open floor space. Outside, there is a place where mass sacrifices of sheep created a river of blood. Later, the temple was converted to a Byzantine Church, and later still a Mosque. But, neither purpose was served well by the temple, and so it remained basically unchanged. However, the huge structure is surrounded by a equally impressive series of colonnades and walls, so that after the decline of the worship of Bal, the temple grounds served as a fortress for Byzantine and Arab defenders. A nominal entrance fee is required for the temple grounds, which are located at one end of the main street of Palmyra. Depending upon how much time one wants to hang around, the temple will take at least an hour to walk andn photograph.