Syria has always been a bridge between East and West, between Europe and the Islamic world. 'A cradle of civilisations from time immemorial', in the words of editor Stefano Bianca, Syria 'is a nodal point where various threads of Islamic history come together'. The citadels in this book are testimony to the harsh political conflicts but rich cultural exchanges that occurred in the Middle Ages between Europe and the Islamic world, then at its cultural height.Another publication from the esteemed Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), the book reflects the admirable work done in the field by one of its branches, the Historic Cities Programme, which has restored and brought back to life these splendid building complexes. Indeed, a unique aspect of this volume lies in the combination of the insights into on-site conservation processes and resulting enhancement policies for the entire areas concerned, coupled with detailed historical descriptions that fully contextualise the sites. Likewise, the magnificent wealth and range of the illustrations - both historic and extremely recent - shows us Aleppo, Salah al-Din and Masyaf commanding the surrounding countryside from their rocky plateaus, towering from within their massive stone fortifications, both in ruins and in their present restored states.This is supported by a unique and authentic documentation in the form of maps and plans published for the first time, in turn testimony to the training processes accomplished in the field, typical of the scope of AKTC projects worldwide. The authors are all international specialists in their fields with long-standing relationships with Syria.