Al-Kafrun

For the village in Iran, see Kafran.
Al-Kafrun
الكفرون
Kafroun
Village
Kafroun general view
Kafroun general view
Al-Kafrun is located in Syria
Al-Kafrun
Al-Kafrun
Location in Syria
Coordinates: 34°51′44″N 36°14′8″E / 34.86222°N 36.23556°E / 34.86222; 36.23556
Country Syria
GovernorateTartus
DistrictSafita
SubdistrictMashta al-Helu
Elevation
550 m (1,800 ft)
Population
 (2004 census)[1]
 • Total
485
Time zoneUTC+3 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (EEST)

Al-Kafrun (Arabic: الكفرون; also spelled Kafroun) is a village in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Safita District of the Tartous Governorate. It is situated in the an-Nusayriyah Mountains at 550 metres (1,800 ft) above sea level. It is traditionally a summer resort for locals who want to escape the hot summer temperatures in the lowlands. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Kafroun had a population of 485 in the 2004 census.[1]

Its inhabitants are predominantly Greek Orthodox Christians.[2][3] Al-Kafrun is among five villages in its immediate vicinity bearing this name (the others include Kafrun Badra, Kafrun Haydar, Kafrun Bashur). While Kafrun's inhabitants are Greek Orthodox, the other villages are each inhabited by a different religious group (Maronite, Melkite and Alawite).[4]

Al-Kafrun is well known in the area for the annual festival in celebration of the Assumption/Dormition of Mary on 15 August, held atop the Jabal al-Saideh mountain. Al-Kafrun is the birthplace of the famous Syrian singer George Wassouf,[5] and the novelist Halim Barakat.[6]

  1. ^ a b General Census of Population and Housing 2004. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Tartus Governorate. (in Arabic)
  2. ^ Batatu 1999, p. 119.
  3. ^ Balanche 2000, p. 262.
  4. ^ Balanche 2000, p. 137.
  5. ^ Nayel, Mohamed-Ali (21 August 2017). "George Wassouf: the People's Champ". Jadaliyya. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  6. ^ "Official Obituary of Halim Barakat". Philip D. Rinaldi Funeral Service.