Krak des Chevaliers is approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of the city of Homs,
close to the border of Lebanon.
The Crac des Chevaliers was built by the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem from 1142 to 1271. With further construction by the Mamluks in the late 13th century, it ranks among the best-preserved examples of the Crusader castles.