St. Simeon (previously known as Tellanissos) is a monastery that lies to the north east of the city of Aleppo. It is named after Saint Simeon Stylites who was born in the year 389 AD in the town of Sisan, south of Mount Simeon (part of Jabal Al-Zawiya). He fled to Tellanissos in 412 AD and spent more than 40 years on top of a 15-meter high pillar without food or water for days at a time as a form of worship. People and his disciples would climb up to visit with him.
The Church of Saint Simeon was built in the year 490 AD on Mount Simeon and served as an impregnable fortress during the days of Saladin. St. Simeon was a popular destination for tourists and worshippers from all over the world and is part of the “Dead Cities” listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
