Photos: Tourists return to Syrian heritage sites

People visit the ruins of the Jaabar Citadel (Qalaat Jaabar) in Syria's Lake Assad reservoir in Raqa province. The ancient lake-side fortress, once used by militants to launch attacks, is slowly regaining its status as a top cultural destination, attracting visitors from across war-torn Syria. Families posed for pictures under the hot June sun, some perched on an ancient brick wall overlooking the banks of Lake Assad, an artificial reservoir in north Syria's Raqa province.

Families posed for pictures under the hot June sun, some perched on an ancient brick wall overlooking the banks of Lake Assad in northern Syria's Raqa province.

Men share a meal at the ruins of the Jaabar Citadel (Qalaat Jaabar) in Syria's Lake Assad reservoir in Raqa province.

Abdullah al-Jaber was visiting Qalaat Jaabar with his children for the first time even though they live less than an hour away by car. He said he would often show them photographs of his childhood trips to the citadel in the hope that they would one day visit it together."Their dream was to see Qalaat Jaabar," the 41-year-old said with a smile. "Today I brought them here to see it." Above, an aerial view of a watchtower at the Qalaat Jaabar in Syria's Lake Assad reservoir in Raqa province.

The Islamic-era landmark has attracted a growing number of visitors since the start of summer as security has improved in recent years.

Men pose for a "selfie" photo at the ruins of the Qalaat Jaabar in Syria's Lake Assad reservoir in Raqa province.

The historic fortified site dates back to the Seljuk and Mamluk periods and is considered one of Syria's most preeminent fortresses.

The castle became an island when Lake Assad was formed in 1974 by the completion of the Tabqa dam on the Euphrates River.

Qalaat Jaabar is connected to the mainland by a thin causeway. It has 35 bridges and a mosque and it used to shelter a museum with dozens of artefacts, but that was ransacked by the militants group.

The site lies around 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Raqa city.

In 2017, US-backed Kurdish fighters retook the fortress from the militants who had ruled over the area since 2014.

Boat rides and picnics on Lake Assad's sandy shores have also helped turn the citadel back into a popular destination for families.

People visit the ruins of the Qalaat Jaabar.