Homs (Arabic: حمص, transliteration: Ḥimṣ, anciently calle Emessa, or "La Chamelle" during the Crusades) is a western city in Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is 450 m above sea level, and is located 160 km away from Damascus and 190 km away from Aleppo. It is located on the Orontes river. It is also the central link between the interior cities and the Mediterranean Sea coast. In Roman times it was known as Emesa. The famous Crac des Chevaliers is built on the mountain overlooking the Homs Gap. It is also home to the Tomb of Khalid bin Walid, a famous and celebrated Arab Muslim General. The 2007 population estimate of the city is 1,647,000.