 Damascus:
Said to be the world's oldest inhabited city, Damascus today (pictured)
is a thriving modern capital. Three thousand years ago it was the
capital of the Aramean Kingdom and was later conquered by Alexander
the Great, when it became an important Greek city. It was also a
major city of the Roman Empire and fell to the Muslims in 635A.D.
The Mongols sacked the city in 1200A.D. and it was occupied during
the Middle Ages by the Ottomans and the Mamelukes. Damascus is situated
at the Ghouta Oasis, fed by the waters of the Baruda River. It was
this oasis which first made settlement possible, as the surrounding
area would otherwise be uninhabitable.
The old city of Damascus is surrounded by what was once a Roman
wall, much rebuilt at various times during the past two millennia.
The section between the Gate of Safety (Bab as-Salama) and Thomas
Gate (Bab Touma) is the best preserved part of the wall. Other Roman
remains include the western gate of the Temple of Jupiter, all that
remains of this huge structure from the 3rd century B.C. The Temple
gate is situated at the far end of the Souk al-Hamadiyyah and consists
of two vast Corinthian columns supporting a decorated lintel.
Worth visiting are the Science and Medical Museum just off the
Souk al-Hamadiyyah, which is housed in a 12th century hospital,
and the Museum of the Arts and Popular Traditions of Syria, housed
in the eye-catching black-and-white Azem Palace, built of black
basalt and limestone.
The National Museum is situated at the entrance to the Qasr al-Hayr
al-Gharbi, a military camp outside the city near Palmyra. It contains
a fascinating and varied collection of statuary, frescoes, glassware,
old surgical instruments, coins, jewellery and a collection of Q'rans
dating back to the 13th century. It is unfortunate that many of
these exhibits are unlabelled, or have labels in Arabic only.
The most impressive mosque in Damascus is the Omayyad Mosque. This
dates back to 705A.D., although the site is much older, probably
by another 2,000 years. The grandeur and peace of the mosque is
a welcome relief from the heat and hurly-burly outside. Non-Muslims
are welcome to visit and to take photographs, but visitors must
don the black robes provided before entering the mosque.
The Via Recta is to be found in Damascus. Mentioned in the Bible
as the "Street called Straight", it is the famous refuge
of Saint Paul, after his vision on the road to Damascus, and today
marks the boundary of the city's Christian quarter. St. Paul's Chapel
is to be found in Bab Kisan, on the spot where St. Paul was lowered
from a window in a basket to make his escape from the city.
Bosra:
A Roman city with a well-preserved amphitheatre in which the musical
festival is held every two years.
Central Region
Palmyra:
This town is set in a desert oasis. The city was ruled by the legendary
Queen Zenobia, who stood against the two great empires of the Romans
and the Persians. Zenobia was taken captive to Rome when the Emperor
Aurelian conquered and destroyed the city in 272. The ruins of the
Valley of Tombs, the Hypogeum of the Three Brothers, the Temple
of Baal and the Monumental Arch are some of the fine remains found
over a wide area of the city, prized as some of the most famous
monuments to the Classical period in the Middle East.
Homs:
The third-largest city in Syria, Homs is known for its industry,
and is the site of Syria’s first oil refinery. Of historical
interest is the mausoleum of Khalid Ibn al-Walid.
Hama: 45km (28 miles) from Homs. Situated on the River Orontes,
Hama dates back to beyond 5000BC. The Norias, gigantic wooden waterwheels,
are a unique feature, still used to provide water for the city and
to irrigate the many public gardens. The orchards, the Great Mosque
and the Al Azem Palace’s Museum are also of interest.
The North
Aleppo:
Older possibly even than Damascus, Aleppo’s massive Citadel
stands on the site of a Hittite acropolis. This is one of the most
magnificent examples of Islamic Arab military architecture in Syria.
There is an impressive number of mosques in the city. For the tourist,
the souk, made up of 16km (10 miles) of meandering low corridors
lined with shops and bustling with activity, is probably the greatest
attraction. The well preserved hammams, or public baths, are of
interest, as are the ancient khans (rest houses). Some fine artefacts
and historic reminders of Syria’s rich cultural past are housed
in the archaeological museum. Aleppo is also the commercial and
industrial centre of Syria.
Lattakia:
Syria’s principal port and the metropolitan city of the country.
Set on the Mediterranean coast, Lattakia is a major holiday resort.
The city stands at the foot of the forested chain of mountains overlooking
the coastal strip on one side and the edge of the Fertile Plains
(the ‘Cradle of Civilisation’) on the other. There are
a number of antiquities, including the ruined Temple of Bacchus
and a triumphal arch.
Tartus:
beaches and mountains, Lattakia mountain resorts of Kassab and
Slounfeh. 10km (6 miles) inland, near Tartus, are the Drekish Mountains,
famous for the purity of their water. |