Damascus

Damascus:

One of the oldest cities in the world, a city that was continuously inhabited since the millennium It's a multi-millennium city that one must see at least once in a lifetime. The more that one discovers this city, the more to be influenced by its charm.In the heart of the oasis of Ghouta, surrounded by mountains and irrigated by Barada Damascus is a privileged site of residence in Syria. The view of Damascus, this antique town,seen from the top of Qassioun Mountain, with its frame of greenery, will remain as an everlasting souvenir for the passengers which come around the world!

The Omayyad Mosque:

This Great Mosque stands at the heart of the Old city at the end of Souq al-Hamidiyeh. It was built by the Omayyad Caliph al-Walid ibn Abdul Malek in 705 A.D. when Damascus was the capital of the Arab Islamic Empire.It was constructed on the site of what has always been a place of worship: first, a temple for Hadad, the Aramean god of the ancient Syrians three thousand years ago; then, a pagan temple (the temple of Jupiter the Damascene) during the Roman era. It was later turned into a church called John the Baptist when Christianity spread in the fourth century. Following the Islamic conquest in 635, Muslims and Christians agreed to partition it between them, and they began to perform their rituals side by side.

Damascus

The tomb of Salaadin:

The tomb is next door to the north gate of the Omayyad Mosque. It was originally part of al-Azizieh School built by Uthman, Saladin's son, in the twelfth century. The whole interior is decorated with polychrome marble mosaics. Next to the tomb stands a typical mamluk edifice, the Jumaqjieh School, built in the twelfth century.

The Azem Palace:

This also stands at the heart of the Old City, on the southern side of the Omayyad Mosque, and very close to it. It is an astonishing example of a Damascene house, where the simple, almost primitive, exterior contrasts rather sharply with the beauty and sophistication of the interior. The palace now houses the Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions.

Seydnaya:

Some 30 kilometres from Damascus, the village is spread out over a hilltop, and is surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. It has a famous monastery founded in 547, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. The name of the village itself, "Seyda Naya" in Syriac means "Our Lady". The monastery contains a portrait of the Virgin believed to have been painted by St. Luke.

Bimarystan Al Noury:

To the south of Souq al-Hamidiyeh, this was built by Nureddin in the twelfth century as a hospital, and financed by ransom money to the amount of 300,000 dinars paid by a Crusader king held captive. During the Ottoman period it was converted into a school for girls, and it now houses the Museum of Arab Medicine and Science. It contains the most exquisite examples of decorative inscriptions used for the first time during Nureddin's reign to replace the traditional kufi inscriptions.

The Gates Of Damascus:

The ancient wall that surrounds the old city was built during the Roman era. The wall consists of seven gates (Bab).  They are, Bab al-Faradis Bab al-Faraj, Bab al-Jabieh, Bab al-Saghir, Bab al-Salam, Bab Kisan, Bab Sharqi & Bab Tuma.

Al-Takieh Al-Suleimaniyeh:

A remarkable example of Ottoman architecture; it was built by order of Sultan Suleiman al-Qanouni (hence the name) in 1554. It was erected on the site of the famous palace of Zhaher Bybars, and designed by the celebrated architect Sinan. Most striking are its two elegant minarets. It is divided into two parts: the great Takieh which consists of a mosque and a school, and the minor Takieh with a prayer hall and a large patio surrounded by archways, arcades and rooms, now housing the handicraft market.

Al-Takieh Al-Suleimaniyeh	The Gates Of Damascus	Bimarystan Al Noury

The National Museum of Damascus:

Founded in 1919, initially installed at the Madrasseh al Adiliyeh. The construction of a new building was between 1935 and 1979 and it becomes the central Museum of Syria. Since then the following monuments had been reconstructed within this MuseumTarsus, charged by the Romans to persecute.

ST. Pauls Church:

in the city of  Damascus, It commemorates the memory of St. Paul, It was built in the Roman period.

The City of Damascus Historical Museum:

An eighteenth-century building, which, like al-Azem Palace, is considered a fine example of old Damascene houses. It contains historical documents relating to the inhabitants of the city of Damascus.

ST. Pauls Church	The National Museum of Damascus	The City of Damascus Historical Museum

The old covered souqs of Damascus:

have a unique flavour you can savor with eyes closed. As you walk about in the warm darkness of these streets with their fragrant scents, spices, and colourful merchandise spilling out of the shops onto the pavements, you enter the strange world of exotic legend. Most prominent of these are: Souq al-Hamidiyeh, Souq Midhat Pasha, Souq al-Harir and Souq Al-Bzourieh.

The Mosque of Saida Zeinab:

Located some 10 kilometres to the south of Damascus.The interior is covered with decorations in silver and gold, ornate windows and lavish chandeliers. The shrine attracts hundreds of pilgrims daily from various countries, who come to pay tribute to the Prophet's grand-daughter, the daughter of the Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb.

Maloula:

This famous village is some 56 kilometres from Damascus, and is situated at an altitude of more than 1500 metres. Its little houses cling to the face of an enormous rock; they look suspended in mid-air. There are two monasteries here: Saint Sergius and Saint Taqla's. The inhabitants still speak Aramaic, the  language spoken by Christ. two villages they are neighbors,it's Jaba'din and Naj'a also speak the same language. The word Ma'lula means "entrance" in Aramaic.

The Mosque of Saida Zeinab	The old covered souqs of Damascus	Maloula