Damascus Travel Guide
A City as Old As Time
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Commonly referred to as the City As Old As Time there is no doubt that Damascus is antique. Whilst its epithet may be disputed but others the bones of the city are unquestionably ancient, with Roman remains the most visible to today’s traveller. Its famous Hamadiyeh souk leads into narrow backstreets - one of which is mentioned in the Bible – to one of the holiest mosques in Islam and the resting place of the warrior Saladin. Beyond and yet still within the city walls are Ottoman hammams, pashas palaces and still-inhabited medieval houses. For those that wish to know Syria and its misunderstood and incredibly friendly people there’s no better starting point than Damascus.
Known as "Ash Sham in Arabic sits on the life giving waters of the Barada River and evidence points that Damascus was inhabited as far back as the 3rd millennium BC; others speak of a history stretching back to the 7th millennium BC, but for this there is no proof. A tablet from Ebla uses the word "Damaski" and the earliest documented history dates back to 2000 BC, during its Amorite period, when it served as the capital of an Aramean kingdom. One of the most important Aramean buildings, the Temple of Hadad is buried beneath the Umayyad Mosque.
Assyrians, Chaldeans and Persians all ruled until the arrival of Alexander the Great in 333 BC, when the city came under Western control for the first time. Greek control was not to last as the successors, the Seleucids, were ousted by the Nabataeans, who in turn were replaced by the Romans. Hugely important as a trading city Damascus prospered for 400 years before being absorbed into the Byzantine Empire.
In 635 the armies of Khaled Ibn-al-Walid absorbed Damascus into the fledgling Muslim Empire; the country of Syria became Muslim with significant numbers of well-treated Christian and Jewish minorities. This was the start of the “Golden Age” with Mu’awiyah Bin Abi Sufian establishing himself as fifth Caliph, founding the Umayyad Dynasty.
Following the Ummayads and their successors the Abbasids Ahmad Ibn Tulun, a Turk, captured Damascus in 878, and the years that followed saw many changes of rule. In the 11th century the first wave of Crusaders arrived and battles raged for the next 100 years with Saladin playing a pivotal role.
Mamelukes and Mongols followed with the Turkish Ottomans arriving to claim the city in 1516; the next 400 years were in comparison peaceful. During the First World War the Turks sided with Germany and the allied Western troops and leaders of the Arab Revolt ousted the Ottomans. Machinations between the British and French saw French troops occupy the country but finally, in 1941, France recognised Syria's independence
The early years were unstable until yet another coup d'état by the Ba’ath Socialist Party saw the accession President Hafez El-Assad and, following his death in 2000, his son, Bashar.
Attractions in Damascus
The city has countless attractions both inside and outside the walls of the old city. The National Museum is the country’s flagship repository of archaeological and other treasures. Heading past the Hejaz Railway Station (worth a peek inside) you come to the Hamadiyeh Bazaar, a mix of modern and old and a great way to get to the Umayyad Mosque.
It is possible to enter this spectacular and important mosque, which contains a shrine said to hold the head of John the Baptist; to the side of the mosque look for the final resting place of that most chivalrous and much admired Arab warriors, Saladin.
Turn right in from of the Umayyad Mosque and follow the winding streets past the old Ottoman Nour al Din Hammam (a visit is a must) and the beautiful Azem Palace. Soon you will exit onto the Street Called Straight, mentioned in the Bible; at the bottom lies the St Ananias Houses, again with Biblical connections.
Activities in Damascus
Allow at least 2 full days in Damascus, more if at all possible.
Relaxing
Head to the rear of the Umayyad Mosque and enter an alley line with chai-khanas – teashops – then carry on exploring before indulging in a hammam at the end of the day.
Getting Around
The city is navigable on foot, but taxis are cheap for those that have wearied of exploring.
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