Things to see and do Damascus

An unforgettable exit, provided that it is done in clear time. Half an hour before dark, take pull and vent, call a taxi and indicate the direction of jebel Qassioun (200 LS one way). After crossing the bare hill and overcoming the futuristic buildings of the presidential palace and the palace of hosts, then the monument to the dead, the car stops on the road in a balcony overlooking Damascus. The difference is such that you feel like flying around the city. Minarets and modern buildings go beyond a compact, compact housing. In the distance, a green belt loop the city and seems to protect it. While the day is brutally seated at night, a hundred muezzins stand in the air to invite the faithful to prayer. The city lights up with a thousand lights, while the cold that wins the mountain reminds us that Damascus is a desert girl.

The vision that is offered to contemplative at the beginning of the st century does not, however, have much to do with the inflamed stories of writers, a century ago.

" The city appears from there, all graceful and white, with its roof roofs and its fine minarets, in the midst of the abundant foliage tablecloth surrounding it like a small sea, or a large lake, with a slightly bluish green. The last rays of sunshine gently empourprent her; It does not seem very large, but deliciously cool and beautiful in its woods and orchards. The mountains and the plains that are crushed by the autumn, which surround the oasis, give the impression of desert; it is a splendid and splendid framework, especially at this hour of the day when a pink mist voile the summits of anti-Lebanon and Hermon. (Vega, Travel to Syria and Galilee, 1912.)

Dozens of small cafés hanging on the hill offer drinks, chicha and sometimes some dishes. Beware, prices are very high for lower quality. Moreover, scams are frequent, a tea can quickly return to 200 LS, here the pack of handkerchief on the table is paid! A board, therefore, admire the view away from these stalls and return to quench your thirst in the streets of the old town.

Guide and driver perfectly bilingual and great amateur French culture (talk to the castles of the Loire!). Nabil is not only extremely competent and erudite, but also has a very rich personality. Travelling with him, which favours small groups, is always the occasion for a nice meeting. Very familiar with the French mentality, it will understand and adapt to your desires to design a tailor-made visit throughout the country for a afternoon or several weeks. Satisfaction guaranteed!

From the visit of Damascus to the entire country, Ghassan offers its Services as a guide or driver guide. Licensed in French and married with a French, so say you could almost take it for a French. Very learned, having a sufficiently extensive knowledge of Islam as well as Christianity, he is also multilingual (Italian and English).

Set in the attic, you will discover a majestic set of dormant rocks where a set of Roman necropolises was cut into rock. Climb on the left where some kinds of pipes were drawn in stone. Then take the different stairs to take a look at the funeral rooms also dug in the rock. Finally, in the same region, sometimes along the road, it is possible to see individual sarcophagi.

Ain el-Fijé (25 km from Damascus) has a vauclusienne source of 8 m ³ per second on average. What to provide much of the water consumed in Damascus. The ruins of a Roman temple indicate the seniority of the cult dedicated to this source which determines the very existence of the capital.

Haut (51 km, 30 000 inhabitants) is the main town. Expanding between two rows of arid mountains, this beautiful plateau is covered with fruit trees and gardens at the foot of modern pavilions. The official source of the Barada is near a small artificial lake, which is reached by road on the left, 5 km before arriving at, centre. The boats are waiting for visitors for a small tour, a very popular leisure on Fridays.

A few kilometers away, we arrive, through a winding road, in the big village (57 km, 3 000 inhabitants) in the recent buildings perched at 1 500 m altitude. The rich Damascènes come to look for freshness and calm in the summer. In winter, mountains are dressed in white. It's then the chance to see the kids making snow battles or even seeing cars go down in Damascus by proudly wearing a bonhomme on their hood.

Not far from there (at the exit of Bloudan, asking for the path), the source of Boukein provides the country with mineral water. Boukein bottles sell to Homs, then the Dreikishe takes over.

After several years of restoration work, a community of sisters, sisters of the unity of Antioch, lived there since January 2000. Ask to meet with French sister who will be pleased to visit this moving, historic place.

The visit begins first with the oldest piece. According to the dating of the wood on the door (juniper), this piece dates back over 2 000 years. In fact, this Christian sanctuary was first a pagan temple dedicated to the moon.

Then we go through a small little door to enter the church that would be one of the oldest in Syria. Its semicircular apse was on two floors. Inside, gradually after restoration, the frescoes are returned. Left was a mill. One enters the unique nave with two stone arches. The soil dating from the Middle ages has been restored.

On the walls, frescoes in pieces depicting the life of Christ are visible. The bottom of the tower is Roman times. The rest has been completely renovated. She was certainly a watchtower. Finally, the crypt, which was a place of refuge during the massacres of the th century under Baïbar and the th century under the Ottomans. According to the legend, two survivors of the massacre perpetuated in the th century escaped through a tunnel leading to the church of Saint-Nicolas today the Great mosque.

To conclude the tour of Qara, mark a stop at the Grande Mosque (Jaamea al-Kabir). Go down the main street 300 m from the church and turn right. This is actually an ancient cathedral converted into a mosque.

The façade also shows the Byzantine origins of the building.

Déchausser before entering, women must take a veil. Good example of small small town mosque, filled with carpets. The ancient capitals decorate the two mihrab.

From the main road, take a small lane on the right just before a large triangular square. The entrance of the church is a little further on the right. Ask the key to the merchants around the square.

The two Roman officers from Syria were a rich source of inspiration for Syrian religious artists. People in the late th century in Résafé (see «Résafé»), Saint Serge gave his name to the Catholic convent of Maaloula. Here, it is the frescoes that we have to admire. They are still practically intact around the year 1000, which is already fascinating. They represent Saint Serge on a horse, Saint John-Baptiste and the Child Nursing.

The recent Shia shrine, situated not far from the Umayyad mosque, is not missing. Its gloss inside, with a prayer room with hundreds of mirrors, dive in a green light light, slice with the sobriety of other places of worship in the city. Enter the place and observe the devotion of highly expressive Shia women in the expression of their faith. Women must wear a Muslim dress.

The construction of the mausoleum spanned 50 years (from 1172 to 1218). The facade is treated more soberly than that of the adjacent mausoleum, with an arc in full hanger. A small vestibule leads to a courtyard with a basin. On the right, the iwan and, on the left, the old prayer room, which opens onto the courtyard by five bays. All rooms around the courtyard, which were the rooms of the students and masters, are arranged in the library. Jadis once contained the grave of the brother of Saladin, Sultan Al-Adil Ed ed-Din, the man who raised the Damascus citadel, dead in 1218. It houses the Arab Manuscripts section of the National Library.

From the threshold to the éblouissante style of calligraphie style and to the mouqarnas, the funeral room is found on the right. One of the guards will gladly open it with a bakchich. While the tones and themes are identical to the mosaic décor of the Umayyad mosque, the execution is more coarse. Among other remarkable elements of the decor are the mihrab à, steeped in marble, ivory and mother's length, and decorated with floral motifs, calligraphy and geometric motifs, as well as baseboards with marble scales. Completed in 1278, the mausoleum of the Sultan mameluke Az-Zahir Baïbars occupies the location of a house formerly inhabited by Ayyoub, the father of Saladin. Madrasas acts as a library, and there are many dusty books among which the works on Islam contradict Lenin's works.

The Jaqmaqiya Jaqmaqiya was raised in the 1438 th century by the Mameluke governor of Damascus, Jaqimaq al-Argunsawi, who was then Sultan in Cairo from 1452 to. The facade is in black, pink and white. Inside, a central courtyard with a fountain is covered with a richly decorated ceiling worn by columns.

The decorative function of calligraphy, essential in the arts of Islam, is illustrated by the variety of media used: ceramic, stone, paper, metal, glass… On a stage on the right of the entrance, there are very beautiful copies of the Koran. The interest of this museum lies in its playful side, the game of recognizing styles of calligraphy (including the very old coufique, toulouth and naskhi). The lack of explanation unfortunately makes the visit a little tedious.

The most important of Damascus's leaders by its dimensions (2 500 m ²) is late construction. It was completed in 1753, after a little over a year of work. It is the work of Governor Assaad Pasha al-Azem (that of the Azem Palace). In 1833 Lamartine wrote: " It is a huge dome whose bold arch recalls that of Saint-Pierre in Rome. " Its very symmetrical plan consists of a central dome (now collapsed) and eight side domes 8 m in diameter, equipped with 18 openings each. Stairs serve a floor, where 40 rooms are arranged all around the central courtyard. This staircase leads above, to the roof roof from where the view embrasse the city. A fountain with fountain placed in the centre softens the austere effect of the foundation of black and white stone. At present, it is very often a temporary exhibition place. In sum two visits in one!

Among the many holy places and shrines in Damascus, there are three of them attracting the Shia pilgrims in Iran. They are the tomb of Hussein in the Great Mosque, the nearby Rouqqaya mosque, and finally the Saida Zeinab mausoleum. Dedicated to a granddaughter of Mohammed, this mausoleum takes you to Isfahan. The profusion of money and mirrors in the prayer rooms, the rich decor of tiles, the immense golden dome contrast with the modest suburb where it is located. To get there, take a collective taxi for Saida Zeinab (15 km from the city centre, on the road to Souweida south-east of Damascus).

At night, borrow the street that opens face to the mosque Sinan Pasha, recognizable to its unique minaret of green tiles. It is located at the southwest end of the old town.

Typical and unknown to tourists, this shopping street lit by small lamps runs through an ancient and popular area. We sell chicken, cheese, vegetables, pastry… in shops open on the street or on the ground, so you have the fabulous feeling of walking in a giant open-air grocery store. The warm bread leaving the furnaces is deposited on kinds of iron étendoirs. Men separate the patties, spread them and wait by arguing that the khoubz has cooled. Colours glossy, horns of the few daring drivers who dare to confront the crowd of pedestrians, sellers at the auction machine, smell of spices… to prolong this fabulous sensitive journey, stop the time of a tea on the few tables arranged on the terrace of a small café nestled on the terrace of a small coffee, just after the crossing with the main fruit and vegetables.

At the end of Bab Al-Jabiyé street, second-hand clothing enthusiasts or vintage lovers will take on the right about 100 m. There are dozens of small shops offering mostly frippes in very good condition for ridiculously priced prices. At the key, Hermès scarves, Burberry imperméables, Ralph Lauren shirts and many other treasures… but we are warning you, you must have the patience to look in the clothing mountains!

On an-Nasr's left wing, the High Court of Justice occupies the former seraglio of Ibrahim Pasha. The seraglio of the last Ottoman governors (headquarters of the current Ministry of the Interior), not far from Merjé square, facing the Hotel Kertaja, dates back to 1900.

From the telephone station, you can admire the lovely facade of the headquarters of the Société des eaux El-Fijé, which feeds Damascus into drinking water. Finally, the Hijaz station, built in 1913, retains a ceiling painted in the purest damascene style, in very good condition.

Of Persian origin, bimaristan, founded by Noureddin in 1154, hosted both a medical school and a care house. The Centre of Care disappeared in the th, the creation of a separate national hospital. The teachers who have exercised it have experienced a wide spread in the Arab world. There was a "vanguard" medicine. The care was free, the patients returned home with a little nest to help them recover. Some mental illnesses were even treated with music.

The small door to the north is strangely surmounted by a Roman lintel and mouqarnas (among the first visible in Syria). A first room contains naturalized animals. The Cour courtyard, very sober, is surrounded by three iwan. Iwan was reserved for teaching and consultations. The iwan to the south, reserved for prayer, contains a beautiful mihrab. The doors are surmounted by claustras in remarkable walls stucco.

Three rooms illustrate the considerable advance of the Islamic world in science and medicine in the Middle Ages.

This small palace, dating back to the late th century, is home to an antique shop. Ask to climb on the roof, a privilege that the store leader willingly grants… and in French. There is a splendid view of old Damascus, with the Hamidiyé Souk as the horizon. Almost opposite, on the other side of the street Noureddin ash-Shahid, is madrasas An-Nouri. It houses the grave of the Great Noureddin, but the original building has almost disappeared. If the door is closed, you can see the sepulchre through the grid from the alley.

By continuing on rue Al-Moawiya (that of madrasas An-Nouri, opposite the Osmane street), at 200 m, slightly on the right, you reach Bimaristan year-Nouri.

This recent museum, mainly dedicated to the Roman period, presents a superb collection of mosaics and statues discovered in the region. The presentation panels are very pedagogic and the proposed course follows chronological order. Some sculptures fully value artists'ability to deal with a material as thankless as basalt: the lintel with continuous decoration (room 6), from Jerash (7 th century), or busts in room.

Among the mosaics presented from Bosra, two main panels are particularly expressive: Artemis surprised the bath by Actéon and Venus at his toilet.

The calligraphy section presents some examples of safaïtique writing. Part of the floor is devoted to the Druze folklore.

From the Birket Al-Hajj, the citadel quickly wins. From the outside, nothing leaves the wonderful monument hanging behind its high walls. A deep ditch, a drawbridge bridge and eight massive square towers form defence. Archères are set in machicolated walls and surmounted by round paths. Most of the works date back to the ayyoubide era and are the initiative of Malik al-Adil, the brother of Saladin. Only the semi-circular form has what intrigue.

Past a few dark galleries, the visitor leads to the interior of a perfectly preserved Roman theatre. " A military theatre, certainly more than it needed to excite our archeological curiosity, "noted the French traveller Guillaume Rey in 1854. At that time, the interior was still crowded with a mosque and an arsenal.

After lengthy work that lasted until 1947, which allowed the passage of stands and passages, the theatre finally revived.

So it was its strong conversion, undertaken from the time of omeyyade, which finally allowed it to keep it intact: it is only the theatre of Aspendos (in Turkish territory) that is in such an exceptional state of conservation.

Its construction dates back to the middle of the th century. The three rows of 14, 18 and 5 gradins are perfectly preserved. They allowed for 9 000 spectators. Its diameter of 100 m holds it in the third place of the theatres of Syria, after Apamea and Cyrrhus.

But unlike those two, this theater is not standing on a hill. A complex network of galleries located in the service always allows access to the stands. From the proskenion (stage), where the actors unfold, we walk through a few steps to the orchestra where the choir was held. Behind the proskenion, the décor is treated as a three-storey palace facade. Only the decoration of the first level remains, with its columns to the corinthians capitals. Ultimate refinement, a silk vélum was stretched over the spectators to protect them from the sun's zeal in summer and the fine rain of the winter. The great curtain referred to the public in fine droplets the scented water that was evaporating.

Visible from the road, it trône on the small village of Salkhad. Careful not to take pictures of the summit of the citadel, the proximity of Jordan and Israel prompted the Syrian army to make it a point of observation.

It is likely, given the scarcity of tourists in this remote part of the territory, that one of the gentils guides you in this wonderful site. From the summit, the view of the other volcanoes is sumptuous.

The citadel is perched on the crater of a volcano of which it uses the cone as external defence. Seen as a defence station south of Damascus against cross-progress, its major date, however, in the restoration of the Mameluke sultan Baïbars (1277), whose lion appears in many places. The visit of the rooms requires a torch light. The northern glacis is particularly well preserved. Take a look at the casernements at the foot of the citadel. You'll even read, on inner partitions, graffiti in French. But nothing surprising on the merits, these shelters date from the French mandate.

Located in the heart of the village, on a small square, it dates back to 1232. He was connected to the main mosque, which remains nothing. Its hexagonal form is unique. In the center, there was a staircase. On the 12 m that have been preserved, we will note the surprising alternation of colours.

At the base of black basalt, succède red basalt is removed from a thin clear frise.

The inhabitants of Salkhad organize prayer ceremonies around the dead bodies in this place. The casket is laid on the flat stone next to the minaret while the muezzin calls the inhabitants at the ceremony. On the pitch of the square, white writing on black background reminds the singularity: " Out of respect for this place, please do not smoke and not speak during prayer. " Lower, between four walls painted in green, lies Suleiman, one of the saints in the region. An elderly lady is watching the place.