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Damascus, the capital
of Syria, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. It has
occupied a position of importance in the fields of science, culture,
politics, art commerce, and industry from the earliest times. It has
been called Al-Fayha'a (the fragrant city), Al-Sham, Jollaq, and Pearl
of Orient as Emperor Julian named it. It was mentioned in the Holy
Qur'an as the many-columns city of Aram, "...whose like has never been
built in the land...".
Early references to
Damascus such as those in Ebla tablets, confirm that it was as a city of
immense economic influence during 3rd millennium BC.
Ancient Pharaonic
scripts refers to it as Dameska. It enjoyed great prominence during 2nd
millennium BC as center of an Aramaic kingdom under the name of Dar-Misiq
(the irrigated house). The Aramites were the original inhabitants of
Damascus, and their language was Syriac. Many villages around Damascus
are still known by their Aramaic names.
Damascus fell under the
domination of Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. They all left their mark
on Damascus as visitors can still readily observe today. In the Roman
era, Damascus was first among ten most prominent cities (The Decapolis).
It received many privileges, especially during the reign of Syrian
dynasty of Roman emperors. It was from Damascus that most talented
architect of Roman Empire came. This was Apolodor the Damascene, who
designed the celebrated Trajan Column in Rome, and the great bridge on
the River Danube.
Part of heritage of
this era is the remains of the city-plan which Apolodor designed in
oblong shape according with Roman architectural style. There is also
part of the Roman temple of Jupiter, which was erected on the site of an
older Aramaic temple (Hadad) where the Umayyad Mosque stands today; a
part distinguished by its huge Corinthian columns with its richly
decorated capitals.
In Byzantine era, a
great number of churches and monasteries were built, and most of them
have survived to present.
Damascus became capital
of the first Arab state at time of the Umayyads in 661 AD. This marked
the beginning of its golden epoch, and for a whole century it was the
center of the youthful Islamic Empire. This reached its peak of
expansion during this period, and came to stretch from shores of
Atlantic and Pyrennese in west, to river Indus and China in east.
Umayyads took a genuine interest in building up Damascus, organizing its
souqs (bazaars) and districts, improving its water supply, erecting
palaces, and hospitals.
Nowadays, Damascus is a
living museum spanning thousands of years. A city measuring time not by
hours, days, months, and years but by empires it has seen rise and
crumble to ruin.
Of the most important
landmarks at Damascus are: Umayyad Mosque, Azem Palace, St. Ananias
Church, Damascus Citadel, Old Souqs like Al-Hamidieyeh and Midhat Pasha,
Bimarstan Al-Nory, Saladin's Tomb, St. Paul Church, and Al-Takieh Al-Suleimaniyeh.
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