G Damascus Syria. Damascus city, the capital of Syria

HGIOL The country Syria Governorate Damascus Governor Bishr Al Sabban History and geography First mention 2500 BC e. Area 118 km² Center height 600 m Timezone UTC+2 , summer UTC+3 Population Population ▲ 1,754,000 people (2011) Density 14,864.41 people/km² Confessions Muslims, Christians Official language Arab Digital IDs Telephone code +963 11 Damascus Governorate (Ar.) Media files at Wikimedia Commons

Damascus is the oldest of the modern capitals and one of the oldest cities in the world; the first mention of it dates back to 2500 BC. In addition, Damascus is a major cultural and religious center of the Levant (from the Middle French Soleil levant - “sunrise”, in the traditional Russian translation - Near East).

Etymology

First time title Damascus mentioned in the geographical list as T-m-ś-q in the 15th century BC. At the same time, the etymology of T-m-ś-q itself has not yet been precisely determined and, possibly, has Semitic roots. Indirect confirmation of this is: Dimasqa in Akkadian, T-ms-ḳw in Egyptian, DammaSq(aram. דמשק) in ancient Aramaic and DammeSeq(Hebrew דמשק ‏‎) in Biblical Hebrew. The Akkadian spelling is found among inscriptions in the Amarna Archive, dated to the 14th century BC. Later, in Aramaic, the name occurs with roots denoting dwelling, such as Qumran Darmeśeq(aram. דרמשק ), Syriac Darmsq(Sir. The Latin, English, Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian name "Damascus" was borrowed from the ancient Greek Greek. Δαμασκός , which goes back to the Aramaic Ars. דרמשק - "well-watered place".

Geography and topography

The city is located at a distance of about 80 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea, east of the Anti-Lebanon Range, and stands on a plateau, rising 680 meters above sea level. The total area of ​​Damascus is 105 km², 77 of which are the actual urban area, and the rest is occupied by Mount Qasiyun.

The area of ​​the old city with the remains of fortifications is located on the southern bank of the Barada River, which is almost dry (the average water height is about 3 centimeters). From the southeast, north and northeast, it is surrounded by the districts of Al-Midan, Saruja and Imara; their history dates back to the Middle Ages, when settlements arose along the roads leading to the city, in the immediate vicinity of the burial places of religious figures. In the 19th century, active settlement also began on the slopes of Qasiyun (although people lived there before - the suburb of Es-Salihiya, for example, was formed near the sanctuary of Sheikh Ibn Arabi). Initially, the settlements mentioned were built by Kurdish military formations and Muslim refugees from the European regions of the Ottoman Empire; they are located at a distance of 2 to 3 kilometers north of the old city.

At the end of the 19th century, to the west of the old city, on the banks of the Barada, a modern administrative and commercial center began to form, the heart of which is known as "al-Marje" ("meadow"). The appellation soon became associated with Damascus's main square, where the city hall is located. Slightly higher, to the south, were placed magistrates' courts, a post office and a railway station. In turn, residential quarters of the European type were built along the road leading from al-Marjah to al-Salihiya; the business and administrative center of the new city gradually shifted in the same direction over time.

By the beginning of the 20th century, new areas were being built both to the north of Barada and to the south, partially capturing the territory of the Guta oasis. Since 1955, one of these, Yarmouk, has become home to many Palestinian refugees. Topographers and planners sought to avoid the influence of the city on the oasis, so that towards the end of the century the city expanded mainly to the north and west (El Mazza area). In recent years [ when?] construction was also carried out in the Barada valley in the northwest (Dummar region) and on the slopes of the mountains to the northeast (Barza region). Poor neighborhoods, buildings in which buildings were often erected without official authorization, formed mainly to the south of the main part of the city.

The oasis of Ghouta, supplied with water from the Barada River, formerly surrounded Damascus. To the west along the river valley was the source of Fijeh, which provided the city with drinking water. With the active expansion of the city and the construction of new residential and industrial buildings, the oasis shrank in size; currently [ when?] there was practically no water left in it. In addition to drying out, it has also become polluted due to heavy traffic in the city and the active dumping of various wastes, including sewage.

Climate

The climate of Damascus is subtropical semi-desert. Summers are very hot and virtually rainless, but moderated by the city's altitude, which is about 680 meters above sea level. Precipitation in Damascus is rare. 130 mm of precipitation falls annually, mostly in winter. Winter in Damascus is noticeably colder than in most areas adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea, there are often frosts at night, less often a slight frost, sometimes snow falls. The average temperature in January is about +6 °C. Summer in Damascus is typical for cities with a Mediterranean climate: hot and dry, there is practically no rainfall. The warmest month is July, with an average temperature of +27.3 °C. The daily fluctuations are quite large: at night, even on the hottest days, it is usually cool (in the summer months the difference can exceed 20 °C, and in winter it is usually 10 °C).

Climate of Damascus
Indicator	Jan.	Feb.	March	Apr.	May	June	July	Aug.	Sen.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Year
Absolute maximum, °C	24,0	29,0	34,4	38,4	41,0	44,8	46,0	44,6	42,0	37,8	31,0	25,1	46,0
Average maximum, °C	12,6	14,5	19,0	24,7	30,1	34,6	37,0	36,8	33,9	28,1	20,1	14,3	25,5
Average temperature, °C	6,1	7,7	11,4	16,2	20,8	25,0	27,3	27,0	24,0	19,0	12,1	7,5	17,0
Average minimum, °C	0,7	1,9	4,3	7,9	11,4	15,0	17,9	17,7	14,4	10,3	4,8	1,7	9,0
Absolute minimum, °C	−12,2	−12	−8	−7,5	0,6	4,5	9,0	8,6	2,1	−3	−8	−10,2	−12,2
Precipitation rate, mm	25	26	20	7	4	1	0	0	0,3	6	21	21	130
Source: "Weather and Climate"

History of Damascus

The date of foundation of Damascus is lost in the centuries before the beginning of our era. The medieval Arab historian Ibn Asakir (XII century) argued that the first wall erected after the Flood was the Damascus Wall, and attributed the emergence of the city to the 4th millennium BC.

The first historical information about Damascus dates back to the 15th century BC, when the city was under the rule of the Egyptian pharaohs. In the X-VIII centuries BC. e. - the center of the Damascus kingdom. Then it was part of Assyria, the Neo-Babylonian kingdom, the kingdom of Israel, the Achaemenid power, the empire of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic kingdom of the Seleucids that arose after his death.

In 83 BC, Damascus and all of Syria became part of Tigranes the Great's Armenian Empire, and in 64 BC, the Roman general Gnaeus Pompey annexed it to the Roman Empire. It housed the headquarters of the Roman legions that fought against the Persians. A native of the city in this era (64 BC) was the Greek historian and Peripatetic philosopher Nikolai Damaskinos (Greek. Νικολαος Δαμασκινος ).

In 395 the city became part of Byzantium.

The first Christians appeared in Damascus already in the 1st century AD after the visit of the Apostle Paul.

As a result of the defeat inflicted by the Arabs on the Byzantine army at the Battle of Yarmuk (August 636), Damascus became part of the Arab Caliphate.

From 661 to 750, Damascus was the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate, which stretched from the Indus to the Pyrenees. Later, the city was under the rule of the Egyptian dynasties, and in 1076 it became part of the state of the Seljuk Turks.

In 1833, Mehmed-Ali, having taken possession of Syria, temporarily subjugated Damascus, but the Sultan's European allies returned it together with Syria to Turkey (1840). From 9 to 16 July 1860, Damascus witnessed the massacre of Christians by the Druze.

From 1920 to 1943, Damascus was the administrative center of the mandated territory of Syria, subordinate to France, and after the declaration of independence of Syria in 1943, it became its capital.

Religion

Most of the inhabitants of Damascus are Sunnis. There are over 2,000 mosques in Damascus, the most famous being the Umayyad Mosque. Christians make up 10% of the population and there are a number of Christian areas such as Bab Tuma, Kassaa and Ghassani; there are many churches in the city. There is a small Jewish community. The ancient synagogue, located in the Jobar district, was destroyed by militants who captured the area.

Administrative division

Damascus, at the time of 2017 is divided into 23 districts:

1. Abbasiin
2. Abu Rumman
3. Amara
4. Bahs
5. baramka
6. Barze
7. Dummar
8. Jobar
9. Kafar Susa
10. Fry
11. Mazraa
12. Mezze
13. Midan
14. Mukhazhrin
15. Kanavat
16. Rukn Eddin
17. Al Salihiya
18. Saruja
19. Sha'alyan
20. Shagur
21. Tijara
22. Bab Tuma
23. Hijaz

Transport

The main airport is Damascus International Airport (located about 20 km from the city center), connecting Syria with many major Asian, European, African and South American cities. In connection with the sanctions announced against Syria, as well as for security reasons and due to a serious decrease in passenger traffic to Syria, at present [ when?] international flights are operated only by Syrian Airlines and a number of Iranian airlines. In addition to international flights, local flights are operated from Damascus Airport to the cities of Latakia, Qamishli, Aleppo (the latter may be canceled due to the situation in this city).

The streets in the historical part of Damascus are often narrow, "designed" in the Ottoman, and even the ancient period. Public transport in Damascus consists of a network of minibuses and large passenger buses. There are about a hundred lines that operate within the city, and some of them go from the city center to the surrounding suburbs. Once there was a tram in Damascus, which was later abolished (in some places fragments of the rail are still visible).

The historic building of the Hijaz railway station now functions only as an administrative building. It employs employees of the Syrian Railways. The station building itself is an architectural monument. Entrance to the building for its inspection while employees work in it is free. The railways of Syria are currently [ when?] are not functioning due to a number of terrorist attacks carried out by militants.

In 2008, the government announced its intention to build a subway in Damascus. The construction of the first line of the metropolitan metro, named "green", was planned to begin in 2013 with the financial participation of the European Union and France. The opening of the "green" line was scheduled for 2015. The Green Line was supposed to be an important part of the future public transport network serving the metropolitan areas of Moadamiyeh, Sumariyeh, Mezze, Damascus University, Hijaz, Old City, Abbasieen and the Qaboun Pullman bus station. The entire metro network, consisting of four lines, was planned to be put into operation by 2050.

Education

Damascus is the main center of education in Syria. Damascus University is the oldest and largest university in Syria. Following the passage of legislation allowing private institutions, several new universities were established in the city and surrounding areas, including:

• Syrian Virtual University
• International University of Science and Technology
• Graduate Institute of Business Administration
• Higher Institute of Applied Science and Technology
• Calamoun University
• Arab International University
• National Institute of Management

culture

Attractions

Walls and gates of Damascus

The approximate area of ​​​​the Old City in Damascus, surrounded by ramparts on the north, east and partly south side, reaches 128 hectares

Damascus is the capital of Syria and its second largest city, known for its ancient origins and rich history.

Mentions of the settlement date back to biblical times and even a little earlier. Until now, it has not been reliably established when exactly the city appeared. There are suggestions that the capital Damascus was founded by Adam and Eve. And according to other versions, it is believed that it was its construction that became the first after. But historical information says that the earliest mention of the city appears in the 15th century. BC e. Then it was in the possession of the Egyptian pharaohs and was called Dimashk. Since that time, Damascus has been called the center of trade and crafts.

Announcement as the capital and further fate

From the 10th century BC e. the city acquires the status of the capital of the Damascus state of the Aramaic people. But after two centuries, Assyrian invaders conquer these lands. There are executions, defeats, and from that moment the city becomes part of Assyria. But this does not last long. In the VI century. BC e., after the decline of Assyria, Damascus departs to and after it to the Persian conquerors.

It was after this event that pupils of secondary schools often asked the question: "Damascus is the capital of which country?" The exact answer can be found below.

A few centuries later, the troops of Alexander the Great occupy the city. The Greeks, despite their militancy, are quite respectful of the buildings and inhabitants of the conquered area. It was at this time that Damascus was growing, the quality of roads and city buildings was improving. After the death of Alexander the Great, the empire was divided into many small possessions. And in 64 BC. e. conqueror Gnaeus Pompey joins the territory of the city to the Roman Empire. Syria becomes a province.

During this period, the capital Damascus flourished as a center of trade, as the most important trade routes pass through it. The Romans are trying in every way to protect the city from robbers and raiders. Why they build a wall with seven gates around it and bring an artificially created sleeve from the Barada River to Damascus. Since 395, after the East and West, this territory goes to Byzantium and remains part of it until the 7th century.

Since 661, the city has been under the rule of the Umayyads, who begin to preach Islam. But already in the VIII century, the Abassid dynasty came to rule and the capital was transferred to Baghdad. The warriors of the new rulers destroy and burn the buildings of the Umayyads, in addition, they destroy the walls built by the Romans.

Hard time in Damascus

From that moment on, a troubled time begins for Damascus. Power is replaced by Egyptian rulers, the conquering Turks, and the crusades do not bypass the ancient city. In 1300, the Mongols conquered Damascus and brought death and destruction with them. In 1400, Tamerlane almost completely destroys the city and takes its best artisans and gunsmiths into captivity. From 1516, this territory became one of the parts of the Ottoman Empire and remained in its composition until the 19th century. During this time, the development of the city stands still and it becomes an unremarkable provincial part of the Ottoman Empire. In 1920 Damascus was incorporated into France. And it remains a part of it until 1943, when Syria gains independence and the city is again returned to the status of the capital.

Territory and name

The territory of the capital of Syria is located on a plateau. The distance to Damascus from the Mediterranean Sea is about 80 kilometers. The area of ​​the whole territory is 105 sq. km and a small part of the city is occupied by Mount Qasiyun. According to legend, it was in these places that Abel was killed. This fully explains the name of the city - Damascus, which in Aramaic means "brother's blood." Until some time, the capital of Syria was surrounded by an oasis, and the river supplied it with water. But gradually Damascus expanded, the oasis became smaller and dirtier, and the watercourse of Barada at the moment is almost dry.

Climate

As for the weather, summers are usually dry and hot, but since the city rises 700 meters above sea level, it brings a life-giving coolness. In winter, the temperature can drop to +6 ° C and even snow is possible. July is considered the hottest month. And, it should be noted that even if the day was very warm, it will still be quite cool at night.

Population and religion

The capital city of Damascus is home to 1.75 million people, but that's just the official count. Other sources speak of a much larger number, which reaches almost 4 million people.

Religion is an important part of Damascus life. Christianity and Islam coexist in this area. Most of the inhabitants of Damascus belong to the Sunni religion. Christians make up only about 10% of the population. In addition to the main religious areas in Damascus, there is a Jewish community.

Damascus is a city that is an important center of Syria

The capital of Syria is not only a historical center, but also, of course, an industrial one. Here, in addition to trade, which originates in antiquity, the food and pharmacological industries are actively developing. Also, the textile industry definitely occupies a leading place in the development of the city's economy. A huge contribution is made by various types of crafts that appeared in the deep past. This is the production of various gold and silver jewelry, carpets, fabrics. The legendary items from the museum are still interesting for visitors from different countries.

Tourism

Often people wonder if Damascus is the capital of which country, because they have heard many positive stories about the culture of this city.

Recently, the development of tourism has been actively contributing to the economic recovery of Damascus. The city is rich in sights, historical monuments, and a variety of goods attracts travelers from all countries. In addition, the construction of hotels, cafes, restaurants contributes to a comfortable stay in the capital of Syria. Which, of course, attracts tourists who love to relax with amenities.

Education

The capital Damascus is considered to be the educational center of Syria. Here is the largest and oldest of its universities, which opened its doors in 1903. In addition to the main educational institution of the country, there are also private institutions: the Syrian Virtual University, the Arab International University, the International University of Science and Technology and others.

Parts of the city

Since the history of Damascus is rich in raids and battles, the city is full of traces of the destruction suffered in battles. There are two parts of the city: Old and New. It is the Old part that is most interesting to visit. Here you can find traces of the surviving wall, built by the Roman invaders. The seven gates preserved in the wall attract many tourists. In addition, the entire layout of the old part of the city is considered the legacy of the Roman Empire. The narrow streets, which originated in ancient times, took shape even under the Roman conquerors. Therefore, Damascus is a city that carries its historical heritage to this day.

Attractions

One of the most famous sights of the city is the mosque of the ancient Umayyad dynasty. On its territory there is a building in which hair from the beard of the Prophet Muhammad is stored, which attracts pilgrims from all over the world. In addition, the mosque bears the title of the largest in the world.

In general, the city is rich in religious monuments. Here is the church of St. Anne, located underground; Taqiya al-Suleimania Mosque, which is considered the most beautiful mosque and many other attractions.

For lovers of the unusual, the Bab-as-Sagyr cemetery, where the burial places of famous personalities are located, will be of particular interest; Maharat ad-Damm cave in Mount Qasiyun. According to legend, Cain committed the murder of his brother here. Not far from the cave, you can also find the sarcophagus of the murdered Abel. The people of Damascus are well aware of this legend and are ready to tell it to every tourist.

The National Museum of the city will be interesting for its exhibits, many of which have come down to the modern world from ancient times. Here you can see the frescoes, the first examples of writing. The military museum will demonstrate collections of a wide variety of weapons. Not only the modern world, but also the Middle Ages.

Of course, the famous markets of Damascus are worth a visit, where you can find wonderful samples of fabric, various types of weapons made from the legendary Damascus steel, and much more.

In general, the whole of Syria, Damascus in particular, is permeated with history, a mystery of ancient times. Buildings, mosques, churches, the streets of the city themselves make it possible to call the capital one big attraction. It is not for nothing that it occupies not the last place in the UNESCO list as part of the great heritage of world culture.

How to get to Damascus from Moscow?

Damascus has one of the largest airports in Syria of international importance. the capital of Syria does not. You can get to Damascus from the main center of Russia by direct flight. The distance in a straight line from Moscow is about 2.5 thousand km. The Syrian International Airport is located 26 km from the city. You can get there by bus or by renting a car. At present, it is quite easy to get to the capital of a country like Syria. Damascus is worth visiting its sights!

The city of Damascus is the capital of Syria and the most ancient city in the world. It is located in the valley of the river called Barada, in the foothills called Anti-Lebanon, and also at the foot of the mountain called Kasyuin at an altitude of about 690 meters. At a distance of 25 kilometers from north to south and 16 kilometers from east to west, the territory of the Guta oasis extends, which includes the territory of the city itself. ? Iraq.

History of Damascus

The name of the city in Arabic sounds like Dimashk. Muslim historians believe that the name of this city comes from the name of one of the slaves Demshak, which once belonged to the prophet Abraham.

The very first mention of this city was recorded in Akkadian documents and tablets in the 18th dynasty of the pharaohs of Egypt, in which the city is called Dimashk or Dimask. Even in the very first book of the Old Testament, the city is mentioned as a very important cultural and craft center.

The heyday of this settlement occurred under the Aramaean nomadic tribes, who came to their deserts of Northern Arabia in order to seize pastures. In 940 BC, the city became the capital of Syria during its military, political and economic power.

A great mark in the history of the city was left by Alexander the Great, who conquered the Syrian state in 333 BC. After the collapse of the empire, the city joined the territory of Byzantium, under whose rule it was until the 7th century AD.

In 661 the capital was moved to Damascus. The year 705 was marked by the division of the large church of John the Baptist into Muslim and Christian parts. But after the Arabs occupied the Christian part, turning the church into the world-famous Umayyad mosque. The Abbasid dynasty moved the capital to Baghdad, completely limiting its influence on the cultural and religious life of Damascus. The Abbasids succeeded, and very soon the Arabic language quickly pushed aside the language of the ancient Arameans.

In 1400, the peaceful life for the city ended due to its capture by the Tamerlane troops. His troops rounded up about 30,000 local residents to the mosque and burned them. The best artisans, gunsmiths and goldsmiths were sent to Samarkand, the capital of Central Asia.

At the beginning of the 16th century, the city became part of the Ottoman Empire, of which it was a part for about 4 centuries. All this time, the life of the city was in decline, because of which it became an insignificant provincial settlement.

Only at the end of the 19th century, the city again became the center of the educational, national, cultural, political and liberation movement throughout Syria. But the Turkish occupation was replaced during the First World War by the French. Only in 1946, the French army was evacuated, after which Damascus again stood as the capital of the now independent Syria. He began to cooperate with the USSR and.

How to Get to Damascus

The city can be reached by airspace to the international airport. It is located at a distance of 25 kilometers from the center of Damascus and receives a large number of flights from different cities around the world. From the airport to the city center can be reached both by taxi and by public transport, which is represented by buses.

The city can also be reached by train. But trains are not a popular mode of transport, as they have a low speed of movement. In the south of Damascus there is a city station, in addition to which there is also a station in the city center. Today it is being turned into the largest hotel, shopping and entertainment center, as well as a transport hub for the whole country.

You can also get to the city by bus. To do this, there are 2 bus stations in Damascus, one of which is located 6 kilometers from the central part of the city. It is from him that routes to the northern part of the country depart. Another bus station is located in the west of Damascus, from where flights depart both to the south of the country and to many other cities.

Prices in restaurants and local shops

In Damascus, of course, there are shopping centers, which are no longer something new for modern people, which is why it is better to visit the markets of the city. The most famous is the market called al-Hamidia, the entrance to which is located in one of the 8 gates of the fortress wall that encircles Damascus. He works 6 days a week, and the day off here is on Friday, just like in the whole country. A large number of traditional Oriental goods are presented here: incense, clothes, hookahs and much more.

A large number of restaurants are located near another market called Souk-Saruja. It is here that the famous chicken shawarma, falafel for vegetarians, manakesh, as well as camel kebab are prepared. You can also find a large number of cafes with fast food here.

But the real cuisine of Damascus can be tasted only in the south of the old city. On the main street, you can try a large number of cafes with shawarma, falafel and much more.

The most interesting and beautiful places in Damascus

The old part of the city of Damascus is a unique object that has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is surrounded by a wall preserved from the time of the Roman Empire. You should definitely visit the Umayyad Mosque, which houses the head of St. John the Baptist, the mausoleum of Salah ad-Din, in which the ashes of the Sultan rest.

Do not lose sight of the palace-residence of Qasr al-Azem, the tower called Bab Kisan, as well as the largest spice market called Bzuria. No less interesting is the National Museum, which houses unique artifacts of ancient civilizations.

Information for tourists

The city of Damascus is a kind of true oasis among the deserts. This largest metropolis has collected a large number of monuments of ancient civilizations, as well as modern buildings. That is why you should definitely visit the observation deck of the city, which offers a magnificent view of the entire city.

Damascus is the most ancient capital of the world and one of the most picturesque Arab cities. According to the legend, it was here that Adam and Eve, expelled from paradise, settled.

The earliest mention of Damascus recorded in the Akkadian tablets and in the documents of the XVIII dynasty of the Egyptian pharaohs (approximately XIV - XII centuries BC), where the city is called "Dimasku" or "Dimashka". In the first book of the Old Testament, the city is mentioned as a well-known and important center. in the bible Damascus is called the capital of ancient Syria and as a city famous for trade.
Until the 15th century BC. Damascus was the domain of the Egyptian pharaohs.
In the XII century BC. The Arameans founded the Kingdom of Damascus.
But the real glory came to the kingdom of Damascus after the death of the king of the Israel-Jewish kingdom of Solomon (c. 928 BC). At that time, the territory of the Damascus kingdom was vast and included the kingdom of Israel. The conquered states had to pay tribute or participate in wars against the enemy of the Damascus kingdom - the Assyrian state.
But in 734 - 732 years. BC. The kingdom of Damascus was destroyed and plundered.
After the fall of Assyria, Damascus, like all of Syria, became part of Nono-Babylonian (Chaldean), then in 539 BC. went to the state of the Persian dynasty of the Achaemenids.
In 333 BC, Alexander the Great invaded Asia Minor and occupied Damascus.
The Greeks were tolerant of the occupied territories, plundered little and destroyed little, respected someone else's religion, while willingly spreading their culture and sharing knowledge, built cities, temples and roads. Under the Greeks, cities began to be rebuilt in accordance with the clear rectangular layout of quarters that was customary for the winners.
When the power of the Hellenes began to crumble, Damascus came under the protection of the state of the Nabatean Arabs.
In 64 BC, the Roman commander Gnaeus Pompey entered Damascus. Syria became a province of the Roman Empire. The Roman emperors quickly realized that each caravan passing through their new possessions brings significant income to the treasury. Therefore, Rome in every possible way supported and encouraged trade, tried to ensure the safety of merchants, to protect them from the numerous robbers at that time.
Over time, Damascus became one of the centers that supplied the numerous garrisons of the Roman Empire in the desert and on the Euphrates with wheat, oil, and wine.
Assessing the importance of the city, Emperor Hadrian in the II century. made Damascus the main city of the region.
Under Septimius Severus (III century), Damascus received the status of a colony (the status of a colony was given to a large and strategically important settlement), and the skill of gunsmiths gave him the honorary title of "Arsenal City".

Julian (4th century) called Damascus the eye of the East.
The Romans erected a rectangular wall around the city, which had seven gates, brought an aqueduct, for which the first artificial branch from the Barada River was dug. Temple of Hadad was rebuilt as a Temple of Jupiter (but both deities were worshiped in the temple).
In 395, the Roman Empire was divided into Western and Eastern. Damascus went to the Eastern Empire (Byzantium).
At the dawn of Christianity, Saint Paul preached in Damascus. In the city there are places associated with the most important events in the life of the apostle. Later, Damascus became the center of the bishopric, which was considered the second most important in the Patriarchate of Antioch.
In the 7th century The Byzantines were driven out by the Arabs.

"Farewell, O Syria!- said the brother of the Byzantine emperor Heraclius, having learned about the defeat, - What a beautiful country went to the enemy!
From 661 to 762, Damascus was the capital of the vast Umayyad Caliphate, stretching from the Indus to the Pyrenees. From this era there was a magnificent monument Umayyad mosque.
In 750, the Abbasid dynasty came to power, and in 762 the capital of the caliphate was moved to Baghdad.
The Abbasids destroyed the palaces and tombs of the hated Umayyads, and the Roman walls were also destroyed. The Umayyad Mosque remained intact due to the fact that it was the third most important mosque after the Kaaba in Mecca and the "Mosque of the Rock" (Kubbat al-Sahra) in Jerusalem.
In 878 Damascus came under the rule of the Egyptian dynasties. There was a period when the Turkic adventurer Aftskin captured the city and ruled it under the auspices of the Byzantine emperor.
The city was repeatedly burned and randomly rebuilt on the ashes. In 1074 plague raged. Also at this time, new walls were erected around the city.
In 1076 Damascus became part of the state of the Seljuk Turks.
At the beginning of the XII century. Damascus had its own dynasty - the Burids, which pursued a policy of maneuvering between the crusaders and the Turkic atabek Zengi, who ruled in Aleppo and Mosul. The crusaders unsuccessfully tried several times to capture the city, but in the end it went to the son of Zengi, atabek Nur ad-Din, who continued the “holy war” started by his father, united Muslim Syria and made Damascus capital.
In 1174, Syria passed into the hands of the Egyptian Sultan Salah ad-Din, a former subject of Nur ad-Din and his heirs, who formed the Ayyubid dynasty. Under Salah ad-Din (Saladin), Damascus flourishes again; a citadel is being built, the first madrasahs, bimaristan, appear. Trade with Europe resumes through the mini-states formed by the crusaders.
In 1260, Damascus passed to the Egyptian Mamluk sultans and became the capital of the Syrian province. From this period, many madrasahs with the tombs of the Mamluk rulers, as well as buildings that adorned the city, remained in the city.
By 1300 Damascus was defeated by the Mongols, and in 1400 Tamerlane destroyed the city almost to the ground. The best artisans, including famous gunsmiths and glassblowers, were taken away by the winner to Samarkand. It was then that the secret of the famous Damascus steel was lost.
In 1516, the troops of the Turkish Sultan Selim occupied Damascus, but the city was still half in ruins. So Damascus, along with Syria, became part of the Ottoman Empire. Under the Turks, the city is restored and becomes the capital of an important region.

Damascus became the main point where the paths of pilgrims from all over the vast empire converged, which contributed to the prosperity of the city. It was a period of growth, Damascus was rapidly built, caravanserais and baths appeared.

From the end of the XVIII century. anti-Turkish sentiments intensify in the country, uprisings break out. And in 1831 the pasha of Damascus was killed. Egypt took advantage of this moment, and in 1833 Muhammad Ali took possession of the city. But in 1840 Turkish power returned.
In May 1915, in Damascus, several Arab political organizations agreed with the British on cooperation in the war against the Turks and Germans, subject to the creation of a single state from all the Arab regions of the Ottoman Empire. England accepted these conditions, but in 1916 concluded a secret Sykes-Picot treaty with France on the division of Arab lands into spheres of influence. In September 1918, an anti-Turkish uprising began in southern Syria, which coincided with the advance of the British troops. The Turks were defeated and by the end of 1918 expelled from Syria.
From 1920 to 1943, Damascus was the administrative center of the mandated territory of Syria, subordinate to France, and after the declaration of independence of Syria in 1943, it became its capital.
In 1971, General Hafez al-Assad became president of the Syrian Arab Republic, who was then re-elected to this post four more times.
In 2000, after the death of Hafez al-Assad, his son Bashar al-Assad became president.

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1. Damascus is the oldest capital in the world. History of the city.
2. Old city: citadel, Hamidiya market, Umayyad mosque.
3. Old city: Zahiriya madrasah, Seyid Rukiya mosque, Nuria madrasah, Azem palace, spice market.
4. Old Town: Direct street, Roman arch, Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Mary, Bab Sharki, St. Paul's Chapel, St. Ananias' house, Christian quarter.

Syria is a state in Southwestern Asia.

Syria is included in the territory of Ash-Sham, for which the Prophet Muh ammad asked the Almighty for blessings. The area of ​​the state is 185,180 sq. km. The capital of Syria is Damascus.

Damascus (in Arabic - Dimashk) is one of the most ancient capitals and the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. The population of the city is about 4 million people.

Damascus is located at the bottom of the Barada River.

The fertile valley of the Barada River looks like a green island in the Syrian sands and basalt wastelands. The rich valley of Gauta simply attracted travelers with the aroma of flowering gardens and the coolness of shady trees. The name of the valley comes from Arabic, which means "lowland", "grove", "garden". For wanderers, exhausted by the long journey to Damascus, rest in the shady gardens of Al-Fayh (“fragrant” as the city itself was also called) was pleasant and unforgettable.

This city has eight gates: the Eastern Gate, the Tuma Gate (also in the east), the Gate of Peace, the Gate of Inspiration, the Gate of Victory, etc.

The modern part of Damascus is a rather spacious place, and the closer to its old part, the more often there are narrow and shady streets and lanes.

A kind of entrance to the ancient city is a fortress, whose construction is associated with the name of the legendary Sultan Salahuddin Al-Ayyubiy, may Allah have mercy on him.

Many important historical events for Muslims took place on the territory of modern Damascus, at different times such Prophets as Ayyub, Zul-Kifl, great theologians of Islam, Sufis, holy people lived here, and there are also many places that are of great importance for Muslims. The great theologians of Islam who glorified this city: Sheikh Fakhruddin ibn ‘Asakir (550-620 AH), Sheikh Badruddin Al-Hasaniy and many others.

And also in Damascus are the graves of many holy people.

The Omawi Mosque reigns in the heart of the Old City.

Who was in Damascus, could not help but pay attention to the Omawi mosque - a landmark of the old city. She captivates with her beauty both outside and inside. In fact, this mosque is an architectural heritage of Islamic art and not only the mosque itself, but the entire area that surrounds it: a recreation park, an old market square, one of the government palaces and much more. This is one of the most beautiful places in Damascus and all the roads of the old city lead to the ancient mosque.

The history of the mosque takes us back to the first century Hijri, when Damascus became the capital of the Islamic Caliphate, after the cities of Medina and the city of Kufa. The Omawi mosque was built during the time of Al-Walid ibn ‘Abdul-Malik. He said: “I want to build a unique mosque that has no analogues in the world”. And he also told the inhabitants of Damascus: “You have four things to be proud of: water, air, fruits and baths. I want there to be a fifth one as well – a magnificent mosque.” The construction of the mosque lasted 10 years, and hundreds of thousands of dinars were spent on its construction. For all the time, the building of the mosque, by the Will of Allah, withstood various catastrophes, starting with an earthquake in Damascus, at the end of the Omawi caliphate, as well as fires when the city was burned during the 'Abbassi state, during Ayyubiy and Mamlukiya, as well as during the era of the Ottoman state .

In a separate room at the mosque, the Prophet Yahya (according to some scholars), Hussein, the son of the fourth “righteous” caliph ‘Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Mukh ammad, are buried, and a hair from the beard of the Prophet Mukh ammad, peace be upon him, is also kept here.

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Built in the XIII - XVIII centuries. Muslim places of worship: mosques, madrasas, tekkies, durbe, as architectural monuments of the past, are part of the cultural heritage. In the east, mosques, along with palaces and city fortifications, were the main city-forming elements and differed in their functions and sizes. Usually, several cathedral mosques were built, where the city-wide Friday prayer was held, and dozens of small quarter mosques for the convenience of performing the five prayers that were obligatory for Muslims. The role of cathedral mosques was enormous. They personified the spiritual unity of the members of the urban community, the norms of law and order and moral and ethical provisions were approved there.

Muslim places of worship were architectural symbols of faith. There were quite a few mosques in Crimea that clearly represented the names of the Seljuk, Ottoman, Mamluk sultans, Golden Horde and Crimean khans from time immemorial. They embodied the cultural, political and economic ties of the peninsula with various regions of the Islamic world. Indicative, for example, are a number of names and events in history associated with the construction of Muslim prayer buildings.

In 1314, on the orders of Khan Uzbek, a mosque was built in the Crimea, which has survived to this day. The largest mosque in Crimea, built in honor of Sultan Selim in the city of Kef (Feodosia), the building of the famous Turkish architect Khodja Sinan was dismantled in 1833, and the Khan-Jami built by him in the city of Kezlev (Evpatoria) was used as a museum for a long time atheism. New trade and craft centers of the peninsula in the 16th-18th centuries. - Bakhchisaray, Kezlev, Karasubazar, Or (Perekop) were actively built up with public and religious buildings with the support and patronage of the Crimean khans, which in the Soviet period of our history was one of the reasons for their destruction. For example, in Bakhchisaray, according to the description of the Turkish traveler Evliya Chelebi, in 1666 there were 24 mosques, and in 1786 - 38, but now only 8 have survived. Karasubazar (Belogorsk) in 1666 had 28 mosques, in 1786 - - 21. In the 20s to architectural monuments protected by law and the state. The People's Commissariat of Education of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic assigned the buildings of two caravanserais of the 17th century, two baths ("Buyuk Ham-Mam"), and three mosques: "Khan - Jami", "Shtor Jami", "Buyuk Jami".

Nowadays, there is not a single monument of medieval architecture in Karasu Bazaar. In the city of Kezlev in the 17th century there were buildings of 26 mosques, in 1786 - 21. Now only three have survived. So, the total number of mosques built over five and a half centuries in 6 cities and in 1474 villages of Crimea by 1786 amounted to over 1600. Probably, the same number of them survived by 1805, when, excluding the Yalta district, there were 1556 religious buildings. But half a century later, by the beginning of the war, the number of mosques was reduced to 1492.

In 1860-62, about two hundred thousand Crimean Tatars, fleeing bureaucratic and landowner arbitrariness, emigrated to the Balkan and Asia Minor possessions of the Ottoman Porte.

K. Khanatsky in the “Memorial book of the Taurida province” (1867) showed the scale of this tragedy: “... in the Perekop district, the Tatars left 278 auls or villages and 41331 souls were evicted. Occupied by new settlers 34 colonies, the remaining 244 remain in ruins. In the Simferopol district, 17459 souls of Tatars moved abroad from 146 villages and auls, of which 18 were empty and remained in ruins, the remaining 126 remain under the same names, since not all Tatars from them went abroad ... Tatars moved abroad from Evpatoria district 80434 souls and settled in 196 villages, and which were completely empty 39. Thus, the emigration of the Tatars in the Taurida province came from 784 Tatar villages or auls, of which 330 remain in ruins, and the rest are occupied by new settlers ... ”

FROM 1944 UNTIL THE END OF THE EIGHTIES PERIOD, WHEN EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE DESTROYED WAS DESTROYED: CEMETERIES, RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS, VILLAGES, TOPONIMICS…

Due to the decline in population and the desolation of villages, only 803 mosques survived on the peninsula by 1864, and a quarter of a century later, in 1890, even fewer - 737. At the same level, the number of mosques remained until 1914, while after the end There were already 632 of them during the First World War and the Civil War (100 mosques in just 6 years!).

With the establishment of Soviet power and the adoption of a decree on the separation of church and state, mosques were transferred to Muslim communities. However, in the 30s, with the intensification of atheistic propaganda, Muslim prayer buildings, mainly under the pretext of their unsatisfactory sanitary and technical condition, were closed, dilapidated buildings were destroyed, and the rest were transferred to collective farms for warehouses, clubs, schools, huts - reading rooms, etc.

In 1938, the remaining functioning mosques were closed, and from 1944 until the end of the eighties, a period began when, if possible, everything that could remind of the people of Crimea was destroyed: cemeteries, places of worship, villages, place names.

(Based on the materials of Abdullaev I.)

THE LARGEST MOSQUE IN THE CRIMEA, BUILT IN HONOR OF SULTAN SELIM IN KEF - THE BUILDING OF THE FAMOUS TURKISH ARCHITECT KHOJ SINAN WAS DISCONNECTED IN 1833 IN KEF

Tekie dervishes were erected not far from the main gate of the Odun Bazaar, far from the bustle of the city of Kezlev. This is an irresistible historical masterpiece of the Revival of the Crimean Muslim architecture, which has been preserved in its original state on the peninsula as an ensemble - it contains a mosque, tekie, madrasah

Initially, the tekie was wooden, probably, a stone tekie was built on its foundation.

At the end of the 18th century, there were 22 different tarikats in Crimea. At the head of each tarikat were sheikhs, uniting up to 30-40 dervishes. Sheikhs in the Crimean Khanate were endowed with political power, among Muslims they enjoyed great prestige and influence. According to Evliya Chelebi, “... there were several tekie in Gezlev”, of which only one has survived and has survived to this day. Tekie on the Odun Bazaar square suggests that, by the number of cells and the style of the building, it was founded by sheikhs who came from Konya.

The central-domed structure made of shell stone, covered with locally produced Sarmatian (Tatar) tiles, with nineteen cells. There was a cemetery in the courtyard on the south side, where faithful Muslims, sheikhs, clergymen, novices of the tekie-dervishes were buried.

Friday prayers were held in the mosque, the hall was covered with beautiful expensive carpets, for ablution in the courtyard a source gurgled, bordered by pink marble. The original mosque has not been preserved, in its place in the 17th century a new mosque was built: one-story with two-tiered windows - typical for the buildings of mosques in the Crimea. The simplicity of the forms of the building with the low illumination of the interior created that mystery that enhanced the mystical state of the dervishes. A columnar (not a cathedral) minaret adjoins the construction of the mosque, built at the end of the 17th century, carved from hewn blocks of limestone stone by local quarries. The minaret was completed with a cone-shaped covering of lead. He was crowned by Alan - a crescent moon turned towards Kybla.

The ensemble "Tekiye-dervish" consists of buildings of different times: Tekiye is considered the original building, a madrasah, an earlier building of the beginning of the 18th century. The mosque was located on the street of the current International.

Studying the structure and foundation of the mosques that were destroyed in Gezlev, Moses Ginzburg notes: “The minaret of the mosque in the Tekiye ensemble is very similar to the minaret of the Ashik Omer mosque. They had the same bases, both low, columnar.

Thus, the conclusion suggests itself that the technical conditions are the same, and that both of these mosques were built according to the same project. According to archival materials, the Ashik Omer mosque was located in Gezlev on the modern Karaimskaya street.

The building of the madrasah in the ensemble "Tekiye-dervish" in the Soviet period was made "Tea". In the 80s of the XX century, archaeologists of the Crimea decided to build a hotel for themselves, added a second floor. In this form, the Tekiye-Dervish ensemble is presented.

The Holy Qur'an says the meaning: “Allah created two seas: one with salt water and the other with fresh water. Their waters touch without a visible barrier, but do not mix by the Will of Allah. (Sura 55 "Ar-Rahman", verses 19-20)

There are many amazing places on earth where the waters of various reservoirs meet, but do not mix. For example, studies of the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean at their confluence (in the Strait of Gibraltar) have shown that the composition and properties of water in each of them are different. Each of these water masses has its own temperature, density, salt composition, flora and fauna. But even despite strong waves, currents, ebbs and flows, their waters do not mix and do not pass through an invisible barrier.

The famous ocean explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau said: “In 1962, German scientists discovered that in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where the waters of the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea converge, the waters of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean do not mix. Following the example of our colleagues, we began to find out whether the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea mix. First, we explored the water of the Mediterranean Sea - its natural salinity, density and life forms inherent in it. We did the same in the Atlantic Ocean. These two masses of water have been meeting in the Strait of Gibraltar for thousands of years, and it would be logical to assume that these two huge water masses should have mixed long ago - their salinity and density should have become the same, or at least similar. But even in places where they converge closest, each of them retains its properties. In other words, at the confluence of two masses of water, "a water curtain did not allow them to mix."

The studies of ocean scientists in recent decades confirm the amazing property of the seas: their waters do not mix. Moreover, in the oceans there are deep rivers and lakes, and even waterfalls, the water properties of which differ from the surrounding ocean water and do not mix with it!

The confluence of the Jialing and Yangtze rivers in Chongqing (China) The Jialing River on the right stretches for 119 km. In the city of Chongqing, it flows into the Yangtze River. The clear waters of Jialing meet the brown waters of the Yangtze.

Another amazing example is the meeting point of the two rivers Velna and Nelba (Poland). They intersect strictly at right angles, but their waters, without mixing at all, flow further along their channels. Researchers have conducted experiments more than once: they poured blue paint into the Nelba, and red into the Velna. At the intersection of the rivers, the colors did not mix: the blue flowed over the red.

There are also many other places in the world where you can observe this amazing phenomenon - bodies of water “meet”, but do not mix.