One of the oldest cities in existence, Damascus is the capital and largest city of Syria, in the Middle East. It lies some 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the Mediterranean Sea on the banks of the Barada River. It is also at the eastern end of the only easy route through the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. Over thousands of years, the city has been important for trade. It has been fought over often, and it has seen both fortune and misery.

Places of interest

Damascus has a great amount of charm. In the center of the city is a famous section called the old city, which has beautifully decorated buildings along narrow, twisting streets. The Great Mosque of Damascus is one of the most famous places in the city. The area where the mosque stands has been the site of various religious buildings, including the Roman Temple of Jupiter, since the 9th century BC. Near the mosque is the stone-walled Citadel, a giant structure with towers that probably served as a military camp at some point during its long history.

The souks, or markets, of the old city are crowded, loud, and lively. Rising above Damascus to the northwest is Mount Qasiyun, which offers wonderful views of the city and valley. At the foot of the mountain is the Salihiye, or holy district, with several mosques and other historic buildings.

The Hedjaz Railway Station was built in the early 1900s to help pilgrims reach Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. The National Museum has a large collection of ancient artifacts. Damascus University, begun in 1923, is the largest of Syria's universities.

Economy

Damascus has several large government buildings, business offices, and hotels, as well as great numbers of stores, restaurants, schools, hospitals, and repair shops. People working in these places provide services that are important to the city's economy. Factories in Damascus make foods, cloth, chemicals, plastics, machinery, and many other goods. In the oasis around Damascus, fruits are grown to supply the city's markets.

History

Damascus is at least 5,000 years old, though no one knows exactly when people first began to live in the area. Like other nearby cities, Damascus was an ancient trade center, and it changed hands frequently in wars between many kingdoms—including the Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans—in its early history.

After 635 AD, Muslim Arabs ruled Damascus. For almost 100 years, from 661 to 750, it was the capital of the Muslim world. From the 13th to the 16th century the city was the capital of an empire that included Syria and Egypt. During this period the city endured attacks by the Mongols and others. Travelers in the 13th and 14th centuries were amazed by the city's abundant water, flowers, gardens, and tall poplar trees. By the 14th century the city had grown well beyond its old walls.

After a battle in 1516, Damascus became part of the Ottoman Empire. The city remained a part of the Ottoman Empire for most of the next 400 years. Damascus was an important city for traders and Muslim pilgrims, who would spend weeks in the city buying food and supplies for the difficult journey to Mecca and Medina.

During World War I (1914–18), the city was the headquarters of the Ottoman and German armies in the region. After the Ottomans were defeated in the war, Damascus and Syria came under the control of France. From 1919 to the 1930s, the city changed greatly, as Syrian and French authorities tried to make it more modern. British and French troops occupied Damascus during World War II (1939–45). In 1946 Syria became an independent republic with Damascus as its capital.

In the 20th century the city continued to grow far beyond its original walls. After World War II the population grew with amazing speed, mainly because thousands of families moved there from rural areas. The United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) placed the Old City on its World Heritage List of cultural treasures in 1979. Population (1994 census), 1,549,932.