A tour of Old Damascus

DAMASCUS: The tall, Romanesque walls that mark the area of old Damascus is a beautiful sight for the unsuspecting traveler to this ancient city. The gray structures that protected Damascus for centuries from invasion and violence still remain almost in tact today, a surprising feat considering the number of wars the Middle East has experienced over the years. It is here, though, that the earliest Islamic civilization comes to life.
The old city walls in Damascus make you realize that this is one of the grandest cities in the entire Middle East. As you take the road from downtown, the old, ancient walls begin to come into view. Their grayish tint of history discernible with the outline of each individual stone reminded me of a Roman aqueduct. The emotional response is immense. Am I really entering the oldest continuously inhabited city on the planet? Scholars say Damascus is just that, and any visitor will not be disappointed by this fact. History and modernity come together in creating a masterful combination of the past and present. The narrow roads, the gigantic enclosed souq (market) and the magnificent Umayyad Mosque are among the sights to see in old Damascus. A journey to the Middle East is incomplete without a trek to Damascus.
The wide street of the souq is inspiring. Men dressed in old Turkish garb wander the area looking for someone to buy a cold beverage. Stop and enjoy a nice cold drink before heading farther. The men are amazing; pouring your drink a good meter from the glass and not letting a single drop hit the pavement, not to mention that the drinks are tasty.
From this point, just beyond the castle like entrance, the site of the souq is astonishing. The high walls, with a ceiling overheard makes you feel like you are in a huge train station waiting for your next ride. Reality brings you back to Syria as people come from all directions asking if you want to buy something. However, it is a welcome feeling. If you just say no thank you, they will immediately leave you alone in your journey.
Work your way through the shops in the direction of the Umayyad mosque. On your left and right are shops with unbeatable bargains. Shisha pipes for 3-5 dollars, football jerseys for $3 and myriad silver and gold shops selling the finest jewelry. If jewelry is your affection, there are hundreds of little shops that you can purchase necklaces, bracelets and rings from. But be aware, they charge the international rate on silver and gold. That is not necessarily terrible because Syrians still love to bargain and if you are any good, this is your chance to get a real deal.
Continuing on, about halfway into the souq, the entrance to the great Umayyad mosque comes into view. Don’t let the excitement of the mosque deter you from taking in the splendor of the site. Maintain a slow pace and make sure your camera is out ready for the perfect photo opportunities.
Before you hit the open air surrounding the Umayyad mosque, make sure you leave time for a stop at the ice cream parlor in the souq. It boasts of amazing soft ice cream that many places will be hard pressed to defeat its quality. Costing only 25 Syrian pounds, a nice ten minute break from the Syrian heat is always a nice endeavor. Remember this place, because it is a one of a kind mosque in this world.
Once again the Romans prove to be durable builders in the Middle East. Before entering the mosque take time to wander around the outside wall. It is magnificent to be at a place that inspired so many Muslims over the ages. Remembering that this was once the center of the Muslim empire creates a great deal of respect and excitement as you are now ready to enter a building over a thousand years old.
Now it is time for the wonders of old Damascus. The Umayyad mosque towers above its surroundings, making you feel as though you are insignificant in the eyes of God. That was probably the intention. The gray walls are strong and enormous. The mosque, completed in 755 C.E. was built upon an ancient Roman temple.
After taking your shoes off, take a few steps inside take in the view of the enormous inner court. This mosque is still fully usable and you will notice people making their ablutions. This divine experience is magnificent. Take some time and snap off some pictures of your first memories of the great interior of the mosque, as they will never leave your mind.
The interior of the mosque is a splendid compilation of calligraphy and dark open space used for prayer. The Umayyad Mosque evokes a time long past in the Arab world. It was a time when Damascus was the center of the world. Here, when the Umayyad complex was completed in the late 8th, early 9th century, Damascus held the world’s captivation, as it was the foremost city of learning, philosophy and governance. While that history is but a memory, as Syria begins to move forward on reform and change, the Umayyad reminds the citizens of Syria and the world that this past is not forgotten.
Huge and magnificent, the Umayyad is the continuation of the cultures that have passed through the city over the years. Built upon an ancient Roman temple and Christian church, the Umayyad was for centuries the Islamic world’s greatest temple. Today, the mosque remains the central monument for the traveler in Damascus. With its spacious halls that allow prayer in private along with the splendid architecture of the building, the Umayyad Mosque is a masterpiece in architecture that has seemingly been forgotten in today’s fast paced world of high rise buildings and modern technology. Understanding the role the mosque plays in Syrian identity and history helps to see the direction and pride this people has.
Next to the Umayyad is the tomb of Salah al Din, the Arab world’s greatest hero. Although Kurdish ethnically, it was Salah al Din that drove many of the Crusaders out of the region, which gained him immortality in the minds of Arabs throughout the world. His tomb is small in size, but large in statue. As you circle the large sarcophagus of Salah al Din remember that it was his efforts that helped start the end of a historical time Europeans would rather forget. Without him there might not be the Middle East that we love and enjoy today.
The old town of Damascus has so much to offer that each visitor must traverse the small roads that seem to have no pattern on their own in order to find what is special. Each corridor has delights to whet almost every appetite. Be patient, as you never know what is around the next corner.
Before leaving the old city, make sure to stop for a tea and/or shisha at Al Shams café, located directly behind the Umayyad mosque. Here, the history of the city is juxtaposed with modern Syria. Relaxing with shisha, or argileh in the Syrian dialect, and tea in hand make the days journey worth every second. The old walls, which once housed a mosque, now make for a perfect ‘ahwa, or coffeehouse, that Syrians love to endeavor at. A cultural end to a day in the oldest city on the planet makes for a time to reminisce on what has just been witnessed.
BM