Damascus Offers Ancient Civilization Mixed With Modern Culture
DAMASCUS, Syria, June 1, 2006 — -- A Britney Spears poster hangs adoringly in a shop window, her lusty expression just feet from an equally iconic photo of the extremist Islamic cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
Damascus has long been considered a crossroads in the world, bringing together countless civilizations and cultures. Apparently, that's as true today as it was thousands of years ago.
It has been thousands of years, too. Syria's capital is thought to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. At least 6,000 years before Christ, people called Damascus home.
Now Syria's government is trying to get travelers from across the world to start considering the country a home away from home. As the tourism board warmly proclaims: "Every man has two homelands. His own and Syria."
This spring, the government announced a plan to pump millions of dollars into tourism in an effort to double annual travel to the country by 2010. It hopes the initiative will create 150,000 jobs and make tourism a $5 billion industry.
"[We] aim to make Syria a tourist destination of regional and international stature," said Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Otari, through the official SANA news agency.
In March, the prime minister joined President Bashar al-Assad at the opening of the Damascus Four Seasons. The $100 million luxury hotel has almost 300 rooms, three restaurants, and a spa. After all, the influx of tourists will need a place to stay.
A Much-Imitated Mosque
When your claim to fame is that you're one of the most ancient cities in civilization, it's no surprise that the most captivating attractions are in the old part of town.
The Umayyad Mosque is arguably the most popular tourist draw in Old Damascus. Three thousand years ago, the site housed a temple to the Syrian god of storms. It has been a lightning rod for visitors ever since.
Around 700 A.D., the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I set out to build a mosque "whose like was never built before, nor will ever be built after." That proclamation turned out to be much more of a prophecy.
The Umayyad Mosque immediately became the most impressive of its time. The mosque's architectural design was flattered through imitation all over the Islamic world. In fact, Umayyad essentially became a prototype for the masjid. It remains one of the world's largest.
From the exterior, Umayyad looks like a compound. Three large minarets rise from the gray fortresslike walls.
To enter, women must be appropriately dressed. If not, a door attendant will point you to the "putting on special clothes room," where you can rent a pea-green hooded robe.
The mosque's main gates lead to an expansive palatial courtyard. The walls are lined with sprawling nature-themed mosaics in shades of green and brown, said to depict paradise.
Men rest about the cool floor, settling in for an afternoon nap. The mosque is also a resting place for some of history's most famous figures.
A lavish marble monument inside the prayer hall commemorates the site where John the Baptist's head is supposedly buried. Not far away, in a garden adjoining the mosque, is a small room containing the tomb of Saladin, the famed 12th century Kurdish Muslim warrior.
Haggle at a Street Market
If the Umayyad Mosque is the star of the old city, the supporting cast consists of the surrounding souks. These street markets sell a variety of products including herbs, colorful confections, perfume essence, clothes, shoes and art.
The souks are the ideal place to haggle for souvenirs, big and small -- including a gift or two for oneself. You also can just walk around soaking up the local color and accepting free samples of sweets.
With enough luck and help from the locals, you may be able to navigate your way through the souks and to the Azem Palace, an 18th century governor's mansion.
The entrance to the Azem Palace is underwhelming -- "This is a palace?" -- but be sure to venture through the gates for a glimpse of how rich and powerful Damascenes lived in the 1700s. The house's nondescript exterior belies the elegance and sophistication inside.
The main entrance leads to a central courtyard full of lush plants and flowers. Elegant arched doorways and columns lead to various rooms decorated with elaborate wood paneling.
Inside the rooms, you don't have to use your imagination much. Life-size mannequins are frozen in time, re-enacting historical scenes. The effect is a little cheesy -- think Disney World animatronics -- but fun nonetheless.
Head for the Hills
A nice way to cap a day spent in the old city is to head for the hills.
Jebel Qassioun is Damascus' Mulholland Drive. At almost 4,000 feet in the air, the mountain provides breathtaking views of the sprawling city. From that altitude, the metropolis looks flat and wide, with minarets sprouting like weeds in a garden.
It is here that Cain supposedly killed Abel and where the Prophet Muhammad got his first look at Damascus before turning away from the "earthly paradise" below.
Most don't visit Jebel Qassioun for the religious history. The mountain ridge has been turned into a promenade where locals gather for a soda, lunch, or a respite from the heat below. When night falls, couples park in the darkness to watch the city lights and maybe share a peck or two.
Clearly, when it comes to attracting visitors, Damascus has no shortage of selling points. The city is home to all sorts of marvels, from religious sites to historic landmarks. If all of that doesn't bring tourists in, they can always put up more posters of Britney.
If you go:
Syria tourism Web site: click here.
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Other attractions:Damascus Citadel, St. Paul's Church, The National Museum of Damascus.
How to get there: Major international airlines fly directly to Damascus. Valid passport and visa required (Syrian Embassy, 202.232.6313). You can also drive from Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.
Money: 1 USD = 51 Syrian pounds. A taxi across town will cost about $2. Many entrance fees are $1 to $2.