Damascus Key Attractions
The splendid early 8th-century Umayyad Mosque was built on a site that has been sacred for thousands of years. It has been an Aramaic temple, a Roman temple and a Byzantine cathedral. The shrine, said to contain St John the Baptist's head, is still an important pilgrimage spot, as is the tomb of Salah ad-Din (Saladin) just outside the courtyard. More than 12,000 workmen helped to create the superb golden mosaics that once surrounded the entire courtyard, but only the Paradise Panel is left, representing paradise, or Damascus itself.
Tourist entrance at Bab al-Amara, Old City
The Old City
Five kilometres (3 miles) of walls surround the well-preserved medieval city of Damascus, with the Great Umayyad Mosque (see above) at its heart. It is a place for strolling through the labyrinthine alleys and busy souks, admiring the fine palaces, madrasas (Quranic schools), caravanserais and mosques on the way, or whiling time away in one of the many cafés.
The Christian Quarter and Straight Street
Straight Street, the Via Recta, has been the main east-west thoroughfare since Roman/Hellenistic times. Just off the street are the grand Damascene houses of the Christian Quarter, now often turned into bars and restaurants. At the end is the Roman gate of Bab Sharqi, and nearby the underground Chapel of St Ananias, where it is believed that Ananias sheltered St Paul after his blinding conversion. St Paul's Chapel marks the spot where St Paul was lowered over the city walls to escape his Roman persecutors.
The National Museum
The museum has many treasures from Syria's amazing archaeological sites. Highlights include the sculpture and jewellery from Palmyra, the second-century interior of the Dura Europos synagogue, the world's first alphabet on the Ugarit tablets and the eerie priest statues of Mari.
Sharia Shoukri al-Quwatly
Azem Palace
One of the most beautiful palaces of the old city, the 18th-century palace of the Ottoman governor Assad Pasha al-Azem has several rooms illustrating traditional crafts and culture.
Souk al-Bazuriye
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