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Umayyad Mosque, Damascus
Damascus
Though several cities claim to be the longest
continuously inhabited city in the world,
Damascus has a better claim than most.
Archaeological remains dating to the third
millennium BC have been found and King David,
the Persians and Alexander the Great were some
of the city’s earliest conquerors. The city walls
date back to Roman times, as does the biblical
Straight Street. Caliph Khalid Ibn Al-Walid, ruler
of the first Islamic Empire, moved his capital to
Damascus in the 8th century AD, during the
Umayyad period. His Umayyad Mosque is now at
the heart of the winding streets and alleys of Old
Damascus, where traders display their wares
against a backdrop of Corinthian columns and
Mamluke stone-work. It is a scene which belongs
just as much to the medieval Islamic and
Ottoman eras as to the Syria of today.
The townhouse hotels
of Syria
During the last decade or so, Syrians have
seen the potential in converting period family
homes and palaces in the old cities of
Damascus and Aleppo into boutique hotels.
The old houses lend themselves well to this
purpose; there is usually a small number of
rooms and the buildings retain many of their
original features and character. They are
often located in the city centre, ideal for
exploring the narrow streets and souqs.
Staying in one of these hotels offers a real
insight into traditional architecture in a
Middle Eastern city, with their rooms set
Old family home, Damascus
Courtyard, Beit Al-Mamlouka
around central courtyards, and with separate
quarters for men and women, demonstrating
not only the wealth of the original
inhabitants, but also how similarly Muslim,
Christian and Jewish families lived in these
cities in the past. In general, the houses have
been converted with care and attention.
Indeed, one architect made the conversion of
her house (Beit al-Mamlouka, in Damascus)
the subject of her doctoral thesis. Arches,
striped stone-work, tiled floors and intricate
stone and woodwork abound in these
houses, making them a delight for architects,
historians, photographers and artists alike.
Colourful spices, Damascus
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