Let’s Gaze at the Impartial Treats of Syria

No terrorists, only most inviting and open people is what makes me infatuated with Syria and promising myself to visit this holiday paradise once more. With modernization on the first position in its list of important to-dos, the nation is progressing to its more open-minded and forward looking success to walk along with the new generation, but without losing any of its past glory.

This means that you will find a balanced list of sights to be visited and other tourist activities proving that the nation is simply impartial in its care for all kinds of enthusiasts.

Among them are the historic World Heritage sites of Damascus, Aleppo, and Bosra, Crusader castles, complex souqs, and the holy Umayyad mosques. Worship some mosques, shop in the souqs, or picnic at the castles and ancient sites – all is up to you as to how you want to spend your holidays here.

I could only explore the legendary city of Damascus that has many stories associated with it.

Syria Tourist Attractions

Damascus

According to one of the stories, Prophet Mohammed while coming from Mecca looked the city from the mountainside but did not enter the city as he wished to go to the heaven only once after his death.

The city is the capital of the nation with the first stop for travelers coming from the east. It offers bazaars, minarets, mosques, and fountain courtyards, coffeehouses, boutique hotels, art galleries, and much more.

• Ablutions Fountain:
  Located in the middle of the Umayyad Mosque courtyard, this is a strange square-shaped fountain on whose atop is a wooden platform and on its edges are two ancient columns that once had lamps.
• Al-Gharbiyya Minaret:
  In the Umayyad Mosque, you will find three minarets – all rebuilt by the Ayyubids, Mamluks, and Ottomans. Among them, the minaret at the southwestern corner is the most attractive with its Mamluk style.
• Al-Merjeh:
  At the end of the 19th century, this became the heart of Damascus. With a park comprising of the best hotels, it was precisely here that trams’ terminal was here along with the six meeting lines. In the Ottoman kingdom, this city was the first one to run electric trams with the power from a waterfall on the Barada River.
• Arab Epigraphy Museum:
  This museum offers a charming calligraphic display of lighted manuscripts in the 15th century Madrassa al-Jaqmaqiyya that exhibits Mamluk-era architecture.
• Army Museum:
  This offers beautiful exhibit of military hardware ranging from the Bronze Age to the near current era including flint arrowheads to a heap of the planes’ remains that was damaged in the war of 1973 with Israel.
• Art House:
  Located in the lobby of the hotel with the same name, this small gallery offers fixed art shows along with music concerts and terrace cafe for dining.
• Atassi Gallery:
  This is the prime gallery that offers changing displays of some of the Middle East’s most renowned artists such as Aleppan sculptor Abdel Rahman Mouakket and Ali Talib of Baghdad.
• Ayyam Gallery:
  This is an interesting gallery exhibiting attractive work of Syrian artists such as Fadi Yazigi, Abdulla Murad, Mounzer Kamnakache, Yousset Abdelke, and Safwan Dahoul.
• Azem Ecole:
  This is a past madrassa and a fine example of urban Ottoman architecture. The main feature is its little charming courtyard with a three-storey gallery. It was erected in 1770 by a descendant of the Azem family whose generations governed the city from 1725 to 1809.
• Azem Palace:
  Built in 1749 by a governor of Damascus, it is a typical Damascene style made out of striped stonework in form of alternating black basalt and limestone filling. Its rooms are worth visiting due to its interesting tile work and beautiful painted ceilings.

• Bab al-Nafura:
  Next to the coffeehouses, a few stairs takes Sharia al-Qaimariyya until the eastern wall of Umayyad Mosque that was structured using the original elements of what belonged to the monumental doorway of the Roman Empire to the interior of the temple and currently known as the mosque’s Bab al-Nafura.
• Bab as-Saghir, Bab as-Salaama, Bab al-Farag, and Bab al-Faradis:
  These are among the 13 gates located in the city walls until the 20th century and all used to be closed at sunset. In addition, the presence of a few inner gates split the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic sections. With time, even these are now not visible fully as they were along with several other main city gates.
• Bab ash-Sharqi:
  Originally built by the Romans, the Old City walls have witnessed many restorations over its period of 2000 years. Today, what you see is what has been made in the 13th century. Only this restored gate of Bab ash-Sharqi belongs to the Roman era among the other gates in the walls. Here, the Arabic word that means gate is bab.
• Bab Kisan:
  Another Old City gate of Bab Kisan is the legendary place where the followers lowered St Paul from a window in a storage bin at one night. This was done to help him in escaping away from the Jews as they were enraged after discoursing in the synagogues.

• Bab Touma:
  Sadly, the Old City walls are becoming hidden because of the never ending restorations. This makes it almost impossible to explore the walls, move around them, or take a tour on the ramparts. But, we are still lucky enough to have a superb small stroll between Bab as-Salaama and Bab Touma along the walls’ exteriors by a waterway of the Barada River.
• Beit al-Aqqad, Beit as-Sibai, Beit Jabri, and Beit Nizam:
  Trapped behind the towering walls within the Old City, there are some undiscovered but hundreds of beautiful houses standing ringing the courtyards. Exhibiting their personal intricate adornment, all these gems are sadly to say in a cheerless state of disorder. However, a ring off Straight St can be explored for these as they are somewhat intact due to renovation.
• Chapel of Ananias:
  Located in the far northeast end in a crypt of the Christian section, this chapel sits in the basement, which once was the dwelling place of Ananias who was a Christian devotee. To reach this chapel, take Sharia Hanania – the last lane on the left prior to Bab ash-Sharqi.

• Citadel:
  Located in the northwest end of the Old City, the fortress’s stone walls are impressive meeting the six lanes on Sharia ath-Thawra. It was erected by the Seljuks somewhere between 1076 and 1193 and after that it has witnessed many fortifications in the 12th century to resist attacks and modifications later by the Mamluks and Ottomans. At the time of the French, it was used as a prison until 1985.
• Courtyard of Umayyad Mosque:
  This is the northern section of the mosque, which is a vast, open courtyard. Decorated with white limestone floor and by a two-storey curved cloisters on its three sides, the fourth side is the fascia of the prayer hall.

Best Time to Visit Syria

• Peak seasons – Easter, July, August, October, and Islamic holidays
• Spring and autumn time

Syria Accommodation

• Afamia Hotel – Mid range
• Al Faradis Hotel – Mid range
• Al-Madinah/City Hotel – Mid-range
• Al-Rais Hotel – Budget