Holiday in Damascus

About Damascus

Damascus is considered the oldest continuously inhabited capital in the world — settled for over 5,000 years, the city at the foot of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains was already a center when the Greeks were still nomads. The Old Town (UNESCO World Heritage) is a labyrinth of covered souks, mosques, caravanserais, and residential houses that layer thousands of years of history: Romans, Byzantines, Umayyads, Crusaders, Ottomans — all have left their marks in the stones of this city. The Umayyad Mosque, built in 705 on the foundations of a Roman temple of Jupiter and a Christian basilica of John, is one of the oldest and most venerable places of worship in Islam: The golden mosaic frieze depicting paradise landscapes is one of the most significant works of art in the Islamic world. Inside, the head of John the Baptist is venerated — a sanctuary that is sacred to both Christians and Muslims alike. The Souk al-Hamidiyya, a covered market hall from the Ottoman period, leads from the Old Town to the Umayyad Mosque: Light beams fall through the bullet holes in the iron ceiling (from the Arab Revolt in 1916) like in a cathedral onto the merchants below. **Important Note:** Syria has been in an armed conflict since 2011. The Foreign Office warns against all travel to Syria. The described sights document a unique world heritage.