Damascus (Arabic: دمشق Dimashq IPA: [ˈdiːmaːʃq]) is the capital and the second-largest city of Syria after Aleppo. It is commonly known in Syria as ash-Sham (Arabic: الشام ash-Shām) and nicknamed as the City of Jasmine (Arabic: مدينة الياسمين Madīnat al-Yāsmīn). In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major cultural and religious center of the Levant.
Population: 1,569,394
Latitude: 33° 30' 36.72" N
Longitude: 36° 17' 28.61" E
The Tekkiye Mosque or Sultan Selim Mosque (Arabic: التكية السليمانية, Turkish: Tekkiye Camii) is a mosque complex in Damascus, Syria, located on the banks of the Barada River. The complex is composed of a large mosque on the southwest side of a cou…
Mezzeh (Arabic: المزة, also transcribed as al-Mazzah, el-Mezze etc.) is a municipality and a relatively new neighborhood in the southwestern part of Damascus, Syria, due west of Kafr Sousa. It lies to the southwest of central Damascus, along the Me…
Khan As'ad Pasha (Arabic: خان أسعد باشا) is the largest khan in the Old City of Damascus, covering an area of 2,500 square metres (27,000 sq ft). Situated along Al-Buzuriyah Souq, it was built and named after As'ad Pasha al-Azm, the governor of Dam…
The House of Saint Ananias (also called Chapel of Saint Ananias) (Arabic: كنيسة القديس حنانيا) is an ancient underground structure in Damascus, Syria, that is alleged to be the remains of the home of Ananias of Damascus, where Ananias baptized Saul…
Bab Tuma (Arabic: باب توما, meaning: "Thomas’s Gate") is a borough of Old Damascus in Syria, one of the gates inside the historical walls of the city, and a geographic landmark of Early Christianity.
Jaramana (Arabic: جرمانا) is a city in southern Syria, administratively part of the Rif Dimashq Governorate in the Ghouta plain. Its location, 10 kilometers southeast of the Syrian capital, makes it a bustling town in the greater Damascus metropoli…
The Battle of Marj al-Saffar (or Marj al-Suffar), also known as the Battle of Shaqhab, took place on April 20 through April 22, 1303 between the Mamluks and the Mongols and their Armenian allies near Kiswe, Syria, just south of Damascus.
Mezzeh prison (Arabic: سجن المزة) is a now-defunct Syrian prison overlooking the capital, Damascus.
Bāb Saghīr (Arabic: باب الصغير), also called "Goristan-e-Ghariban", is an ancient cemetery and street in Damascus, Syria, with tombs on either side of the road.
Abbasiyyin Stadium (Arabic: ملعب العباسيين) is a multi-use all-seater stadium in Damascus, Syria, currently used mostly for football matches and serves as the home venue of the Syrian national team. It is also home to Syrian Premier League clubs Al…
The 1202 Syria earthquake struck at about dawn on 20 May 1202 (598 AH) with an epicenter in southwestern Syria. Up to 1,100,000 deaths have been associated with this earthquake, although other estimates are much smaller. It was felt over a very wide…
The Faculty of Medicine of Damascus University (Arabic: كلية الطب البشري في جامعة دمشق), founded in 1903, was the first university college established in Syria.
The Statue of Saladin (Arabic: تمثال صلاح الدين الأيوبي) is an oversize equestrian bronze statue depicting the Kurdish Ayyubid Sultan Saladin located in front of the Citadel of Damascus in Damascus, Syria. The statue was designed by Syrian sculptor…
The Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue was an ancient synagogue complex destroyed in May of 2014. Also known as the Jobar Synagogue it was situated in the village of Jobar now encompassed by the metropolitan area of the City of Damascus. It was once adjoined …
Marjeh Square (Arabic: ساحة المرجة / ALA-LC: sāḥat al-Marjah), also known as "Martyrs' Square" (ساحة الشهداء / sāḥat ash-Shuhadā’), is a square in central Damascus, Syria, just outside the walls of the old city.
Harasta (Arabic: حرستا Ḥarastā), also known as Harasta al-Basal, is a city and northeastern suburb of Damascus, Rif Dimashq, Syria. Harasta has an altitude of 702 meters. It has a population of 38,184 as of 2007, making it the 43rd largest city per…
Four Seasons Hotel Damascus is a five-star hotel and part of the Toronto-based Four Seasons luxury hotels and resorts. It is located in the central district neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. The hotel, financed by the Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal…
Bab Kisan (Arabic: باب كيسان, meaning "The Kisan Gate") is one of the eight ancient city-gates of Damascus, Syria. The gate, which is now located in the southeastern part of the Old City, was named in memory of a slave who became famous during a con…