Syria

[Heresson]

Hi

I'm spending this year in Syria so I decided to share with You some of my feelings towards this country - and some of my photos. My pictures aren't great, Syria's much nicer than that. I hope You'll like them, though.

I'm living in Damascus, the capital and one of the oldest towns on this planet. So it is claimed here, that it's the oldest capital on earth. The city's located between Syrian desert and Antilebanon mountains. The mountains are mostly barren here, the ones in the north I find much much nicer. The city kind of climbs the mountains, I must make a photo of that. One of the mountains in Gabal (gabal=mountain) Qasyun, one of the photos I'll attach is a view of Damascus from it.

[Heresson]

You should notice on it a large streat in the middle and a pyramid-like building standing there.
It's Hotel Meridien, a giant modern building. I think architecture's pretty good here. Some of my favourites are a church next to the square of Abbasid dinasty, Ba'ath party's headquaters and the Palace of Justice. I'll attach the first thing, but I don't know if I can take a photo of the latter ones, for sure I will not share it here.
Left to the Meridien Hotel You can see a big yellow light; it's Umayyads' mosque.

[Provost Harrison]

You call that a 'giant modern building'...you've not been to too many big cities, have you?

[Heresson]

One of the things that have suprised me a bit is the specific shape of crosses here...

[Last Conformist]

That hotel looks pretty Stalinist.

[Heresson]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
You call that a 'giant modern building'...you've not been to too many big cities, have you?

It's giant in damascean scale, that's what I've ment. Anyway...
An important part of Damascus is the Hamidiyya suq...

[Provost Harrison]

"meant"

[Heresson]

if You get all the way through it, You'll find yourself standing opposite to Umayyads' mosque. It stands on a place of a temple of Syrian god of storm, Hadad. After Roman conquest in I century BC it was turned into a temple of Jupiter. There are remains of it still present there. Later it was turned by emperor Theodosius the Great into a basilica of
St.John the Baptist After muslim conquest it was turned into a mosque. About year 705 caliph Al-Walid rebuilt inot what was claimed by some the first great achievement of Muslim architecture. Caliph obtained byzantine artisants that covered the mosque with mosaics showing imaginary building and trees (most of them were destroyed by fires). The mosque became a model for mosques all over the world.
You must be careful where You step, though, for the floor is covered with signs that pigeons like this place a lot.

[Heresson]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
"meant"

I humbly admit my mistake. Anyway...
Inside the mosque is the tomb of St John the Baptist (or prophet Yahya if You're a muslim)
where his head is kept

[Heresson]

Another head made a visit here. Up till today shia muslims make pilgrimages to this place because of head of imam Husayn, son of imam Ali. He was defeated by umayyad forces next to Karbala in Iraq, and his cut-off head was sent to umayyad capital - Damascus. While the head is now in Cairo, You can see on the photo shia women touching and kissing the place where it was once kept.

[Heresson]

And here are some of the mosaics on the walls...

[Heresson]

...and on the place where the treasure was kept

[Heresson]

Also, there's a nice story about one of the minarets (the highest, but I don't know which one's the highest: perhaps this one, for the other two look the same to me). It says that in yawm ad-din, during the Judgement Day, Jesus (prophet Isa, that is) will come from the sky, stand on this minaret and judge the mankind from it.
I've read Umayyads have made up this story to boost the respect for Damascus when the holy cities in Al-Higaz were in the hands of an imposter.

[VetLegion]

More pics!

BTW., how's the security situation, can you be reported for taking photos of someone or something without permission?

[Heresson]

Very close to Umayyads' mosque You can find the tomb of Salah ad-Din (Saladin). Two tombs, exactly. the one on the left was a gift from kaiser Wilhelm. It stands empty.
In case someone doesn't know, Saladin's family comes from Dwin in Armenia. He was Kurdish, though. His family moved to Tikrit in Iraq and it is claimed that Saladin was borned there just
before it had to flee from there. As he accompanied his uncle Shirkuh to Egypt with the army of
Nur ad-Din who united Syria and secured muslim posession of Edessa (already captured by Zanki earlier; it was one of the capitals of Outremer, the latin principalities - in this case a county - in Syria). Egypt was under nominal (isma'ili shia muslim) Fatimid rule, however king Amalric of kingdom of Jerusalem attempted conquering it which made it ask for Nur ad-Din's help. Shirkuh succeeded, but soon died. His nephew took his place, became the visier of Fatimids and brought
their rule over Egypt to an end. After Nur ad-Din's death he took most of his Syrian and Mesopotamian posessions. As Kingdom of Jerusalem was located on the way from Egypt to greater Syria and as prince of Karak, Renauld de Chatillon not only kept breaking cease-fires, but also
kept attacking pilgrimages to Mecca (and even planned to capture Medina), he often fought against
crusaders. I know all this in detail, but the story's too long, unless You want to hear it.
Anyway, in year 1187 forces of Kingdom of Jerusalem and its vassals were utterly crushed in the battle of Hittin and all was left of the kingdom in result were the city of Tyre and fort of Belfort. Also, the capitals and several cities and forts of county of Tripoli and duchy of Antioch managed to stay in christian hands). Saladin was fameous for being tolerant, just, knightly etc. He is really an impressive person especially if compared to another great ruler of Egypt and Syria that crushed crusaders - Baybars, also buried in Damascus.
Saladin started Ayyubid dinasty ruling over Egypt, Syria and Yemen until mamluks.
Funny... in my institute there's a guy called Al-Ayyubi... and he's also Kurdish.
I've watched an old egyptian film about Saladin. I must mention it, because it's very interesting, how far from historical reality can You get. It was full of propaganda, i have never thought it is possible. Enough to say that one of the main plots was the story of love between a christian general of Saladin's army and great master of hospitaliers, a woman... I hope You know
how ridiculous it is. To be honest, me and my friends could not help laughing sometimes. But hardly anyone watched it but us. Except for that everyone (but Saladin) were shouting, and very strange story, it was a nice film.
here's a statue of Saladin next to Damascus' citadel. A friend of mine claims that there's something coming out from under the horse's tail right over crusaders' heads.