Damascus present in the past

Dive Deep into history as much as you can …and you will always find Damascus present in the past. During the course of  history, Damascus has mocked time, because the city doesn’t measure time by days, months or years, but rather by empires or civilizations which had risen and fallen on. Damascus is the symbol of eternity, Mark Twain has remarked when visiting Damascus in the past century sixties. The city charmed him with its monuments, extended history and captivating mysteries. If this man was capable of expressing his feelings in words, many others failed to do so.

Therefore, let us enter Old Damascus and promenade in its beautiful alleys, exploring the secrets of its beautiful imageries and drinking of its mature wine until we feel intoxicated by its splendor. Let us enter Damascus from Bab Touma. Old Damascus was protected by an old wall with seven gates still standing testifying this city great will to regenerate itself, as most of these gates survived despite the expanding construction.

Today the old city is divided into two parts: the first, which is the oldest, is confined inside the mure, inhabited for thousands of years, and the second expanded outside the mure to include quarters like alSalhieh, alMidan, alShaghour and Sarouja. These quarters started to rise during the rule of the Ayyoubid Dynasty and the following periods. Although the Old part is not more than one square kilometer in area, it is still boasting black stones old alleys of famous bazaars, and magnificent houses which insist on narrating the life story of this charming city.

Just north of the Old City stands Bab Touma, one of its seven original gates built by the Romans and named after Goddess Venus. After the spread of Christianity the gate was named after St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. Astone on the lintel was engraved with Greek words, an indication that a previous gate was built in the place by the Greeks before being rebuilt by the Romans. Near the gate there was a church which was reformed into a mosque, with a tall minaret at its gate, after the  Arab conquest. T

here was also a “Bachoura”( a small bazaar) with shops that can be closed from the inside in case of emergencies. The gate was rebuilt during the rule of the Ayyoubid King alNaser Dawood Bin Eissa 1228  AD as confirms writings inside it. It was also renovated during the rule of Sultan alNasser Mohammad Bin Qalawoon, by orders of his deputy governor of Damascus, Prince Tinghiz, 1333 AD, as stated on the threshold outside the gate. At the start of the French Mandate, the area was reorganized and the mosque was removed apart from the minaret, which was demolished by Engineer Ekouchard in the thirties of the 20th Century.

Bab Touma is still considered a model of the Ayyoubid military constructions which acquired a good reputation during the 13th  century. It is topped with a parted arch. It has two prominent balconies of military and decorative significance, with rectangular defensive archeries in the middle. The upper part of the gate deteriorated but was lately restored.

H. Mafalani