Rehabilitation of 681 stores … The third stage of restoring Homs old markets project was completed

Due to the importance of historical and economic markets, as it is the commercial center of the city, rehabilitation and restoration teams have embarked and made – and are still – making great efforts to rebuild the archaeological market after being devastated by terrorism. The restoration work continues in its various stages while preserving the archaeological identity of these markets .

The Directorate of Antiquities has recently completed, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program, the third phase of the project  of  rehabilitating and restoring the archaeological market, which included the rehabilitation of 80% of the old market block with roofing of the main streets.

Engineer Baha Khouzam, director of the restoration of archaeological markets project in the United Nations Development Program, stated that the third stage of the restoration of archaeological markets, which lasted for an eight-month period,included the restoration of the tailors and the Caesarean markets,  Al-Maarad  and Al-Sagha Streets, which included part of the first stage of the metal roofs with a full cover for the Textile Market, Al-Nouri and Al-Maarad streets.

He pointed out that the basic works at this stage are installing sliding doors for about 150 commercial stores to achieve a total of 681 doors, in addition to installing metal grids over the main doors and wooden panels in addition to 275 solar energy devices. Thus, they have completed the rehabilitation of 681 out of 870 stores in the market.

Khouzam explained that the main project was to install a metal roof for Al-Maarad Street with the intersection of Al-Maarad Market with the textile and Al-Sagha markets, in addition to restoring the store’s facades in Al-Maarad Street and rebuilding four stores that were completely destroyed.The stone facades were cleaned  showing antique decorations .Also marble was installed for the burnt facades, removing the rubble and cleaning all the streets of the third stage, in addition to the maintenance works for sewage and water  and temporary reinforcement  for the dilapidated roofs.

Khouzam indicated that the old stones of the site are used in the restoration process, and the deficiency is covered with  stones of the same type after the processes of sculpting and installation according to a complete architectural and construction study ..

Engineer Hossam Hamish, director of Homs Antiquities, stated that the directorate is tasked with following up works and supervising their implementation in accordance with archaeological conditions and specifications and in line with the spirit of the original market, taking into account its archaeological and historical identity, such as stone facades and the restoration of destroyed facades.

Amal Farhat – Homs