The ” Panorama” which traces back Arab heroism
The ” October war of Liberation panorama in Syria gives a strong impetus : that the restoring the occupied Syrian Golan heights back is still one of the top priorities of the Syrian leadership.
On every October the 6th, the gate of the Panorama premises are opened for public to commemorate the glorious anniversary of 1973 October liberation war. Visitors of this gallant panorama link between the military and political tracks. This linkage is through historical perspective; where the designers of this Monument ” tried to include events as from the battles of Ebla Empire which ended in a peace agreement to unite the country in the 3rd Millennium B.C.
Upon entering into the panorama premises from the Northern entrance of Damascus , there stands a statue for the late President Hafez al-Assad , the mastermind behind October war of Liberation victories. The statue( 8.5 meter-height) stands in the center of an area of 62.7 square kilometers.
Syrian and Korean engineers worked tirelessly for more than six months in designing two squares , each is of an area of 107 square Km . The first includes warplanes equipments, artillery and tanks that were seized from Israeli occupation forces up by the Syrian armed forces during the October Liberation war, while the second square includes the Syrian weapons used during the war.
At the entrance, the hall is designed to combine both the past and present together. It starts with a big engraved wall painting depicting the battle of Maysalloun, waged by the late Syrian Minister of defense, Youssf al-Azmeh, against the French occupation troops when they invaded Syria in 1920.
On the front side of the hall, a big oil painting is shown for the late President Hafez al-Assad . It is surrounded by other four paintings: the first oil painting speaks of the unification of the country in the third Millennium B.C. following the battle over Ebla which ended in signing the oldest peace treaty. This fact is documented by archeological discoveries unearthed by the renowned Italian archeologist, prof. Paolo Mattieh in Tell Mardiskh, in Idleb in the northern part of Syria.
The second painting introduces Zenobia, the Queen of Palmyra in the hinterland of Syria in her battles to liberate and unify the country, according to a curator at the monument.
Two paintings are hung on the right side of the hall: The first shows the Umayyad Khaleif al-Walid Bin Abdul Malik, surrounded by leader Mousa Bin Nuseir and Tareq Bin Zeyad , coming back to Syria after they had conquered Andalusia . The second painting depicts Salah eddin al- Ayoubi as he is riding his horse , surrounded by his aides, while receiving al-Firanjah ( the Crusaders ) kings after their defeat in the battle of Hittin in 1187 A.D. This very painting has a background scene of the dome of rock in holy Jerusalem.
The Eastern pavilion of the monument shows the Syrian troops, liberating Jabal al-Sheikh surveillance position, once it was controlled by the Israeli occupation army . At the upper floor, there is a painting depicting the heroism of the Syrian naval forces in October war.
All details of the war are presented in one painting:” the October war panorama”. It occupies an area of 1950 square meters and is of a length of 130 meters. This amazing masterpiece of art starts with highlighting the first moments of the war, Israel ‘s destruction of the liberated city of Quneitra, and it highlights the historic moment of June 1974, when the late President Hafez Al-Assad hoisted the Syrian flag in the city.
Tomader Fateh