Damascus

The capital of Syria is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Ummayyad the mosque can be reached after a stroll through the Al-Hamidiyyeh Bazaar. The history of this mosque goes back to the 9th Century BC, back, and reflects in many ways also reflects the turbulent history of the city. On the site of the mosque was once a temple to the god Haddad Aramaic. In the third Century AD, the Romans built a temple to their god Jupiter. The Byzantines destroyed the pagan temple and built a cathedral in honor of John the Baptist, whose grave is still in the mosque today. When the Muslims took control of Damascus in 636, the eastern part of the church was converted into a mosque in the western part of Christian worship were still held. In 705 decided by the then Caliph Al-Walid to build a huge mosque, the oldest parts of the Ummayyad mosque dates from this period.

The mosque was in the 16-Tikiyyeh Century, with two elegant minarets and a huge dome built. The Al-Azem Palace (18th century) is now a national museum with numerous copies of the Koran. In the Old City of Damascus, a piece of the famous Via Recta, or Bab Sharqi away, stands the House of Hanania. Here the Apostle Paul once hid and used the underground chapel for worship. The church on the city wall of Damascus, from which he escaped with the help of a basket can also be visited. Then there are the Shrine of Saida Zeinab (the granddaughter of Prophet Mohammed), Saladin’s tomb in the courtyard behind the Ummayyad Mosque and the outskirts of Damascus. Ghota, the orchards of Damascus, while the tree is particularly beautiful in spring bloom.

Bosra

In the amphitheater of the Roman city every two years a music festival is held. Also worth seeing is the souk.

Resorts / trips

Bloudan Zebadani and lie in the vicinity of Damascus. A trip to the Tel-Shehab-waterfalls in the south of this region is worth it.

The central region

Palmyra is located in a desert oasis. Here once ruled the legendary Queen Zenobia, who fought against both the Roman and the Persian Empire. Zenobia was taken captive to Rome when the Roman emperor Aurelian in AD 272, the city defeated and destroyed. Particularly noteworthy in this city are the tombs of the Valley, the Hypogeum of the three brothers, the Bal-temple and the Arch. These ruins are considered the most important ancient monuments in the Middle East.

Homs: In the third-largest city of Syria is the first oil refinery in the country. Worth visiting is the mausoleum of Khalid Ibn al-Walid.

Krak de Chevaliers: The most famous of the Crusaders fortress is located about 65 km from Homs. The crusader castles of Syria Travel Guides

Salaheddin near Latakia and Banias in Lamentations are also worth a visit.

Hama: This city on the Orontes River is located about 45 km from Homs, and was supposedly founded in 5000 BC. The Norias, giant wooden water wheel water, still the city. Worth seeing are the orchards, the Great Mosque and the Museum in the Al-Azem Palace.

The North

In Aleppo, which is probably even older than Damascus, is a mighty fortress, the best example of Syrian Arab military architecture. For tourists, especially the interesting souk, a market that consists of 16 km narrow winding streets. The public hammams (baths) and the ancient khans (rest houses) are worth seeing. The Archaeological Museum of the City documenting the history of the country. Aleppo is Syria’s business and industrial center.

It is situated in Lattakia on the Mediterranean not only a major port city, but also a popular tourist destination. The city lies at the foothills of forested mountains. Many ancient sites can be visited, including the ruins of the Temple of Bacchus and the Arc de Triomphe.

Resorts / trips

Tartus offers beautiful beaches and mountains. 10 km inland are the mountains with Drekisch-clear springs. Nearby are the resorts of Lattakia and Kassab Slounfeh.

The East

The cities and sights in this section are treated in the order in which they are located on the Euphrates River in a southwesterly direction. The fortress Jabar, west of Raqqah reflected in the blue waters of the Euphrates. The ancient city Raqqah on the left bank was in the 4th Century BC by Alexander the Great founded. Halabiyyeh Zalabiyyeh and were militarily important city at the time of Queen Zenobia. The ruins can be seen 40 km from Deir ez-Zor. Deir ez-Zor on the right bank of the river is often called the pearl of the Euphrates. The parks and orchards harmonize beautifully on the river banks with the gold-colored desert, which winds its way through the Euphrates. The Citadel Rahba near Al-Mayadine was built to protect the trade route along the Euphrates against the Tartars and Mongols. The city of Doura Europos (Salhieh) has a long history as a trading and military base among the Greeks, Romans, Persians and Palmyre.

Mari is on the trade route from Syria to Mesopotamia. It has ruins are 5000 years old. The Royal Palace is very interesting. The ruler of the city-state of Mari, Zimri-Lim, built the building with 300 rooms, 2,000 years ago.