Tourist Attractions, Damascus Old City

Ancient Gates, Damascene Landmarks, Roman Remains

This grand Roman gate was named Bab Sharqi, meaning the “East Gate”, due to its ocation on the eastern side of the Old City. Dedicated to the Sun, it is one of the seven Roman gates of Damascus Old City. Bab Sharqi was built in the early 3rd century, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, as the only gate on the Old City Wall with three passages. The Arab leader Khaled Bin Al-Waleed, leading tribes from the Arabian Peninsula, entered Damascus peacefully in the 7th century through this gate. His historic entrance to Damascus paved the way for the establishment of the Umayyad Empire and the spread of Islam throughout the world. Saint Paul the Apostle had also entered Damascus through this gate few centuries earlier. Similarly, his historic entrance to Damascus and subsequent conversion had also paved the way for the spread of Christianity throughout the world....

Tourist Attractions, Damascus Old City

Ancient Gates, Churches

Bab Kissan is one of the seven Roman gates of Damascus Old City. Originally dedcated to planet Saturn, the gate today is associated with Saint Paul the Apostle who escaped Roman persecution by descending the Old City Wall next to this gate in a basket. Using some of the original stones from the Roman gate, a small chapel dedicated to Saint Paul was built behind Bab Kissan....

Tourist Attractions, Damascus Old City

Churches

This underground chapel dates back to the Byzantine Period and was last restoredin the late 19th century. It used to be the house of Saint Ananias and the place where he baptised Saint Paul the Apostle and converted him to Christianity in the 1st century....

Tourist Attractions, Damascus Old City

Sayedat Al-Neyah Cathedral was rebuilt to its existing form in 1863 after havingsustained heavy damage during the Events of 1860. The beautiful basalt stone structure of the Cathedral was originally built as a synagogue by the Karaite Jewish community, who later sold it to the Greek Catholic Church in the early 19th century. The cathedral is the Seat of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in the Orient....

Tourist Attractions, Damascus Old City

Churches, Damascene Landmarks

The Mariamiya Cathedral stands on the same site as one of the earliest churches n Damascus. For in the 1st century, a small chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary stood in its place. During the Byzantine Period, a huge cathedral was built around the original chapel. However, this Byzantine cathedral sustained heavy damage during the Events of 1860 and was subsequently rebuilt to what it is today. The Mariamiya Cathedral is the Seat of the Roman Orthodox Church in the Orient, which is the largest Christian denomination in the Levant....

Tourist Attractions, Damascus Old City

Ancient Wall, Roman Remains

The section of the Old City Wall that is located between Bab Touma and Bab Sharq was built during the Roman Period. It was later restored with the addition of two towers during the Ayyubid Period. Since then, many dwellings have been built on this section of the wall....