Damascus - Δαμασκός

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THE Damask is a city in Syria. It is its capital Syria with a population of 1.7 million inhabitants. It is built in the oasis of Guta, located on the bank of the river Baronda (of Chrysorroas, as the ancient Greeks call it) at an altitude of 600-700 meters at the beginning of the desert and at the foot of Antilivanos.

At a glance

Damascus is characterized by its continental climate. The El Guta plain (located around the city) despite receiving little rainfall is very fertile thanks to the Barada River. Besides, this plain supplies the capital with vegetables and other agricultural products that the city needs. Damascus is its main commercial, industrial and cultural center Syria. It is also a major transport hub for international railways, motorways and air communications. The large railway line connecting Syria with Beirut and Amman passes through it. It is still located on the only highway that connects it Turkey with the Iraq, as well as Lebanon with Jordan and Iraq.

In Damascus and the surrounding area there are factories of cement, textiles, glass, oil refineries, while the old handicrafts of cotton fabrics that are known around the world as "plums" have remained. There is also the University of Syria, as well as other spiritual and cultural centers, such as the Academy of Sciences, etc.

The city, although it is one of the oldest, has lost little of its old color and its urban planning and architecture have changed little. It has many remarkable buildings, including the famous Umayyad Mosque. The first information about the existence of Damascus dates back to the 16th century BC, when it was still under the rule of the Pharaohs of Egypt. Later, in the 10th century BC. became the center of the kingdom of Damascus. During the Seleucid era, the city -or part of it- was renamed Demitriada. The time of Christ is mentioned as a great commercial and cultural center, also known from the history of the Apostle Paul. Following the rise of Islam, Damascus became the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate. During the Abbasid caliphate, Damascus remained a trading center, while it began to decline significantly during the Turkish occupation. In 1920, when Syria was under French occupation, it became the capital of the state and remained so after the liberation of Syria from the French.