Old Damascus and Christian Syria

  Maaloula, Syria
Sunday, November 2, 2008

I booked a guide and driver today to escort me though the Old City of Damascus and then out to Seidnayya and Maalula, two of the towns at the center of Christian Syria.  I don't think many people realize that Syria is a secular state.  It is a republic with a president (that just happens to continually win reelection every seven years).  Its constitution stipulates that Syria has no official religion; it just so happens that the country is 89% Muslim and 10% Christian.

Arab Virgin

Christians are not discriminated against here, in fact they hold Cabinet posts and have prominent positions in the business community.  Syrians would argue with you that there country is a model of tolerance in the Middle East.  In many ways, they are right when compared with the likes of Saudi Arabia where no non-Muslim can worship openly, Lebanon where Muslims and Christians wage war against each other, and Israel which I've previously discussed. 
 

Damascus walls

The first half of our day, today would be to tour the Old City.  There are two distinct parts to Damascus-the Old City and everything else.  I didn't care much about the "everything else" as this is the part of Damascus designed by the French during the Mandate between World Wars.  The Old City comprises roughly 4 sq kilometers lying within imposing city walls so it is easily conquered on foot.  The city is bisected by the old Roman cardo, now known as Straight Street (the street called Straight in the Bible).  But the city's beat is dictated by the souq (market) with the Umayyad Mosque in the western half of the walled city forming its heart. 
 

Medieval Damascus

Damascus is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.  There is evidence of human habitation since the 15th Century BC.  Today, the Old City is an unusual mixture of tradition and modernity.  Although there is evidence of Roman and Greek contributions to the Old City's architecture, the Old City's character has remained astonishingly unchanged since medieval Islamic times.  Damascus was at its zenith in this era, because it was then the capital of the Muslim world.  Within its labyrinth of streets you can easily get lost, look around and only be reminded that you're in the 21st century by the beep-beep of a passing car or the distinctive ring of a Nokia cell phone. 
 
What's truly amazing here is that the history of the city is evident at every turn:  Roman gates coexist with Byzantine buildings next to Islamic or Ottoman architecture.

Damascene door

The atmosphere inside the city is frenetic but relaxed at the same time.  Many Damascenes are scurrying about with their ordinary business, shopping for whatever they might need, enjoying a cup of coffee on the street or at any one of the numerous cafes or just watching the world pass by while smoking a sheesha (waterpipe).  In the midst of the crowds of Damascenes are tourists, such as myself, although maybe not so many American tourists, and the all black-clad faithful from Iran.

Carpet cleaning

An entire quarter of the Old City is for Shi'a Muslims mainly from Iran where Farsi is predominately spoken.  This is because there are several shines in Damascus devoted to various members of Ali's family.  Without going in to much detail, these sites are not revered by the majority Sunni in Damascus.  Perhaps this explains part of the connection between Syria and Iran that concerns our government.
 

Street called Straight

My guide, Kamal, was horrible.  We set off on our tour, but he didn't lead; he didn't even seem to have a plan.  Maybe it was his manner compared to mine.  I felt like I had to prod him along through the Old City and continually ask "what's next?".  I one point I had to tell him that I had no idea where I was going and he, therefore, shouldn't be trailing behind me.   I did manage to see the highlights of the old city despite "my guide".  Thank goodness I had brought my guidebook and had an idea of what I wanted to see.

Ananias house

We began on the biblical Street called Straight and went to visit Ananias' house where St Paul the Apostle reputedly went (but probably didn't) after being blinded on the road to Damascus to be cured.  This shrine seems more like a crypt than a house.  That's because this house, dating from the Roman period, is deep under the streets of Damascus.  Nothing better illustrates how successive eras have built on top of older ones over the years.  
 

Interior courtyard

We then wandered through the alleys and streets past old houses, mosques, madrassas (Koranic schools), mausoleums and shops.  Kamal did make the point of showing the interiors of several restaurants (at 9am) and a hotel in the old city owned by his friend.  I think he (Kamal) was taken aback when I didn't want to take a brochure of the hotel.  The restaurants and the hotel were interesting because they were converted from old Damascene houses, many of which had fallen into disrepair.

Inlaid door

Only by going inside can you appreciate the beauty of Islamic homes because Islamic tradition dictates that exteriors of homes should not be overly decorative or ostentatious.  This even applies to mosques.  But inside different rules apply:  lovely courtyards are extensively decorated with fountains, inlaid wood paneling and elaborate tile work.  This explains why every house looks, more or less, like every other house on the street.  These renovated homes look very much like the Riads of Marrakech.
 

Umyyad forecourt

The star attraction of the Old City is the Umayyad Mosque.  This is one of the most famous mosques in Islam because of its unique engineering, architecture and decoration.  The mosque, converted from a Byzantine cathedral in the 8th Century, is on the site of the Roman temple to Jupiter.  So this has been a sacred site for well over 3000 years.

Ablution fountain

  The construction of this mosque incorporates details of the prior residents...roman columns are used and some of the Byzantine window frames have been retained.

Byzantine windows

As with any mosque, shoes are removed.  I'm so glad that it wasn't hot and that I'm not female (for many reasons) because non-Muslim visitors are required to stop at the "Putting on Clothes" room where they get to choose an appropriate cloak to wear.  Had it been hot, and I had been in shorts I would have gotten to wear one of these too.

People resting at mosque

What strikes you about a mosque, is that outside of the normal prayer times people go to just hang out at the mosque.  This is perfectly acceptable.  Many are there to pray, others are there to take a break or to get out of the sweltering heat.

Interior

 

Umyyad detail

The most outstanding feature of the mosque is its golden mosaics, which adorn several of the facades around the central courtyard.  These mosaics used to cover the entire courtyard, but they and the mosque have been ravaged by invading Mongols, rocked by earthquakes and gutted by fire.

Umyyad Mosque

Inside the mosque, the decoration is not as elaborate as others in the Middle East for the same reasons.  The most intriguing thing is the shrine that contains the head of John the Baptist.  The original Byzantine Church was built to commemorate this relic and as he is also revered by Muslims, this shrine remains.  I think most of you will be amazed to know that one of the mosque's three minarets is called the Minaret of Jesus.  This is the largest of the three and is so named because local tradition has it the Jesus will appear here on the final judgment day.

Jesus minaret

Remember he is also one of God's prophets according to the Koran.
 

Souq

The main souq of Damascus is a long covered market that extends directly off the western front of the Umayyad Mosque with the remains of the temple of gates of the Temple of Jupiter forming its entrance opposite the mosque.  A cross between a Parisian passage, a department store and a Middle Eastern bazaar, its main thoroughfare is lined with clothing emporiums and handicraft shops, while its narrow side streets are jammed with stalls selling everything from cheap shoes to kids' toys.

Fresh pomegranite juice

One of the more popular items now is the spirograph.  I didn't know they were still making the spirograph.  If you look up, you'll notice numerous bullet holes left by French planes during the Syrian's revolt against the French in the 1920s.
 
The most noticeable difference when walking through the souq is the lack of touting and cajoling here as compared to the rest of the Middle East.

Folsom Street in Syria

Shop owners don't harass passersby as they do in Egypt, Israel and Turkey.  In fact they are so laissez-faire that the best part of oriental hospitality is missing:  I was never offered any coffee or drinks while shopping.  I thought this was a typical custom in the Middle East.  And when I shopped, I was thirsty.  Bummed, I had to my buy my own drink later.  I had to resist buying another carpet with all my might (this was going to get even tougher later in Istanbul) but I did.  Don't worry, I bought other things instead.
 
To Kamal's disappointment, I didn't want to waste time eating lunch.  I think he was hungry...but to me he hadn't earned the right to my "free" lunch.  Besides, we had a bit of a drive ahead of us.  Since the sun sets at 4.30pm at this time of year, I didn't want to find ourselves in the dark at our next stops.  After we finished walking through the Old City, we finally found our driver and set out for Seidnayya and the Christian regions in the Anti-Lebanon mountains to the northwest of Damascus.  On the other side of these mountains are Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.

Jerusalem cross

Seidnayya is the home to several orthodox convents.  We stopped at the Greek Orthodox Convent of Our Lady of Seidnayya, the Lourdes of Syria.  I am told that this is the second-most revered Greek Orthodox shrine.  Is that right, Basil?  The sick and infirm come here to pray at the icon reputedly painted by St Luke as well as women who come to pray for fertility.  The convent was built on the site where Justinian saw the vision of the Virgin Mary who told him to build a church here.  So, who wouldn't?  As you climb the steps you reach the spot where a nun spilled oil on the step resulting in an outline of the Virgin Mary.

See the Virgin?

Do you see it in the picture?  At least they have a cage around you so you won't slip on the spilt oil.  Again, I got most of my information from the guide book...Kamal wasn't saying a whole lot.  
 

Duck your head

Upon entering the convent you better duck.  The door is small.  I don't know if this is more for penitence or for defensive purposes.  This convents and monasteries doubled as fortresses in the past.  So I ducked, but then proceeded to slam my head against the ceiling after passing through the portal.  I didn't realize it was a tunnel.  Coming from bright sunlight into the dark interior handicapped my ability to see what to expect.  Oh well, I would soon be in the presence of the icon so all ailments could be cured.

Seidnayya convent

After visiting the icon, we visited the church and then the roof.  Since this was Sunday, the village was quiet but the convent and church were active.  From the roof of the convent, you can sit in quiet contemplation or just enjoy the magnificent views across the valley.
 

Road to Maalula

From Seidnayya we continued on to Maalula.  The drive passes through some fascinating scenery:  dry, arid valleys are bordered by rocky outcrops along the way.  Every now and again, we'd go through a village complete with its own speed bump (no traffic lights needed). 

Maalula

The town of Maalula is pretty non-descript except that it is nestled in between two towering mountains.  The scenic beauty is better appreciated looking away from, and not at, the town.  One of the most fascinating things about Maalula is not what you see, but what you here.  This is the last place on earth where Aramaic is still spoken in everyday language.  Aramaic was the language of Jesus.  Today there are about 5000 local speakers.  Remember Mel Gibson's epic, The Passion of Christ?   The entire movie was in Aramaic, but apparently the native speakers in Maalula could barely understand the dialect Mel used.  Today, the Syrian government has established a school to prevent its extinction.
 

Convent in Maalula

The notable sights here include one of the oldest churches in the world.  The Convent of Sts Serge and Bacchus was built in AD 325, the first half of the 2nd Century.  The low, wooden doorway is supposedly over 2000 years old.  The round marble altar with a drainage hole reveals that the site was formerly a pagan temple.  Bigums, you would so hit your head.  
 

The ditch err gorge

Kamal then asked me if I wanted to walk through a pretty ravine.  Ok, it was a ditch.  This steep sided ravine resembles the Siq at Petra.  But this ravine was a drainage ditch complete with trash strewn about.  Supposedly the ravine was created to allow St Thecla (Greek Orthodox) to escape from pushy men and retain her chastity.    It was hard to appreciate this ditch after having just been in Petra.  Again, I had to consult the guide book to know why I was even in the ditch.  Thanks Kamal.  By the end of the walk I wanted to return to Damascus.

Umyyad mosque

Before returning to the hotel, we drove up to a vista point on Jebel Quassion.  In getting there we drove through the more upscale and diplomatic areas of Damascus.  The French did a nice job in laying out the new part of the city: broad boulevards, leafy green parks, fountains and distinctive looking 1940s-style architecture.  

French colonial

Kind of has that "Casablanca" feel to it.  We passed numerous cafes, but no Starbucks.  Passing by the US Embassy was strange given the tension between Syria and Iraq.  We also passed by the American school that was currently closed in retaliation.

New city

 
It had been a day, and I was done with Kamal.  Now I just wanted to retreat back to the Four Seasons in Damascus.  Was it wrong of me not to tip him out of my frustration?