The ancient city of Damascus in Syria

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‍T‍he Ancient City of Damascus was founded in the 3rd millennium B.C.

Located within the line of the walls of the old city are cultural relics including 125 protected monuments, the Umayyad Mosque, madrasas, khans, the Citadel and private houses, according to the official website of UNESCO. "In the Middle Ages, it was the center of a flourishing craft industry, specializing in swords and lace."

Urban planning

The ancient city's urban planning was influenced by the Roman and Byzantine cultures. Until today, traces of the Roman plan and Greek style can still be found in the old walled city, in that all its streets are oriented north-south or east-west.

The ancient city of Damascus. /VCG Photo

When Islamic influence started to prevail in the ancient city, namely during the time of the Umayyad Caliphate, one of the major historical sites in the ancient city was created, the Umayyad Mosque.

The Umayyad Mosque

As shown in the cover photo, the Umayyad Mosque, or the Grand Mosque of Damascus, is one of the largest mosques in the world. It is also one of the oldest mosques in the world to embrace continuous prayers since its establishment.

The Umayyad Mosque. /VCG Photo

Golden mosaics on the facade of the prayer hall of the Umayyad Mosque. /VCG Photo

The Al-Hamidiyah Souq

The Umayyad Mosque is located at one end of another major site in the ancient city, the largest and central souq of Syria, the Al-Hamidiyah Souq.

Jupiter Temple at the entrance of Al-Hamidiyah Souq. /VCG Photo

Bakdash, a famous ice cream parlor that has been in Al-Hamidiyah Souq since 1885. /VCG Photo

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(Cover image by Fan Chenxiao)