Ancient City of Damascus

Overview

The walled Old City of Damascus, enclosed by Roman ramparts, retains a stratigraphy of every great civilisation of the Near East — with more than 125 protected monuments within its perimeter.

Significance

Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 as one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited capitals.

Notable Features

• 01Umayyad Mosque (705 CE)
• 02Al-Hamidiyeh Souq
• 03Straight Street (Via Recta)
• 04Azem Palace (1750)
• 05Bab Touma
• 06Bab Sharqi
• 07Historic city walls
• 08Citadel of Damascus

Major Attractions

• 01

  Umayyad Mosque

  The 8th-century congregational mosque whose courtyard mosaics depict an idealised paradise; houses a shrine to John the Baptist.

• 02

  Azem Palace

  An 18th-century Ottoman governor's residence — the finest surviving example of the Damascene ablaq-and-courtyard tradition.

• 03

  Al-Hamidiyeh Souq

  Iron-roofed Ottoman covered market running west from the Citadel to the Temple of Jupiter columns at the mosque entrance.

• 04

  Straight Street

  Roman cardo running east-west across the Old City, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.

• 05

  Bab Touma & Bab Sharqi

  Roman city gates anchoring the Christian quarter, with the Chapel of Saint Ananias half-underground nearby.

• 06

  Khan As'ad Pasha

  A 1751 caravanserai with nine domes covering a vast central courtyard — the largest khan in the city.

Visitor Tips

• ›Enter the Old City via Souq al-Hamidiyeh from the Citadel side for the classic introduction.
• ›Use the prayer-break hours to walk the residential lanes around Bab Touma — they empty out and feel timeless.
• ›Always carry small change and a head covering if visiting the Umayyad Mosque.

What to Eat Nearby

• Bakdash Ice Cream

  Mastic-rosewater ice cream pounded by mallet and rolled in pistachios — a Hamidiyeh souq institution since 1885.

• Sahlab

  Hot milk thickened with orchid root, topped with cinnamon and pistachios — a winter Old City classic.

• Damascene Mezze

  Hummus, muhammara, makdous (stuffed baby eggplant in olive oil), and warm bread eaten in a courtyard restaurant.

Where to Stay

• Beit Al Mamlouka

  Boutique heritage

  Restored 17th-century courtyard house, the first boutique hotel in the Old City.

• Talisman Hotel

  Boutique heritage

  Atmospheric Ottoman mansion near Bab Sharqi with a small interior pool.

• Beit Zaman

  Guesthouse

  Affordable family-run courtyard guesthouse close to the Umayyad Mosque.