Welcome to a post on the capital city of Syria, Damascus in the Middle-East, Asia.

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Welcome to a post on the capital city of Syria, Damascus in the Middle-East, Asia.

By Mark on February 12, 2012

Damascus/ Syria: blessed Arabic country
Damascus – دِمَشقُ‎, Syria 2010
Damascus from Mount Qassioun

Damascus, Syria

This is a picture taken from flickr of Damascus, Syria.
Welcome to a post about the capital city of Syria, it is known as Damascus, but in Syria the people there know it as al-Sham, and also it is known as the City of Jasmine. Dammascus is the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo in population. And both of these cities part of the country’s 14 governorates. Now like Aleppo, it is known this city for being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. But it is also known for being a major cultural and religious center of the Levant. Back in 2009, on the census, the popualtion was estimated at 1,711,000, living in the city.

Damascus, Syria

Photo by HappyTellus

This is a picture taken from flickr of Damascus, Syria

Night in Damascus Syria 1997

Photo by Lauras Eye

This is a picture taken from flickr of a Night in Damascus Syria 1997.
So where abouts is Damascus, well you will find the city in southwestern Syria. This is a middle-east city in the country of Syria and has alot of history going for it, so it is sad to see this civil war happening in the country. It may not have effected Damascus, yet, but it could still happen. Damascus is also the center city of a large metropolitan area of 2.6 million people taken in 2004. Geographically it is embedded on the eastern foothills of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range, 80 kilometres to 50 miles inland from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean on a plateau 680 metres or 2,230 feet above sea-level. The climate for Damascus is usually a semi-arid climate, this is due to the rain shadow effect. Also though you will find the Barada River which flows through city.

Shisha pipes, Old Damascus, Syria.

Photo by jemasmith

This is a picture taken from flickr of Shisha pipes, Old Damascus, Syria.

A riot of colour, Old Damascus, Syria.

Photo by jemasmith

This is a picture taken from flickr of A riot of colour, Old Damascus, Syria.
So the history, says that the city started inhabiting around the 2nd millennium BC, and became the chosen capital of the Umayyad Caliphate during the years of 661 to 750. But it was after there had been a victory by the Abbasid dynasty, the seat of Islamic power was moved to Baghdad in modern day Iraq. Sadley for the city of Damascus, there began a political decline throughout the years of the Abbasid era, but it managed to regain significant importance during the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods. But, like the city of Aleppo, during the Ottoman rule, Damascus started to see the city decaye completely, but it the people of the city, managed to keep a certain cultural prestige. Finally, Damascus today, is now the seat of the central government and all of the government ministries within the country of Syria. And back in 2008, Damascus was chosen as the 2008 Arab Capital of Culture. So like Aleppo,there is plenty to see and do in the city, plenty of places to stay, eat, drink and relax. But maybe not at this moment in time. But if you are into history, music, arts, food and drink, etc, then Damascus is the place to visit.

Damascus, Syria