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Most of the existing Damascus gates date from the Imperial Roman period, so
the Gate of Blessings, as it is known in Arabic, was built over the Roman Gate
of Jupiter. It is now enclosed by surrounding souks. In his wonderful memoir, A Mirror to Damascus, Colin Thubron describes this gate “as a triumph of medieval sturdiness, immured in bazaars where the sun never finds it, its consoles shouldering a market roof.”
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To the east of the Old City fortress called the Citadel, a traveler may
come upon the striped Gate of Deliverance. It was built by Sultan Nurredine in the 12th century over an existing Roman structure. Nurredine is revered as the great architect who transformed down-at-heel and dowdy Damascus into an architectural jewel. His tomb may be found in the Old City. |
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After Deliverance, one might expect to find the Gate of Paradise,
sometimes called the Garden Gate because of the lush orchards and plantations
that once grew nearby in rich profusion. Naturally, there is an older association with Eden and ancient lore links Damascus to mankind’s earthly paradise. In Roman times, the gate was dedicated to fleet-footed Mercury, bearer of messages from the gods, good or ill.
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East of the Gate of Paradise, the traveler discovers the celebrated Gate of
the Moon, a reminder that Syria’s oldest gods were pagan. Pre-Islamic Syrians worshipped the moon god Hubal who presided over a pantheon of 360 lesser deities. While Hubal is not to be confused with Allah, it is interesting that lunar associations and symbols play an important role in the religion of Islam. The existing gate was another medieval project of Sultan Nurredine who gave it the name it now bears, the Gate of Peace.
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Named after the last of the Byzantine defenders of Damascus, the Gate of
Thomas marks the entrance to the Christian Quarter of the Old City. The reader may remember that Nikolai Faroun’s aged Bedouin nurse, Talifa, resides in the Christian Quarter. In our story, the body of Vera Tamiri is found not far from what was in Roman times known as the Gate of Venus.
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The easternmost of the Damascus gates, this portal was formerly known as
the Gate of the Sun and in Roman times was a pedestrian gate off limits to
mounted traffic. Distinctive for its three elegant arches, the Bab Charki was the point at which Sultan Nurredine gained access to Damascus to claim the city as his capital in the 12th century. |
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Also known as the Turkish Gate, Bab Kisan is famous for its biblical
association with St. Paul. According to his accounts in the New Testament,
Paul, a Damascene by birth, returned to preach the gospel of Christ but
stirred up anger and resentment in the city. He escaped an angry mob by having
himself lowered in a basket from what was then known as the Gate of Saturn. Distinctive for the Byzantine seals on each of its twin towers, the gate derives its present name from an Ottoman Turkish hero. |
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The “Little Gate” guards the southernmost approaches to the Old City. In classical times, it was dedicated to Mars, the god of war, and remains the only Damascus gate to retain its distinctive Roman architecture.
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To get a feel for the Damascus during the time of Nicolai Faroun - the 1930s-- here is a link to a travelogue from the times, posted on YouTube.
For some truly delightful panoramic travels through modern Old Damascus, please visit Willy Kaemena's site. You'll need the QuickTime extension installed, but it will be well worth the small effort to do so.
Website and All Contents Copyright (c) 1997-2008 Frederick Highland
