Damascus, Syria

Historic Sites & Landmarks in Damascus, Syria

  • Damascus Citadel Damascus, Syria

    The citadel of Damascus, smaller than the one in Aleppo, dates mainly from the Ayyubid and Mameluke periods, when Sultan al Adil used it to defend Damascus against the Crusaders and Mongols in the 13th century.

  • Straight Street Damascus, Syria

    This historic street is as straight today as when it was walked by St. Paul. Today it contains many markets, the House of Ananias, several Roman arches and mosques.

  • Great Mosque of Damascus (Umayyad Mosque) Damascus, Syria

    This historic 7th-century mosque stands on a site that has been sacred since 1000 BC. It has medieval mosaics on the facade and a shrine to John the Baptist inside.

  • Chapel of St. Paul (Bab Kisan) Damascus, Syria

    This stone chapel in Damascus incorporates materials from the Bab Kisan, the ancient gate through which Paul was lowered out of a window in Acts 9:25.

  • Shrine of Sayidda Zeinab Damascus, Syria 1990

    Located in the town of Sayyidah Zaynab south of Damascus, the Shrine of Sayidda Zeinab is an opulent Iranian-style Shi'a mosque and shrine. It shelters the tomb of Sayidda Zeinab, the daughter of Imam Ali and granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad.

  • Damascus National Museum Damascus, Syria

    This world-class museum displays important finds from excavations throughout Syria, most notably the world's first alphabet (from Ugarit) and 2nd-century frescoes from the synagogue of Dura Europos.

  • Tekkiye Mosque Damascus, Syria

    This Turkish-style mosque complex was designed by the great architect Sinan on order of Sulieman the Magnificent, and therefore looks much like a mosque you would see in Istanbul.