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Sunday, April 9

Coming Soon

After about more than 20 years of restoration works, Citadel of Damascus is about to be opened to the public in June 2006. Until the 1980's the Citadel was almost inaccessible, as it was an old prison from the late 12th century and was occupied largely by the military.

Needless to say, the citadel was built inside the old wall of Damascus. A lot of historians claimed that the citadel was built at the Roman era however, studies carried by several specialized scholars, historians and archaeologists showed that the castle was founded by Saljukis in 1076 A.D. and was completely rebuilt between1203–1214 by al-Malik al-Ādil to protect the city against the Crusaders and Mongols invasion.

The citadel is rectangular in shape and with rounded corners in its northwest, inside it, they built houses, baths, schools, wells, prisons and a mosque (Abu al-Dardaa), and it was also used as a residence for some Ayubid Sultans like Saladin.
Each corner of the castle has a tower , two towers on the eastern side, and three towers on the northern and southern sides. The citadel has four gates and whole of it was surrounded by a deep trench which was filled with water during wars.

My thoughts about the citadel is that, how it was always a prison that hosted revolutionary people and militant, great figures such as Ibin Taimyyah, and a lot of political detainees, and now it will turn into museum and a centre for cultural activates.

For more pictures click here.

18 Comments:

  • I was wondering what has happened to that project.
    at last it is done.

    and,Welcome back to action..

    By Blogger Sam..., at 9/4/06 2:36 PM  

  • Ghalia, nice to have you back.

    I didn't even know there was a castle in Damascus. Speaks volumes about how much I know about syrian history I guess :(

    By Blogger x, at 9/4/06 2:52 PM  

  • I'm very happy you're writing again.
    Welcome back Ghalia.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9/4/06 4:25 PM  

  • I am glad to see you back. It is great to see that a historical place is being restored. A part of history for Syria that will live on.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9/4/06 4:57 PM  

  • what a great blog...i think i need more that 9 minutes to read it all ;)

    By Blogger Unknown, at 10/4/06 1:25 AM  

  • It doesn't look ready to be open to the public next month to me!

    By Blogger Ihsan, at 10/4/06 6:06 AM  

  • hurray
    nice

    By Blogger GraY FoX, at 10/4/06 10:49 AM  

  • brilliant...

    @ihsan.. do u have to be a spoiler????

    By Blogger Yazan, at 10/4/06 11:25 AM  

  • @Yazan


    You mean "real" ;)

    Anywyas, inshallah I'm wrong!

    By Blogger Ihsan, at 11/4/06 5:39 AM  

  • Welcome back.

    I love this article. I'm a great fan of history myself, as my long-suffering wife and children can attest. I've dragged them round more English and Spanish castles than the mind can comfortably conceive.

    The architecture looks all very familiar. You can see it here in Castellar, Jerez, Olivenza and Mérida. Do tell me if one of the ruling dynasties of 'Al Andalus' came from Syria.

    By Blogger El Casareño Inglés, at 11/4/06 10:50 AM  

  • El Casareño Ingles,

    Al Andalus was conquered by the Ommayyads. They were from Damascus, and they ruled from there.

    By Blogger x, at 11/4/06 12:23 PM  

  • welcome back

    By Blogger Amr T, at 12/4/06 7:49 AM  

  • Looks like nice project ..........

    Nice to have you back Ghalia :) :P

    By Blogger Hasan Bazerbashi, at 16/4/06 1:12 AM  

  • Ha! They take ages to get the restoration done, you drop off the net for a while and it gets finished. Your secret is out. Admit it - you finished the reconstruction for them! (Even if you didn't, welcome back to the net and I look forward to reading your blog for a long time to come.)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 16/4/06 9:06 AM  

  • What a way to return, Ghalia!..
    Welcome back, and thank you for a lovely post, just as we have come to expect...
    I am intrigued by how you got this 'behind-the-scene' access to the Castle, when it is still not open.. actually, not just intrigued, but also very, very jealous!!..

    By Blogger The Syrian Brit, at 17/4/06 5:23 PM  

  • hi ghalia
    welcome back

    for U
    and damascus castle

    By Blogger hamwy, at 19/4/06 12:43 PM  

  • Yeeey..at last I will be able to take a tour inside..Hey Ghalia..long time no see..

    By Blogger Cute NK2, at 20/4/06 11:33 AM  

  • Thank you every body for your comments.

    By Blogger Ghalia, at 21/4/06 8:00 PM  

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