The most ancient city in the world is Damascus, the current capital of Syria. As a city, Damascus has existed for about 4,500 years, but the age of the ancient settlements found in Damascus is estimated at 11,000 years, which makes Damascus the oldest city in the world.
The date of the founding of Damascus is not precisely determined, since it is a very ancient city. Legend has it that Damascus was founded by Adam and Eve. Today Damascus is the largest city in Syria with a population of over 4 million.
Jericho (Palestine), which is the oldest fortress in the world, also claims the title of the most ancient city in the world. The city walls of Jericho are estimated to be 8,800 years old. However, Jericho was repeatedly destroyed, so it is not the oldest continuously inhabited city. The Lebanese cities of Byblos, Sidon, Tire and Beirut, sacred Jerusalem, no less famous biblical Hebron and Jaffa can also be attributed to the most ancient cities in the world. Among European cities, the most ancient is the city of Athens (the capital of Greece). All these cities arose many thousands of years before our era.
The ancient Christian city of Maaloula, north of Damascus, has been overrun by rebel forces led by al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front, the BBC reported. According to the rebels, government forces have been withdrawn from Maaluli. In turn, state media say the clashes continue.
Several insurgents have already died in battles between government and opposition forces. It is reported that residents of the city are leaving it en masse. Last Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed concern about the attempts of the armed Syrian opposition to seize Maalula, which is a symbol of the Christian presence in Syria.
Recall that its inhabitants speak the almost disappeared Aramaic language, which Jesus Christ preached, and the churches in this town are among the most ancient and revered for the followers of Christianity, according to the commentary by the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Terrorist attacks must end immediately. A special responsibility for this is borne by those forces in the region and beyond, which willingly or unwillingly encourage terrorists, the document noted.
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Damascus is a very ancient and charming eastern city
Damascus is not just the capital of Syria. This is a charming city that I fell in love with. Perhaps the most beautiful city in the Middle East.
Despite the fact that Damascus is home to about 4 million people, the city does not give the impression of a metropolis. It is striking that Damascus was founded long before our era, and throughout the time it was continuously inhabited.
What's so attractive about it? On the one hand, this is the best side of the oriental flavor - oriental bazaars with a scent of spices, beautiful palaces, delicious cuisine, ancient mosques.
On the other hand, these are churches in the Christian quarter, atypical for the east, pretty ancient houses, and openwork lanterns. Plus to everything - the relatively unobtrusive Arabs (compared to neighboring Jordan) and cheapness. All together create a magical atmosphere.
Ancient city of damascus
In Damascus, you can observe an amazing interweaving of different cultures, different currents that create a unique flavor of this city. Damascus today is the capital of Syria, a city that is at least five thousand years old.
The first mention of Damascus dates back to the sixteenth century BC, when the city was under the rule of the Egyptian pharaohs. The history of the city is fraught with many mysteries, at different times it belonged to several states, for example Assyria, Persia, was part of the Roman Empire, then became Byzantine. Of course, every period of time, every nation to which the city belonged, left a mark on its architecture, or changed a hundred in the appearance of the city.
Fountain at the National Museum of Damascus
Damascus attracts many tourists, the old part of the city is especially striking with its beauty. An ancient mosque with magnificent mosaics, the Al-Azema palace, the walls of which are inlaid with marble and wood, the stunning mausoleum of Sultan Salah ad-Din. In Damascus, there is the Suleymaniye Mosque, its minarets can be seen from almost any part of the city.
What else is surprising in Damascus is the fact that many buildings built several centuries ago are still used for their intended purpose. For example, baths, built a long time ago, are still open today and are waiting for their visitors.