Damascus (Dimshq), the capital of Syria, is the oldest continuously inhabited capital in the world.
The earliest reference to the city appeared in the Ebla tablets, the existence of Damascus in the third millennium B.C.

Damascus is filled with ancient landmarks, evidence of the many ears and peoples who have inhabited it throughout history. The ancient wall, with its seven gates, surrounds the old city of Damascus; it was built in the Roman era, and parts of it still stand today.

The present-day Umayyad Mosque was built on a site that has always been a place of worship. Originally, it was a temple to an ancient Aramean god, later it became a pagan temple during the Greek and Roman ears, then a church during the 4th century A.D., and finally, in 705 A.D., the Umayyad caliph Al-Walid Ibn Abdul Malek constructed the mosque which still stands at the end of the famous Souq Al Hamidiyeh in the heart of the old city.

The Damascus Citadel was erected in 1078 A.D. by the Seleucids who also built houses, baths, schools and mosques, all within the citadel; thus it became a city within a city. The Azem Palace, also in the old city, was built in the 18th century for the governor of Damascus. The palace is a great example of Damascus architecture and now houses the museum of Arts and Popular Traditions.

Damascus is well-know for its covered souqs (markets), built during the Ottoman period. The most important are the Souq Al Hamidiyeh, Souq, Midhat Pasha, Souq Al Harir and Souq Al Bzourieh.

Each souq specializes is a particular craft or type of merchandise; such as brocade, embroideries, hand-blown glass, engraved copper works, silver, gold and spices, etc. for which Damascus is world renown.

Other popular sites in the old city are the Hammam Al Noury (public baths), Bimaristan Al Noury (Museum of Medicine), the Tomb of Saladin, St.Paul’s Church, St. Hanania Church and the Damascus Museum.