Syria, officially the Arab Republic of Syria, is a country in Western Asia, bordered by Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, and Jordan. to the south, and Israel to the southwest.
1 . Syria was once the cradle of civilization 10,000 years ago. It is also home to the ancient city of Ebla. This city has flourished and flourished since 1800-1650 BC.
2 . The capital of Syria is Damascus. Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world, nicknamed the City of Jasmine. If the starting point is the city of Damascus, you will meet old Damascus and new Damascus. In addition to the fact that old Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, it’s also a living museum filled with wonders to marvel at.
The capital Damascus. (Photo: Marc Veraart).
The places worth visiting in old Damascus are the old Damascus citadel and the Umayyad mosque and museum.
Umayyad Mosque. (Photo: Arian Zwegers)
3 . In Syria, morality is very strictly regulated. Syrian women are not allowed to have sex before marriage, otherwise no one will marry that woman.
4 . In public places, men are not allowed to talk to women, if the woman is not a relative. In cafes and restaurants, men and women sit separately.
5 . The official language in Syria is Arabic.
6 . Armenian and Turkmen are widely spoken in Syria.
7 . Modern Aleppo (Syria) is considered one of the oldest cities in the world. Aleppo still preserves a medieval stronghold, but has been severely damaged by war and is now restricted to tourists.
8 . In Syria, there are 6 world cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO:
9 . The national dish of Syria is famous for its variety and is quite famous in Arabia. The hallmark of Syrian cuisine is its freshness. Due to the special climate, food products are usually juicy, with various spices and lime juice. In addition, local people also use salt and pepper, mint, cinnamon, lemon, chili, pine nuts…
10 . In Syria, Palmyra is one of the most impressive and interesting ghost towns left from ancient times.
11 . In Syria, there is a small town called Maaloula. Maaloula is located in a picturesque valley.
The town of Maaloula. (Photo: Amer Jazaerli).
12 . Hama is a city along the Orontes River in central-western Syria north of Damascus. It is the capital of Hama province. With a population of 696,863 in 2009, Hama is the fourth largest city in Syria, behind Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs. The city is famous for its 17 water-wheels used to water gardens, which were traditionally built in 1100 BC. Today, these reels are almost exclusively traditional decorations.
Hama City. (Photo: Jean-François Gornet).
13 . Geographically, Syria is divided into two parts by mountains.
14 . About 90% of Syria’s population is Muslim.
15 . Syria does not recognize Israel. Israeli citizens were denied entry visas to Syria.