Middle East - Anthony Ham [397]
The cavernous, rectangular prayer hall on the southern side of the courtyard is an Ottoman reconstruction that took place after a devastating fire in 1893. At the centre of the hall, resting on four great pillars above the transept, is the Dome of the Eagle, while looking somewhat out of place in the sanctuary is the green-domed, marble-clad shrine of John the Baptist (Prophet Yehia to Muslims) which supposedly holds the head of the man himself; other places around the Middle East make a similar claim. On the eastern side of the courtyard is the entrance to the shrine of Hussein, son of Ali and grandson of the Prophet. The shrine attracts large numbers of Shiite (mostly Iranian) pilgrims.
Such are the major landmarks of the Umayyad Mosque, but our favourite experience of a visit here is to find a quiet corner under the arches and watch as the devout explore one of Islam’s foremost places of worship, mullahs rub shoulders with curious Western tourists and children gambol around the courtyard oblivious to the need for reverence. Mosques in the Islamic world are centres of community life and nowhere is this more true than here, especially close to sunset.
The tourist entrance to the mosque is on the north side, but first you’ll need to buy a ticket outside the northwestern corner of the mosque; look for the ‘Putting on Special Clothes Room’ sign. Women are required to don the grey robes supplied.
Next to the ticket office in the small garden north of the mosque’s walls is the modest, red-domed Mausoleum of Saladin, the resting place of one of the great heroes of Arab history. The mausoleum was originally built in 1193, and admission is included in the price of the Umayyad Mosque ticket.
NORTH OF THE MOSQUE
Northwest of Saladin’s mausoleum is the 13th-century Madrassa az-Zahiriyya (Map; 9am-5pm), within which is buried Sultan Beybars – another Islamic warrior hero, this time of the Mamluk dynasty. It was Beybars who won several decisive victories over the Crusaders, driving them from the region.
Also near the Umayyad Mosque is the modern, Iranian-built Shiite Sayyida Ruqayya Mosque, dedicated to the daughter of the martyr Hussein, son of Ali. Powerful in the passion it inspires in the (mostly Iranian) pilgrims, breathtaking in the extravagance of its decoration, this mosque is one of the most fascinating sights in Damascus and its presence ripples out through the surrounding streets.
This is one of the major pilgrimage sites for Shiite pilgrims to Damascus and although it has long been thus, the current mosque dates back only to the late 1980s. While the portico, courtyard and main ‘onion’ dome are relatively restrained and quite beautiful, the interior of the prayer hall is a riot of mirror mosaics given added power by the weeping and chanting pilgrims. It can all be a little overwhelming if you’ve become accustomed to subtle Damascene interiors, but should on no account be missed. Non-Muslims may enter, except during Friday noon prayers.
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OLD DAMASCUS HOUSES: A TOUR
Old Damascus is divided into two distinct and often mutually exclusive realms: the public and the private. The former is full of clamorous souqs and an ever-changing world of traders, transients and tourists; the latter is an oasis of calm, sophistication and graceful architecture. From the outside, these old Damascus homes are