Ayasofiya |
The Church of St Sophia (Hagia Sophia) in
Constantinople, first completed in AD360 while the current church built on
the site of the first church was completed in 537 on the orders of the
emperor Justinian. It had the largest unsupported
dome on the world until the completion of St Peter's in Rome 1000 years
later. Converted into a mosque after the moslem conquest, it was turned
into a on the museum
Links: |
Aleppo |
Syria’s second city, oldest continuously inhabited site in the world. Or second oldest, depending on whether you ask an Aleppine or a Damascene. While Damascus grew up as a trading centre, Aleppo is more of an industrial city. The french colonial influence can still be felt in many parts of the city. |
Assasins |
A fanatical sect from the Syrian mountains, fiercely independent. They guarded their independence by fearless assassination of anyone who threatened it. Members of the sect took hashish to give them visions of paradise before embarking on suicide missions. Much feared by Arabs and crusaders alike, Saladdin was much impressed when their leader ordered several of his soldiers to hurl themselves off the castle's walls in a demonstration of their selfless loyalty. he bothered the Assassins no more after this. |
Baron Hotel |
THE place to stay in Aleppo, apparently. But don't you believe it. Lawrence of Arabia and Agatha Christie used to like to stay here, but I suspect the sheets haven't been cleaned since they left. |
Baybars |
Mamluk sultan who reconquered much of
Palestine and the Near East from the crusaders in the 13th century.
Something of a national hero in Syria, and subject of many a damascene
storyteller's tale.
Links: |
Bosphorus |
Narrow waterway separating Asia from Europe and linking the Black Sea with the Aegean by way of the Sea of Marmora and the Dardanelles. One of the key reasons for the development of Byzantium and its choice as the Eastern capital by Constantine the Great. Today the Bosphorus is one of the busiest waterways in the world, with large freight ships jostling for space with the countless passenger ferries toing and froing across the waterway. How fish can still survive in these waterways, and taste so good, is beyond me! |
Byzantium |
Former name for Constantinople.
Byzantium was founded in the 7th century BC by Byzas the Megarian, who
had been told by the Oracle to establish his new city "opposite the
Land of the Blind". When he saw the city of Chalcedon, on the Asian
side of the Bosphorus, he concluded that they must be blind to have missed
the superior site on the European side, with better natural defences and a
vast natural harbour, and promptly founded his city there. Thus the new
city of Byzantium commanded all maritime trade between the Aegean and the
Propontus and Pontus, and the land trade between the Balkans and Asia
Minor.
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Constantine the Great |
Founder of Constantinople. Largely responsible for the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of Rome, but otherwise an OK fellow. |
Constantinople |
Former (and superior) name for Istanbul. Constantine the Great refounded Byzantium as his new capital, which subsequently bore his name. Most glorious city the world has ever known, it was weakened by the rise of Islam, and particularly the advent of the Turks. The crusaders brought ruin by turning on fellow Christians instead of the intended targets, and stripping the place of all its assets in order to pay off their debts to the Venetians who had funded their expedition. Though the crusaders were eventually forced out, the Byzantine regime never recovered from this loss of finance so the tragic events of May 1453 became inevitable. |
Crusaders |
Thugs with Attitude, and zealous with it. The emperor of Constantinople set the whole ball rolling when he called upon the Pope to send help to push back the invading Arabs. Little did he realise how the Western church would respond... |
Damascus |
Capital of Syria, oldest continuously inhabited site in the world. Or second oldest, depending on whether you ask a Damascene or an Aleppine. On the river Barada, a stagnant, putrid stretch of water which originally was the cause of man's settlement in this area. Northern terminus of the Hejaz railway, built by the Turks to facilitate pilgrimage to Mecca, and subsequently much blown up by T E Lawrence and his veiled friends. |
Dead Cities |
Ruined cities in the Aleppo region. Chief among these is Quala'at Samaan, where St Simeon spent 36 years of his life perched on top of a column, the last 30 of these on a column 30m high. There was a railing around the top, and he was also chained to the column to prevent him falling off. All meals were carried up to him by ladder by fellow monks, and he celebrated mass up there twice a week. |
Deir ez Zawr |
Dump of a city on Euphrates in East of Syria, no merit whatsoever. Has strong connections with the oil trade; frankly, no-one in their right mind not connected with the oil trade would go there. Unless you're planning to visit sites on the Euphrates such as Doura Europos and Mari, in which case I fear you'll just have to suffer the place. |
Doura Europos |
Former Roman frontier fortress on Euphrates. Founded by the Seleucids (Alexander the Great's successors in this region) in 280BC, it became an important part of the Roman defensive system in AD165, and fell to the Sassanids in 256. Excavations have resulted in some wondrous finds, including unique frescoes from a synagogue, a complete scale horse armour, and various other pieces of military equipment on a fine state of repair. |
Galata |
Genoese colony on opposite side of Golden Horn to Constantinople, founded as Pera but subsequently renamed. |
Golden Horn |
Haliç in Turkish, the Golden Horn is the large inlet providing Byzantium with a large narutal harbour as well as protection from attack on the city's North side. Not that this stopped the Crusaders from breaking through the weaker sea walls at this point in 1204, while in 1453 the Turks hauled their ships overland to take control of these waters during the siege, thereby circumventing the huge chain which guarded the entrance to the Golden Horn. Today there are two main bridges over the lower end of the Golden Horn - the pedestrian Galata bridge close to where the chain once was, and the vehicular Haliç one slightly further up. |
Hama |
Syria’s fourth city, famous for its giant water wheels used for irrigation system. Centre of a revolt in the eighties, which Assad had put down in brutal fashion, killing up to 30,000 inhabitants. |
Hammam |
Turkish/Arab steam bath, very much along the lines of the Roman bath system, and therefore inherently civilised. Often confused by simple souls with Hama. |
Homs |
Syria’s third city in Orontes valley. Not much there worth visiting. |
Il hammdu lilleh |
Arabic: Thanks be to God. One of the more frequently used expressions in Syria, especially when something actually works out. |
In shah Allah |
Arabic: God willing. The only way anything gets done in Syria is by divine intervention. |
Istanbul |
Largest city in Turkey, former capital. Atatürk moved the capital to Ankara in order to be out of the reach of large naval guns at a time when the Western powers were trying to reverse the Turkish revolution. Istanbul remains the economic capital of Turkey. |
Justinian |
Arguably the greatest of the Byzantine emperors, Constantinople flourished under his rule, with grand monuments such as the Hagia Sophia being constructed, large tracts of the Mediterranean being brought back under its control, and the legal system being newly codified by the emperor. |
Ka’aba |
Black sacred stone in Mecca, focal point of pilgrimage |
Kingdom of Jerusalem |
Frankish kingdom established in the Holy Land by the crusaders |
Krak des Chevaliers |
Mightiest of the crusader castles in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, commanding the Homs gap, a wide valley North of the Lebanon mountains and one of the few Levantine links between the Mediterranean and inland Syria, and therefore a vital trade route. Stormed by the Mamluks in 1271 |
Mamluk |
Slave-soldier class from Egypt, took power in 13th century Arab world. It was the Mamluk Baybars who conquered Krak des Chevaliers, one of the final Crusader strongholds in the Levant. |
Mari |
Former Sumerian city-state on Euphrates, destroyed by Hammurabi of Babylon |
Mehmet II (the Conqueror) |
Ottoman conqueror of Constantinople, a zealous young lad whose driving ambition from the point he acceded to the throne was the final conquest of Constantinople. Cruel at some times (he had the captain of a ship that tried to run his blockade crucified, and the architect who built his conquest mosque was put to death when Mehmet discovered that its dome was smaller than that of the Christian Hagia Sophia), humane at others (denying his soldiers the traditional 3 days' rape, pillage and murder upon the final conquest, partly as there wasn't enough left to rape, pillage and murder to last 3 days!), he laid the foundations for the pinnacle of the Ottomans' achievements of the 16th century. |
Minaret |
Tower next to mosque used by muezzin for his calls to prayer. The more a mosque has, the more important it is. When the blue mosque was built with 6, 2 more had to be added in Mecca to stay ahead in this clerical arms race. |
Minbar |
Pulpit from which the Imam leads prayers |
Muezzin |
Calls the faithful to prayers with chants from the minaret. In Constantinople, a wonderful sound as the beautifully sung calls cascade over the ancient city. In other places, a less pleasant sound. |
Palmyra |
Main oasis in the Syrian desert, once a rich city on the silk route. Queen Zenobia put an end to its wealth by declaring herself Queen of the East. This didn't go down well with the Roman emperor Aurelian, who crushed the revolt in 271 and destroyed the city in 273. That'll teach them for taking on the might of Rome... |
Saladdin |
Also known as Salah ad-Din (Arabic: righteousness of the faith). One of Syria’s great national heroes, buried in Damascus |
Sandveech |
Same as Shawarma, can also be with falafel |
Shawarma |
Kebab made of lamb or chicken, grilled upright on a spit and served in pitta bread, dripping with fat. Quite a cunning way of picking up a bout of Dysentery. |
Souk |
Arab market or bazaar. Wonderful place to pick up exotic spices as well as souvenirs such as brass coffee pots and, of course, shisha pipes. Called Carsisi in Turkish. |
Tartus |
Old crusader city on the Mediterranean coast of Syria, at the mouth of the Homs Gap |
Topkapi Palace |
Palace of the Ottoman sultans, built on the site of the acropolis of old Byzantium. Possesses the most stunning views over the Sea of Marmora, Bosphorus and Golden Horn. Contains the world famous treasury, containing some of the world's most beautiful artifacts. Also houses one of the most important shrines in Islam, with some of the religion's most holy relics |
During my stay: £1 = TL74000-78000
During my homebound stopover: £1 = TL84000
£1 = 68 Syrian Pounds
$1 = 42 Syrian (Black market 48 Syrian)
Last Updated on 13 November, 1999