Syria: The East Gate of Damascus (Dimashq) and the 'Street Called Straight' c. 1900

The Street Called Straight (Latin: Via Recta, Arabic: Al-Shāri` al-Mustaqīm), is the Roman street (Decumanus Maximus) that runs from east to west in the old city of Damascus. It was visited by St. Paul as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, the fifth book of the Christian New Testament, and contains several interesting sights from the Roman, Christian and Islamic periods. The east end of Straight Street is at Bab al-Sharqi, the Roman gate of the Sun.

Under the Greeks, the old city of Damascus was designed after the grid pattern designed by Hippodamus. The Roman street, extending 1500 meters, used to be lined with columns and had gates on both ends, houses and shops on both sides. These columns can still be seen today. Today it consists of two main streets in old Damascus; the Avenue of Bab Sharqi and Medhat Pasha Souq, a major Damascus market, named after Medhat Pasha, the Ottoman governor of Damascus who renovated it and ordered its coverage with a lead-shade.

Copyright:

Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Photographer:

Eric Matson (PD)

Credit:

Pictures From History