Damascus is one of the most fascinating cities in the Orient and its colourful history is still very much apparent in its magnificent palaces.

Today an impressive statue serves as a reminder of the city’s famous monarch, Saladin. In the twelfth century he did much to improve the city.

A walk through the historic centre of Damascus is like a journey through more than two thousand years of oriental history. In contrast to many other cities in the Near and Middle East, most of the original buildings within the old town have survived the test of time.

The city’s strategic location at the junction of several important caravan routes gave rise to a large number of fortified inns or ‘Caravansaries’, such as the Khan As’ad Pasha Al Azem.

The Omayyad Mosque was for many years the largest and most revered in the Islamic world and the splendid furnishings of its interior make this building a veritable treasure trove.

The historic splendour of Syria’s remarkable capital city really is like a Paradise On Earth.