جولة : في ربوع مدينة السويداء .. كتاب في ربوع سورية

Tour: around the city of As-Suwayda:

As-Suwayda; A mountainous city, about 1000-1100 m above sea level, with clean air and a healthy atmosphere, and a wonderful location for its view of the Hauran plain, its villages, and its cities, and from which we also see the Golan Heights in the west, and we enjoy in the east the view of the upper slopes of Jabal al-Arab, which are adorned with greenery, which covers many spots. . I have known my habitation since the time of the Nabataeans - and perhaps before them - and its name at that time was "Black", and the columns of the Nabataean temple are still a witness to that. It also flourished during the era of the Romans and the Byzantines, and among the ruins attesting to that are the remains of the Great Church, which was built in the sixth century AD, and the remains of the Small Church (the large arch with capitals on either side of some columns), and the Roman pond. It also knew prosperity in many periods of Islamic history.

The city has grown remarkably since the early nineteenth century, and its first buildings were built of basalt stones, which are still visible in the nucleus of the current city. Since the middle of the current century, and especially since the early seventies, As-Suwayda has experienced a great development, which included its large horizontal extension in the northern, southern and western directions, and the emergence of modern multi-storey buildings made of cement, along with a number of them that used polished limestone.

Thus, the current city has a modern, developed character, which is noticed

Its visitor enters it from any entrance - Figure (13). In addition to its beautiful old neighborhood as well, its modern neighborhoods are represented by Al-Shuhada and Al-Qusour (east), Al-Nahda (north-east), Al-Mughtaribeen and Al-Dabisi (to the north), Al-Mushrif and Al-Souriya (to the west), Al-Qabou, Al-Bayda, Al-Sad, Al-Jalaa, and Al-Maqasem Al-Janoubia (to the south). Shops abound in the central part of the city located next to the Old City from the west (Al-Shuhada area and Al-Shaarani Street). Today, the population of As-Suwayda is estimated at about 60,000. alive

Talking about As-Suwayda may go on for a long time, due to its good looks, the beauty of the meeting place, the generosity of the inhabitants, the brilliance of urbanization and good planning. It is part of the natural beauty lying in its arms. Its location has earned it a climate distinguished by its winter coldness and summer moderation, which made As-Suwayda one of the beautiful summer resorts in Syria. All of this contributed to its current development, and the increase in the number of tourist establishments such as Al-Bustan Al-Gandola restaurants, Al-Riwaq, Sumer, Al-Manqal Cave, Al-Ramaya Al-Midhaf and Socrates), parks (Kom Al-Haseel Park), hotels (Tourist Hotel and Al-Ramaya Hotel) and swimming pools (Al-Ittihad Sports Pool in the Sports City.

And As-Suwayda, with its distinguished location, made it a launching point for many historical sites and picturesque natural places, and gave it movement and activity throughout the year, especially in periods when the weather is moderate and tends to be warm and the land is green in all places, as As-Suwayda is filled with cars and visitors coming to it or passing by. It has a way back to the villages, Salkhad and Busra. those sites and others. And so on, or back. from

In As-Suwayda there is a modern museum of its antiquities and the effects of all parts of the governorate.
It is currently located on the northeastern edge of the city on Qanawat Road, and opposite it is a tourist hotel. The site of the former museum was in the city center.