Mezzeh
Al Mazzeh ٱلْمَزَّة | |
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Municipality | |
Al Mazzeh | |
Fayez Mansour Street (Mezzeh Highway) | |
33°30′11″N 36°15′30″E / 33.50306°N 36.25833°E / 33.50306; 36.25833 | |
Country | Syria |
Governorate | Damascus Governorate |
City | Damascus |
Population (2004) | |
• Total | 123,313[1] |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Climate | BSk |
Al Mazzeh (Arabic: ٱلْمَزَّة, romanized: al-Mazzah, also transcribed as al-Mazzah, el-Mazze, etc.) is a municipality in Damascus, Syria, due west of Kafr Sousa. It lies to the southwest of central Damascus, along the Mazzeh highway (also known as Fayez Mansour).
It started gaining importance when the French constructed Mazzeh Military Airport, which was the main airport in Damascus until Damascus International Airport opened. It also held the notorious Mazzeh prison until 2000. The municipality includes the Damascus University and contains many foreign embassies.[2] The current presidential palace sits atop Mount Mazzeh and overlooks all of Damascus.[3] It is one of the most modern and expensive areas of Damascus, especially the areas along the highway.[4]
Districts
- Al-Jalaa (pop. 3,514)[1]
- Western Villas (pop. 12,393)
- Eastern Villas (pop. 13,776)
- Mezzeh 86 (pop. 33,191)
- Mezzeh al-Qadimeh (Old Mezzeh or Shaykh Sa'ad) (pop. 13,555)
- Mezzeh Jabal (Mount Mezzeh) (pop. 22,655)
- Al-Rabwa (pop. 10,002)
- Al-Sumariyah (pop. 14,227)
The Western and Eastern Villa districts along the highway are affluent and cosmopolitan. The primarily Alawite Mezzeh 86 district is comparatively poor and has been described as a slum.[4][5]
History
Mezzeh was originally a village outside of Damascus. It was allegedly founded between 661 and 750 by Yemeni migrants.[6]
Mezzeh featured prominently in the 1941 Battle of Damascus. Compton Mackenzie later described it at the time as being "a large village standing at the junction of the road from Damascus to Beirut and Quneitra".[7]
In 2012, during the Syrian civil war, residents participated in anti-government protests, resulting in arrests.[3] In March 2012, the area experienced heavy fighting between government forces and defectors.[8][4] The Alawite Mezzeh 86 neighborhood has been targeted by bombings of civilian and military targets.[9]
Notable buildings and structures
- Presidential Palace, Damascus
- Former Mezzeh prison
- Mazzeh Military Airport
- Mezzeh Military Hospital (officially titled as Hospital 601); cited as the location of photographs submitted in the 2014 Syrian detainee report.[10]
References
- ^ a b Damascus governorate population 2004 census
- ^ "Syria, the uprising and Mezzeh". francona.blogspot.com. July 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Syrian protestors fill streets of Damascus". nytimes.com. 19 February 2012.
- ^ a b c "Heavy fighting rocks Damascus neighborhood". nytimes.com. 20 March 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
- ^ "Alawites in the "Mezze 86" district fear reprisals". aawsat.com. January 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
- ^ Salamandra, Christa (14 November 2004). A New Old Damascus: Authenticity and Distinction in Urban Syria. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Bloomington. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-253-11041-1.
- ^ Mackenzie, Compton (1951). Eastern Epic. London: Chatto & Windus; OCLC 1412578. pg. 115
- ^ "Reports of heavy firefight in Damascus". aljazeera.com. 20 March 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
- ^ "Explosive device in Mezzeh 86 kills 3 citizens, including a journalist". Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
- ^ le Caisne, Garance (1 October 2015). "They were torturing to kill: inside Syria's death machine". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
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other landmarks
- Al-Azem Palace
- Khan As'ad Pasha
- Straight Street
- Mausoleum of Saladin
- Umayyad Mosque
- Citadel of Damascus
- Grand Serail of Damascus
- Khadra Palace
- Nur al-Din Bimaristan
- Maktab Anbar
- Hejaz Train Station
- Statue of Saladin
- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- Temple of Jupiter
- Tishreen Palace
- Al-Shaab Palace
- October War Panorama
Catholic | |
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Eastern Orthodox | |
Oriental Orthodox |
education
- National Museum of Damascus
- Al-Assad National Library
- Damascus Opera House
- Damascus University
- Syrian Virtual University
- International University for Science and Technology
- Syrian Private University
- Arab International University
- Higher Institute for Applied Science and Technology
- Higher Institute of Music in Damascus
- Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts
- National Institute of Administration
- Damascus Community School
- Lycée Charles de Gaulle
- Shami Hospital
- Bakdash (ice cream parlor)
- Bawabet Dimashq
- Havana Cafe
- Beit al-Mamlouka Hotel
- Blue Tower Hotel
- Four Seasons Hotel Damascus
- Baghdad Street
- Marjeh Square
- Rawda Square
- Sabaa Bahrat Square
- Umayyad Square
- Yusuf al-Azma Square
Venues |
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Clubs |
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(List of rulers)
- Aram
- Siege (634)
- Jund Dimashq
- Burid dynasty
- Siege (1148)
- Eyalet
- Affair
- Protocol
- State
- Battle (1941)
- International Airport
- 1976 Pan Arab Games
- World Military Cup 1977
- International Film Festival
- 1981 Azbakiyah bombing
- 1986 bombings
- 1992 Pan Arab Games
- Spring
- 2002 West Asian Football Federation Championship
- 2004 WABA Champions Cup
- Declaration
- 2008 Arab Capital of Culture
- 2008 Arab League summit
- 2008 car bombing
- 2011 bombings
- 2011–2012 clashes
- January 2012 al-Midan bombing
- March 2012 bombings
- April 2012 bombings
- May 2012 bombings
- Battle (2012)
- July 2012 bombing
- 2017 bombings
- Category
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