Damascus (Sham or Dimashq as we call it) has the reputation of being the oldest city in the world.
More recent discoveries suggest that Damascus was first settled ca. 6,000 B.C. but some discoveries suggest that it is older than 8,000 B.C. but we don't know exactly who ruled Damascus at that time.
An old story says that its name "Sham" was derived from "Shem" the eldest son of Noah because he chose to live there after the flood.

http://syria.arabicnet.com/damas.asp

population (1995 estimate) : 1,751,000

http://www.reuter.net/syria_private_tours/images/damascus.jpg

http://www.seabar.com/images/damascus.jpg

http://www.bgu.ac.il/~sergeev/pictures/archives/compress/2002/276/jpeg/37.jpg

http://www.damascus-online.com/se/geo/air-view.jpg

http://travelers.israel.net/middle-east/image/syria9.jpg

http://travelers.israel.net/middle-east/image/syria10.jpg

http://travelers.israel.net/middle-east/image/syria11.jpg

http://travelers.israel.net/middle-east/image/syria5.jpg

http://travelers.israel.net/middle-east/image/syria3.jpg

http://travelers.israel.net/middle-east/syria.html

some pics of Syria
http://www.geocities.co.jp/SilkRoad/7135/me/sy.htm

there's nothing skyscraper-wise. But lot's of old and cool structures.

6.5/10

No skyscrapers, but nice buildings none the less. This may be next on Dubya's blow-them-off-the-map list though. 5/10

5/10

some minarets, some high-rises, but Damascus isn't really about the scrapers.. 5.5

Extremely built-up city and obviously dense! :D Histroically important too ;) It dosen't have much of a skyline though :(

6.5/10

aerials arent good for postcards but streetlevel photography will be very interesting here. cool city.

Save these images into ur mind, they won't exist in a couple of months :(

6/10

5/10

I don't like it much, so boring

Originally posted by Fabio

5/10

I don't like it much, so boring

I second that
3.5\10

4/10

4.5

For the highrises/skyline, there is really not much to speak of, and they look real old (50's or something). Other than that, looks like an excellent city, dense and crowded and anciently old.

5/10

Only some tall buildings ... and i dont like the city much

5/10

I love this culture and historical side of the city but in whole it doesn't make a big impression on me...

Looks like Paris...10/10!

Damascus isn't the oldest city in the world, but Jericho is.

Btw, since there is no skyline at all, I'll give this city 4/10

Some nice old towers and some ugly new towers... 5.5/10

6/10

5/10

i dont like it 5/10 . Sorry

Looks like some spanish cities.

7/10

http://rameez.multics.org/gallery/damascus/damascus.jpg


http://www.professionalnomad.com/images/newphotos/damascus-alya.jpg

Satellite pic.

http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~small/Urban/images/LB00_173p174r037Damascus.jpg

Looks laike most arabic cities. It remembers me my trip to Morocco most of the cities that I have visit looks like this specially the medina (the old town). It has a lot of history. how far is from Palmira?

Looks like some spanish cities.

What is the names of this cities? Im sure that isn't spanish cities.

^
The first photo totally reminds me of Barcelona from those views.... That's my opinion period.

I dont believe it, but im not sure in the firts slide, In any case it would be a very old photo, of thirty or forty years ago.

The second slide i'm sure that isn't a spanish city, not even of many years ago. In addition the girl wears to clothes and slippers that are very present, then i think that it photo is not many years old.

I trust that it has been a regrettable error and non bad conscience.

I go to ask and more later we will say something to you.

^
The first photo totally reminds me of Barcelona from those views.... That's my opinion period.

You are completelely WRONG: that is NOT Barcelona!!
And I think those pics are NOT from any Spanish city...

^
The first photo totally reminds me of Barcelona from those views.... That's my opinion period.

:nono:

a10! :runaway:

^
The first photo totally reminds me of Barcelona from those views.... That's my opinion period.

I kinda agree..
in fact, both cities -each with its particularities- share the same kind of horizontal urbanism, mediterranean weather, and warm flavor..:

Damascus:
http://rameez.multics.org/gallery/damascus/damascus.jpg

Barcelona:
http://www.barcelonaskyline.com/user/scr/2004-07-04-003.jpg

Thank you meditt, I knew I was not seeing things wrong.

Old cities don't impress me. I give it a 5.5/10.

6,5/10

Looks like some spanish cities.

7/10

http://rameez.multics.org/gallery/damascus/damascus.jpg


http://www.professionalnomad.com/images/newphotos/damascus-alya.jpg

Satellite pic.

http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~small/Urban/images/LB00_173p174r037Damascus.jpg


OMG city of slums?

5.5/10

I love cities like this, I hope Bush doesn't attack Damascus next. 8.

I love cities like this, I hope Bush doesn't attack Damascus next. 8.


I agree....I love Damascus....I dont know how to descibe it but it is just beautiful even if it is very old.

i like this city , even though there are no skyscrapers in it. it's old and historicly important

Old cities don't impress me.

I'm just the opposite. Old cities blow me away -- I LOVE them! :lovethem:

I also think there has been some mighty peculiar stuff going on with the voting in this thread. :(

5/10.

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/37/182564385uwvnixph1xp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/4872/108382692zzmxavph3pm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/2339/75497532zwfuvvph8jr.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/1172/75497605srtiikph9lc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/5892/132128619sejxftph0hp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/482/87281663hijujfph3ip.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/1040/55241116cqgdtwph4go.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/8139/55241450ewkmxhph0wj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/2903/385484808toxzvlph2sy.jpg

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/7475/385484424zszjhjph2fr.jpg

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/4306/203329522gpdqbgph8io.jpg

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/9585/407622218egsjncph6mq.jpg

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/5664/134187419oyyquiph1zd.jpg

7.0
mmmmhhh pah

WHERE IS THE SKYLINE?
3.5/10
i dont like it

8/10

Some tall buildings but I cant find the skyline, old cities are nice, but this one is not very impressive 4/10

Lots of history,not much highrises 6/10 like it.

Interesting! Beauty is not just skyscrapers for me :) .. 7/10

6/10

6/10

4/10 not a real skyline...

beautiful ancient city...like Jeruslaem...10 for city....3/10 for sklyine.

7/10- not much of a skyline, great density though.

5.5/10

3/10

beautiful old buildings.

6/10

7/10

7/10

6/10

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7386/bosrasweidasyriajy5.jpg

http://img431.imageshack.us/img431/7579/alepporuins5tc4.jpg

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/9425/hamidiyyahhk2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img431.imageshack.us/img431/3568/homsla1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img350.imageshack.us/img350/5206/homs2zn5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img431.imageshack.us/img431/8916/meridienhotelyl1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/7712/palmyrabf4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/3632/shamcinemaik6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/2333/mitsubishidamascuszo9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

All concrete

Everything is too much of the same color, but it is impressive, but not cutting it for me.

i like it. yes, it is not hong kong or panamá, but i like it.
it has a unique identity.

4/10

6.5/10

It has its own charm. But unfortunately it doesnt have much of a skyline. I havent see really beautiful pictures either. So its a 6/10.

4.5

4/10

awesome density, no skyline

5

3.5/10

What fettekatz said.

6/10

5/10

4/10

4/10

5/10

5.5/10

6/10

5.5/10

10/10 :)

6/10

7/10

There's not much of a skyline in Damascus. But I like the city!
Some pics I took last year.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/Damascus%20pano-views/Syri2008Ben202.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/Damascus%20pano-views/Syri2008Ben200.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/Damascus%20pano-views/Syri2008Ben003.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/Damascus%20pano-views/Syri2008Ben002.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/Damascus%20pano-views/Syri2008Ben005.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/Damascus%20pano-views/Syri2008Ben801.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/Damascus%20pano-views/Syri2008Ben784.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/Damascus%20pano-views/Syri2008Ben802.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/New%20Damascus/Syri2008Ben017.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/New%20Damascus/Syri2008Ben018.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/New%20Damascus/Syri2008Ben023.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/New%20Damascus/Syri2008Ben024.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/New%20Damascus/Syri2008Ben105.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/New%20Damascus/Syri2008Ben114.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/New%20Damascus/Syri2008Ben119.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g92/Benonie/Syria/Damascus/New%20Damascus/Syri2008Ben122.jpg

And a real amateur video I made from our flat and from Mount Qassion...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Kd5yynN0lbo&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Kd5yynN0lbo&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

7. Regards.

5,5/10

5,5/10

5.5/10

What an ugly city!!!!

3/10

7/10 Historic city!

2/10

3/10

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5064/5556086979_9048d207ca_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5104/5690755929_c76f8ae464_b.jpg

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6018/5907782635_a1bf3b709d_o.jpg

6.5/10

HEIGHT: 5.5
DENSITY: 7
SETTING: 7
ARCHITECTURE: 4
WOW FACTOR: 1
___________________

AVERAGE: 4.9 or 5/10! :cheers2:

10- Exhilarating! & Elegant Looking!
9.5- Almost perfect!
9- Charming!
8.5- Brilliant and Vibrant!
8.0- Really Nice!
7.5- Above Average
7.0- Average-looking, decent
6.5- Somehow interesting
6.0- Has a lot of potential
5.5- Skyline is ok. needs to build more
5.0- Nothing special
4.5- Please build!
4.0- Generally flat
3.5 or less- Where's the skyline?

:cheers2:

4.5/10

4/10