Preserving the Old City of Damascus

List of Illustrations

ix Illustrations Map of Damascus frontispiece 1. “God is protecting you O Sham,” written on a wall in the Old City • xvii 2. The balcony in Opalin restaurant • 3 3. Courtyard in a bayt ‘arabi inhabited by long-term residents • 4 4. Yusif al-‘Azmeh Square on a quiet Friday morning • 42 5. The entrance to Suq al-Hamidiyya and the Old City from al-Nasr and al-Thawra Streets during a lull in traffic • 43 6. The square in front of the Umayyad Mosque • 44 7. A glimpse of a courtyard from the street • 110 8. An ’iwan • 112 9. Courtyard garden • 114 10. Courtyard in a tenement house • 118 11. A stripped wall in a courtyard • 147 12. A colorful exterior stands out in the alley of otherwise plain walls • 174 13. Signs pointing to several restaurants in Bab Tuma • 182 14. Typical restaurant setting in the Old City • 198 15. A moment of tranquility in a bayt ‘arabi • 247 ...