Once Upon a Time in Damascus

Stunning photos of Syria in a simpler day.

BY TY MCCORMICK | AUGUST 4, 2011

Above, a servant looks on as three Damascenes enjoy a water pipe in a coffee garden circa 1895. Syria is and always has been deeply divided along class lines, perhaps explaining why protest movements have struggled to gain traction until now.

Library of Congress

 

Ty McCormick is an editorial researcher at Foreign Policy.

 

WINSTON BLAKE

7:26 PM ET

August 5, 2011

Photo essay of my own...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2qAFaev6pc

 

MYSTIKIEL

8:45 PM ET

August 7, 2011

The photo at page 4 of this essay

is a stereoscope image, which were quite in vogue around the turn of the century. If you scale down the image in your browser you can view it in 3D, using the same technique used for viewing 3d "magic dot" pictures - try to focus your eyes past the level of the image, so that the two images overlap and become superimposed in your vision.

 

ARNAOLDANNO

12:04 AM ET

September 6, 2011

beautiful ancient city

Very beautiful ancient city. I'd like to visit Damascus. Only time will need to choose quieter. Photos are very luxurious - I'll make them 3D wallpaper for my desktop

 

QUERTHE

11:03 AM ET

August 8, 2011

I would love to visit

I would love to visit Damaskus before my life ends. Hopefully I will manage it.
Anyway thanks for this great article with lovely old photos!

Regards
Matthew Lorty

 

HAFIZI84

11:53 AM ET

September 5, 2011

unique of Damascus

Great history of Damascus..Really awesome.Thanks for this article.apple iphone 5

 

JOHNNY23

5:02 PM ET

September 19, 2011

Wow.

Amazing pictures of Damascus. Its amazing to think how much that city has seen, so many wars, so many stories... but so much history!

Bill,

stink bugs

 

NORMAN

7:27 AM ET

September 23, 2011

Damascus

The city of Damascus has indeed a troublesome history. However, these pictures evoke times of relative calmness and even somewhat romanticism. I would have really liked to visit the city in those days, although I wouldn't pass on this occasion even today. asigurare locuinta

 

JEFFERSONMAN

11:51 PM ET

September 30, 2011

Borrowed time

I look at these photos and i see a beautiful city, however according to Isaiah 17:1, Damascus will be gone one day soon. Still though, a beautiful city