Christianity was established in Emesa early on, as
3rd to 7th century. Catacombs were found in houses in the eastern
quarter, where quite a large population of Christians still live.
After Arab conquest, it is said that 500 of the prophet's companions
came and settled here. Homs became important, again but by the 18th
century Homs had sunk into a state of weakness.
Homs was taken in 636 by the Muslims, who
renamed it Homs, and the city's large Christian element was eliminated
during the rebellion of 855. Hims later (1516) passed into Ottoman
hands, where it remained, except for a brief period of Egyptian
control in the 1830s, until the creation of Syria after World War I.
The word " Homs " derives from a Canaanite root
that means shyness.
Attractions
and historical building
The prime attractions and most important historical building in
the city of Homs are:
- The
Khaled Ibn Al-Walid Mosque (take the name of the Arab
Moslim leader Khaled Bin Al-Walid who lived in
Homs for the last seven years of his life), this building is
distinguished by its metal dome which reflects sunshine. It is
also famous for its two high minarets and narrow galleries built
with black and white stones in a horizontal manner.
- The Kaneesat Um Zunnar Church
which was named after a piece of cloth said to have belonged to the
Virgin Mary that was found underneath the alter during renovations in
the 1950's.
- Another church in the area is
Kaneesat Mar Elian Church which also had discovered beautiful
wall paintings and mosaic in the 1970's during renovations. It
also contains Arab and Greek scripts dating back to the twelfth
century AD and even as far back as the sixth century.
- The ruins of the underground monastery
and chapel of the Syrian Aramain Church.
- Other attractions include the
Citadel,Homs Old gates, Al Nouri Mosque (or Great Mosque),
the ancient souks
-
Between Homs and
Tartus, the
Krak Des
Chevaliers
(Qalaat
al-Hossn) (Qalaat al-Hosn) is the most important castle
of the middle ages. It is located 65 km west of Homs and reaches
a summit of 750 meters above sea level. The castle controls a
strategic passage called the Homs gap in the Orontes Valley. The
castle was erected covers an area of 3 hectares and has 13 towers
containing a number of halls, stores, passages, stables and bridges.
- The
Qattina Lake which is 15 kilometers from Homs; it has
rainwater dam used in agriculture. Which dates back to the 2nd
millennium B.C. Close to this lake is the archaeological hill called
Tal al-Nabi Mando (Qadesh), where a historic battle took place
between the Hittites and the Egyptians in the thirteenth century B.C
- In the Homs museum, there are many
archaeological artifacts dating back to the ancient Syrian, Greek,
Roman, Byzantine and Arab eras.
- Other places of interest around Homs,
include al-Rastan, Meshta al-Helu (Resort Town), Mar
Jourjous (Monastery of St. George), Wadi al-Nasara
(collection of Christian villages surrounding Qalaat al-Hosn),
al-Mishrefeh and
Lake Qattina.
-
Homs
has a very beatiful Restaurants on Orontes river-side like,
Dik al Jen, Abbara, Al Ahram, Marsella, Miranda, Abu Samra, Al Dawwar,
Kardinia and al Tannur.
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