أرواد المعاصرة ناحية تابعة لطرطوس عدد سكانها ٢٠١٦ نسمة بحسب تعداد السكان لعام ١٩٩٤، لكن واقع الحال أن أبنائها يزيد عددهم على ١١,٥٠٠ نسمة، حيث يعمل معظمهم خارجها. تتميز الجزيرة بممراتها وشوارعها المتعرجة وقلعتها الصليبية وقلعتها الإسلامية، والبرج الأيوبي وبقايا سورها الضخم ومسالكها المترادصة، وتشتهر أرواد منذ القدم بصناعة السفن التي ما زالت إلى اليوم. كانت قديمًا تمتلك أسطولًا بحريًا قويًا، وحارب الأرواديون الإغريق ووقعت بالقرب منها معركة بحرية هي معركة سلاميس، وكانت مملكة أرواد ذات قوة ونفوذ، حيث امتد ملكها إلى العديد من مدن الساحل السوري، وتنفرد أرواد بكونها الجزيرة السياحية الحقيقية الوحيدة في البلاد

بقلم: أمال النجار

Arwad tourist island is located opposite the Syrian city of Tartous on the Mediterranean coast.

Its area is about 20 hectares, the inhabited area of ​​which is 13.5 hectares, and it is located about 3 km from the coast of Tartous.

It is an ancient island that was a prosperous Phoenician kingdom that controlled areas of the northern coast of Syria. The name Arwad or Arados was mentioned in the Amarna letters, in the annals of the Assyrian kings, and in the discoveries of the Phoenician civilization on the Mediterranean.

Nowadays Arwad is a district affiliated with Tartous, with a population of 5,016 people according to the 1994 population census, but the number of its registered residents exceeds 11,500 people, as most of them work outside it. The island is distinguished by its winding lanes and streets, its Crusader castle, its Islamic castle, the Ayyubid tower, the remains of its huge wall, and its compact dwellings. Arwad has been famous since ancient times for its shipbuilding, which continues to this day. In the past, it had a strong naval fleet. 

The Arwadians fought the Greeks, and a naval battle took place between them, the Battle of Salamis. The Kingdom of Arwad was powerful and influential, as its rule extended to many cities on the Syrian coast. Only the coast of the Syrian Arab Republic is unique to the island, which made it the only favorite tourist island in the country.

By: Amal Najjar

وصفها: للقلعة طلّة مهيبة تبهر الناظر إليها من بعيد راسخة كالجبل، يحيط بها سوران سور داخلي وسور خارجي ويحتوي السور الخارجي على 14 برجاً دفاعياً منيعاً وفي داخل القلعة الكثير من المنشآت والمباني مثل قاعة الفرسان والقاعة الملكية و كنيسة تعود للقرن الثاني ومرافق وخزّانات وممرّات الأسوار والأبراج وقد اكتشف في القلعة صور جدارية ملونة من أهمّها على الإطلاق جدارية تمثل ( العشاء الأخير ) وهي عبارة عن لوحة ملونة رائعة تضم 12 شخصاً تعلو رؤوسهم هالات صفراء اللون ومن بينهم في الوسط صورة تبين ( بولس الرسول ) (بطرس الرسول)، بالقرب من القلعة معبد أثري بناه أنتيوخوس بن مينودور شيّده إكراماً لأهل بانياس وأعلاه وزوّده بالتماثيل للدلالة على آلهة العبادة في بانياس مثل جوبيتر و باخوس. 

أما عن تاريخها: بنى تلك القلعة الخليفة العباسي هارون الرشيد خلال فترة حكمه (170 – 193هـ / 789 – 809 م)، ثم أعيد بناؤها سنة 454هـ / 1062 م على يد رشيد الدين الإسماعيلي، واستمرت قائمة حتى سيطر الصليبيون على القلعة سنة 510 هـ / عام م 1117 وجعلوها حامية لهم، ثم استلمها الإسبتارية سنة 582 هـ / عام م 1186 مرجع كتاب العنوان تاريخ الحروب الصليبية، التنظيمات الدينية الحربية في مملكة بيت المقدس اللاتينية (القرنين 6-7 هـ / 12-13م) المؤلف محمد مؤنس عوض 1000journal الصفحات ص 89 سنة 2004 فأصبحت من أهم المواقع الحصينة على امتداد الساحل السوري، وقد استعادها السلطان قلاوون سنة 684 هـ / عام م 1285 بعد معارك عنيفة وحصار طويل وبسبب ارتفاع القلعة وموقعها ومناعة أسوارها كانت عملية تحريرها صعبة جداً وبعد عدّة محاولات تم تحرير القلعة، وكانت هزيمة الصليبيين نكسةً كبيرةً لهم ,خاصةً وأنهم فقدوا أهمّ موقع لهم وكان ذلك إيذاناً بانتهاء وجودهم في الشرق كلّه، علماً أنّ صلاح الدين الأيوبي لم يستطع تحرير القلعة وكذلك السلطان الظاهر بيبرس الذي حقّق نصراً ولكنّه لم يستطع دخولها بسبب صعوبة الوصول إليها وارتفاعها وتميّز ومناعة قلعة المرقب فكانت عصيّة على الكثيرين عبر التاريخ، وبعد تحريرها علي يد السلطان قلاوون أمر بإعادة تحصين القلعة أكثر وجعل فرقته من المماليك البحرية في حمايتها.

حالياً: الجمهورية العربية السورية وضعت رجلاً في منصب حارس القلعة ( الإعتباري) يدعى يونس ديوب ، منذ سنوات يواظب حارس القلعة على فتح باب قلعة المرقب يومياً، أملاً باستقبال سوّاح أو زوار لطالما اكتظ بهم الموقع الأثري المطل على الساحل السوري.

يقول يونس ديوب: كان يزورنا أجانب وعرب قبل الحرب. ولكن بعد الحرب لا شيء… 

لكن في السنتين الاخيرتين عادت الحمد لله السياحه تتنشط في قلعة المرقب وعاد السياح الاجانب لزيارة هذه القلعه العجيبه والرائعه والتي جذبتهم بسحر اطلالتها وروعتها وموبعها على البحر والمناظر الأخاذه فيها ومنها.

بقلم امال ألنجار

An impregnable fortress located 5 km east of the city of Banias on the Syrian coast, and it belongs to the Banias region in Tartous Governorate in Syria. It was built in the year 1062 AD on top of a hill at an altitude of 370 meters above sea level. It overlooks the mountains of Latakia from the east, and from the west the city of Banias and the Mediterranean Sea. It is surrounded by mountains and wonderful forests. It is surrounded by a huge trench that passes through a staircase over a bridge to the main entrance of the castle.

Description: The castle has a majestic look that dazzles the viewer from afar. It is solid like a mountain. Surrounded by two walls, an inner wall, and an outer wall. The outer wall contains 14 impregnable defensive towers. Inside the castle there are many facilities and buildings such as the Knights Hall, the Royal Hall, a church dating back to the second century, facilities, reservoirs, and passages of walls and towers. Colorful wall pictures were discovered in the castle, the most important of which is a mural representing (The Last Supper). It was built by Antiochus bin Mandhor, built in honor of the people of Banias and its highest, and provided it with statues to indicate the deities of worship in Banias, such as Jupiter and Bacchus.

As for its history: that castle was built by the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid during his reign (170-193 AH / 789-809 AD), then it was rebuilt in 454 AH / 1062 AD by Rashid al-Din al-Ismaili, and it continued to exist until the Crusaders took control of the castle in the year 510 AH / In the year 1117 A.D. and they made it their protector, then the Hospitallers received it in the year 582 AH / 1186 A.D. Reference book title History of the Crusades, Military Religious Organizations in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (6-7 centuries AH / 12-13 AD) Author Muhammad Mu’nis Awad 1000journal p. 89 in 2004, and it became one of the most important fortified sites along the Syrian coast. Sultan Qalawun regained it in the year 684 AH / year 1285 AD after fierce battles and a long siege. Because of the height of the castle, its location, and the impregnability of its walls, the process of liberating it was very difficult, and after several attempts the castle was liberated. With the end of their presence in the whole east, knowing that Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi was unable to liberate the castle, as well as the Sultan al-Zahir Baybars, who achieved a victory, but he was unable to enter it because of the difficulty of access to it, its height, and the distinction and immunity of al-Marqab Castle, so it was disobedient to many throughout history, and after its liberation at the hands of Sultan Qalawun, he ordered to restore He fortified the castle more and made his band of the Bahri Mamluks protect it.

Currently: The Syrian Arab Republic placed a man in the position of the (legal) castle guard, named Younis Dayoub. Years ago, the castle guard kept opening the door of Al-Marqab Castle daily, hoping to receive tourists or visitors who have always been crowded with the archaeological site overlooking the Syrian coast.

Younes Diop says: We were visited by foreigners and Arabs before the war. But after the war, nothing…

But in the last two years, thank God, tourism has returned to Al-Marqab Castle, and foreign tourists have returned to visit this wondrous and wonderful castle, which attracted them with the charm of its view, splendor, location on the sea, and the breathtaking views of it and from it.

By Amaal Al Najjar

٢ كوب عدس

ربطه سلق

٢كوب طحين لعمل العجينه

٢ كزبره خضرا

٢ثوم

٢بصل كبير

١كوب كبير زيت زيتون

٢ملعقه طعام دبس البندوره

نصف كوب دبس الرمان حامض

: طريقه التحضير

نسلق العدس نصف استواء نضيف اليه السلق المقطع في هذه الأثناء نعجن العجين ونقطعه لقطع صغيره ونقلي البصل المقطع جوانح إلى أن يصبح لونه ذهبي نضعه جانبا ونعود إلى العدس ونضيف اليه قطع العجين ودبس البندوره ودبس الرمان ونضيف القليل من البصل المقلي والقليل من الكزبره والثوم بعد القلي ونضيف الملح عندما يصعد العجين إلى سطح الطنجره يكون الوصفه جاهزه للسكب نزينها بالخبز المقلي عل الوجه والكزبره والثوم والبصل المقلي واذا يوجد رمان حامض نزين به وصحه وعافيه

الكاتبة أمال النجار

Ingredients:
2 cups of lentils
Bundle of Chard
2 cups of flour to make the dough
green coriander
2 garlic

2 large onions

1 large cup olive oil

2 tablespoons tomato molasses

Half a cup of pomegranate molasses sour
How to prepare:
Boil the lentils half cooked and add to it the chopped Chard, meanwhile, knead the dough and cut it into small pieces, fry the chopped onions in the form of wings until it turns golden put it aside and return to the lentils and add the dough pieces, tomato molasses, and pomegranate molasses to it, and we add a little fried onion, a little coriander and garlic after frying and add salt when the dough rises to the surface of the pot when the recipe is ready for pouring, decorate it with fried bread on top, coriander, garlic, and fried onions, and if there is sour pomegranate, decorate with it. Health and wellness.

By Amaal Al-Najjar // Translated by: Youssef Bahannous

الكاتبة: امآل النجار

Ramadan in Damascus has a special flavor, as its people practice ancient customs that they inherited from their ancestors that tell the spirit of heritage, authenticity, social and religious communication, including social customs, food traditions, and others in clothing. Beginning with the mosques that are full of worshipers, reciters, and those enrolled in circles of knowledge, memorization and Tarawih prayer, where the bonds of familiarity increase when they exchange greetings of friendship and love, help the poor, and donate to the needy. To the end of the decorated markets and the goods that are spread in abundance and in a striking way for the fasting person, where the popular sweets such as nahsh, Maarouk, soft and juices such as tamarind and licorice.

The holy month is confirmed by a cannon of proof that fires its shells on the afternoon of the day preceding the month of fasting. Ramadan rituals begin with the sound of the Suhur cannon every morning and with the tones of Al-Misharati or what is called (Abu Tabla) as he wanders in the lanes and streets calling people by their names to wake them up and call to worship God and the night prayer and to prepare the Suhoor meal Rich in food.

Before the sunset call to prayer, doors knocking at the doors in homes will not stop while they receive the dishes and send other so-called “sakba”, which sends a sanctuary of food and continues among the neighbors throughout the holy month. The Ramadan table is characterized by a gathering of large and small family, relatives and some friends, where various forms of food and appetizers include kebabs, mahshi, pastries and salads such as fattoush and tabbouleh in addition to sweets dishes such as qatayef and maldouqa. The table is not devoid of licorice syrup and tamarind.

By: Amal Al-Najjar

Reuters: Bassem Khabieh رويترز: باسم خبية

يقع السوق في شارع الثورة في منطقة ساروجة الأثرية في قلب مدينة دمشق، شيّد في عام 1985 كبديل لسوق الخجا القديم الشهير الذي كان بجانب سوق الحميدية ويلاصق قلعة دمشق فتم هدمه في سبيل إحياء مشروع السور الغربي للقلعة وترميمها وإظهار معالمها.

ويعد سوق الخجا من أسواق العهد العثماني المتأخر وشيد على نمط سوق الحميدية إذ كان الطابق العلوي مشاغل وورشات عمل والسفلي متاجر تخصصية ببيع الصناعات الجلدية إضافة إلى الملابس العسكرية وأشغال الخرز التي كان سجناء قلعة دمشق ينتجونها كحقائب اليد النسائية والمسابح. وتم تجديد سوق الخجا في عام 1905 وقام الوالي حسين كاظم بتغطيته بستائر هرمية مصنعة من الحديد لتقيه من الحرائق. وجاء السوق الجديد الذي يبعد عن القديم بمسافة 500 متر تقريباً مشابهاً للقديم بكل شيء من حيث الطراز المعماري والنواحي الجمالية والأهم من ذلك ظل محافظاً على تخصصه القديم وهو بيع المنتجات الجلدية ويشهد مع حلول فصل الشتاء والأعياد اقبالاً كبيراً على شراء منتجات الجلود وتنشط فيه حركة البيع والشراء فهو السوق الوحيد المتخصص في المدينة ببيع تلك المنتجات.

يجمع السوق  بين العراقة كأحد أسواق المدينة القديمة وبين تلبيته لحاجة تنامت مع الحرب  في سورية في الوقت الذي نالت الحرب من بعض الأسواق والمنتجات، وسببت تراجعاً في الطلب على بعضها، شهدت منتجات أخرى منها حقائب السفر انتعاشاً وإقبالاً فرضته الحرب نفسها والتي لسوقها عنوان وحيد يعرفه الدمشقيون وهو سوق الخجا.

امال النجار-

Souq Al Khaja is a famous commercial market in the Syrian capital Damascus, specializing in leather industries, and it is a contemporary market in a traditional Arabic style. The history of the market dates back to the Ottoman era, when Ragheb bin Rushd Al-Khaja built it after he bought the land from the Royal Military Department with the encouragement of the Ottoman Governor Hussein Kazem Basha during his first term, which began in 1895 AD, to get rid of the accumulation of filth that people were throwing in the castle trench.

The old Souq al-Khaja extended along the western wall of the Citadel of Damascus and parallel to (Sanjakdar) Avenue, which includes Souk Al-Sarooja and Souq Al-Hamidiyah.

The market is located in Al-Thawra Street in the ancient Sarouja area in the heart of the city of Damascus. It was built in 1985 as an alternative to the famous old Al-Khaja Market, which was next to Al-Hamidiyah Market and adjacent to the Damascus Citadel, so it was demolished in order to revive and restore the western wall project of the Citadel and show its features.

Souq Al Khaja is considered one of the markets of the late Ottoman era and was built in the style of the Hamidiyeh market, as the upper floor used to be workshops, and the lower floor was specialized shops selling leather industries, in addition to military clothing and beadwork that the prisoners of Damascus Castle used to produce such as women’s handbags and swimming pools. Souq Al Khaja was renovated in 1905, and the governor, Hussein Kazim, covered it with pyramidal curtains made of iron to protect it from fires. The new Souq, which is approximately 500 meters away from the old one, is similar to the old in everything in terms of architectural style and aesthetics, and most importantly, it has maintained its old specialty, which is selling leather products.

With the advent of winter and holidays, there is a great demand for leather products, and the movement of buying and selling is active in it, as it is the only market in the city specialized in selling these products. The Souq combines tradition as one of the Souq’s of the old city and its fulfillment of a need that has grown with the war in Syria at a time when the war took place in some Souq’s and products, and caused a decline in the demand for some of them.

-Amal Al Najjar