Syria

Globe Trekker Video. 4-episode set on 2 DVD's. 3 Hours. Double-DVD set contains four shows: The Arab Gulf States, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, Israel & the Sinai Desert, and a Short History Special. Known as the "cradle of civilization", the Middle East is the meeting point between Africa, Europe and Asia, and contains some of the most beautiful and mystical scenery in the world. Unfortunately, due to cultural and political complexities, only a handful of visitors get to experience the genuine hospitality of the people and see the region's stunning ancient cities. Traveler Ian Wright starts his journey in Jordan's Wadi Rum Desert, traveling south past the ruins at Petra and then on to Beirut in Lebanon. He ends his journey in Syria at the ancient town of Palmyra. Further south, traveler Megan McCormick visits battle scarred Kuwait before traveling on to Dubai and finally Oman. Justine Shapiro completes the journey traveling through Israel and the Sinai Desert. Along the way... $_$_START_LIST ? Witness a Sufi ritual and the mystical order of the Whirling Dervishes. ? Revel in the festivities of Liberation Day on the streets of Kuwait City. ? Play a round of golf with one of the most flamboyant sheiks in Arabia. ? Spend the night in a stable in Jerusalem. ? Climb Mount Sinai in Egypt. $_$_END_LIST Additional Short History Special Join regular Globe Trekkers Justine Shapiro, Ian Wright and Megan McCormick on a historical whistle stop tour of the Middle East. Follow them discovering the major historic sites that have shaped its empires, religions and conflicts. Approximately 3 hours.

DVD. 7 Days. 52 Minutes. Syria is an ancient country of culture located between the Mediterranean and the desert. Its ancient desert metropolises, old villages, impenetrable fortresses and biblical harbor towns have witnessed the rich and fascinating history of bygone times. Damascus is the capital of Syria and symbol of culture in the Near East and located 100 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast. The Kalaa Citadel is situated on the periphery of the old town that was once surrounded by huge walls and it was from there that Saladin fended off the attacks of the Crusaders. The Khan As?Ad Pasha is often referred to as being the most beautiful caravansary in the Near East. Its inner courtyard is covered by eight mighty and partly painted cupolas each of which is supported by four pillars. Set amid the desert savannah of Syria are the proud remains of a unique and mysterious metropolis, Palmyra, a legendary ancient city that was built due to the existence of the Tadmur Oasis. The shortest and fastest route from the Mediterranean to Mesopotamia and Persia travels directly past the Tadmur Oasis thus it was only a question of time until an important trading post was founded there. Around a quarter of a million Bedouins live in Syria's desert areas. They are nomads who speak Arabic and belong to the Muslim faith and their income is derived from sheep, goats and camels which produce both milk and meat. They travel the desert accompanied by their animals. Further north on the edge of the fertile Al Ghab Ditch is the ancient metropolis of Apameia, one of the most beautiful cities in the Near East. Apart from Bosra and Palmyra this huge city of ruins is one of the most important Hellenist regions in Syria. Syria is the Pearl Of The East with deserts, wadis and mountains, castles and crusader fortresses, Roman ruins, palaces and mosques. A legendary country between both past and future whose cultural treasures still survive today.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Sturdy walls and gates protect the ancient historic city of Aleppo in Syria. The narrow lanes in the old town, and its many historic buildings, have retained all the character and charm of a mediaeval metropolis. The city has a flourishing economy which is mainly due to its favourable location at the junction of several important trading routes. In 1169 the Umayyade Mosque was re-built at the command of the Zengid monarch, Nureddin, but only its impressive forty five metre high minaret has survived to the present day. The Baits are true architectural gems of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, noble and often palatial-looking buildings that once belonged to the city's elite classes. Today Aleppo shines out once again in the glory of its six thousand years of history and continues to highlight its unique significance as one of the most important cities in the Orient.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. The north of Syria is well known for its remarkable archaeology. In the third and second centuries B.C. the Near East was ruled by the Seleukide Realm. The origin of the ancient city of Apameia dates back to the time of the founder of this realm, Seleukos The First, a general who served under Alexander The Great. Although the surrounding fields are now covered with huge boulders this was once the location of the largest city in the Orient yet almost nothing remains of the former city of Apameia. The former wealth and power of Apameia is reflected by its impressive one point eight kilometre long colonnade. The street points precisely in a north-south direction and measures thirty seven point five metres wide. It was, and still is, the backbone of this ancient city and around four hundred columns have been rebuilt. According to various inscriptions the colonnade originated at the beginning of the first century A.D. Following a catastrophic earthquake in the twelfth century and various battles for power, the city was finally abandoned. Only the impressive colonnade now demonstrates the former influence and greatness of this legendary ancient city. Thus some of the glory of Apameia lives on!

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Around a hundred and fifty kilometres south of the Syrian capital of Damascus, and located amid the fertile Nuqra Plains, lie the ruins of Bosra. The rural atmosphere of the surrounding landscape can also be felt within the ancient city as sheep and goats graze between the ruins that back to various epochs. The Bahira Basilica is a legendary place. According to legend it was here that the monk, Sergius, introduced the Prophet Mohammed to Christianity and described to him his divine mission. Both architectural and historical examples of the Roman Empire, such as the Southern Thermes, still cover large areas of the ancient city. The well-preserved remains of Bosra's second century Well House, the Nymph?um, still provides a good insight into the fine setting given to it by the Romans. A nine hundred metre long street was once the main axis of the city that, at its zenith, had around eighty thousand inhabitants. Today the ancient metropolis has a population of around a thousand and they earn their living from tourism, agriculture and livestock. Its unique combination of numerous historic and cultural epochs continues to make this Syrian city a most worthwhile and fascinating destination.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Damascus is one of the most fascinating cities in the Orient and its colourful history is still very much apparent in its magnificent palaces. Today an impressive statue serves as a reminder of the city's famous monarch, Saladin. In the twelfth century he did much to improve the city. A walk through the historic centre of Damascus is like a journey through more than two thousand years of oriental history. In contrast to many other cities in the Near and Middle East, most of the original buildings within the old town have survived the test of time. The city's strategic location at the junction of several important caravan routes gave rise to a large number of fortified inns or `Caravansaries', such as the Khan As'ad Pasha Al Azem. The Omayyad Mosque was for many years the largest and most revered in the Islamic world and the splendid furnishings of its interior make this building a veritable treasure trove. The historic splendour of Syria's remarkable capital city really is like a Paradise On Earth.

DVD. Vista Point. 26 Minutes. Damascus is the capital of Syria and is a symbol of culture in the Near East. A hundred kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, the strategically located city was once the capital of the Umayyad. Cannons, the busts of various presidents and military vehicles are displayed in the large courtyard of the Takiyeh Mosque, an ancient Dervish monastery complex. Built in 1554 and designed by Ottoman master architect, Sinan, it also includes an adjoining inn for the numerous pilgrims who travelled to Mecca. Damascus has always been much prized: by the pharaohs and the Babylonian monarch, Nebukadnezar, and later, Alexander The Great. Then came Persian, Roman and Islamic emperors followed by the Crusaders and Mongols. The Kalaa Citadel is situated on the periphery of the old town that was once surrounded by huge walls. It was from here that Saladin fended off the attacks of the Crusaders. The Romans built a fort here that was constantly extended with impressive walls and towers and located directly outside the city wall, the River Barada was also of strategic importance. Although the Mongols destroyed the inner buildings, the fortress walls survived. The Suq is an important part of every Islamic city, a market that originated in ancient times. Thousands of shops in numerous interconnected lanes form the commercial heart of Damascus. In the Gold Suq everything glitters, bracelets, rings and even a large variety of kitchen utensils. Damascus has for thousands of years been a place desired by the powerful. Yet it has managed to survive and is still the most beautiful capital city in the Near East.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. The ruins of the ancient city of Palmyra rise up into the desert sky of Syria. The Hadrian Gate was built in the second century A.D. and highlights the glorious past of this once important trading metropolis in the Near East. Flanked by columns, a majestic twelve hundred metre long avenue was once Palmyra's main street. As with many of the city's other buildings it also has an impressive theatre that dates back to the second century A.D. and was discovered in the 1950's. For some years it has once again served as a place of entertainment as each spring it features a festival. Close to the Agora, once a farmer's market, is Palmyra's striking main landmark, the Tetrapylon that forms the junction between the main avenue and a side road that leads to the city's Necropolis. The subterranean Hypogaum Of The Three Brothers contains almost four hundred burial corridors and numerous artistic sculptures and frescos. From the seventh century A.D. the magnificent trading metropolis gradually fell into decline and was almost completely wiped from the map. Thankfully however, today the atmospheric ruins serve as a reminder of Palmyra's glorious past.

DVD. Cosmos Global Documentaries. 52 Minutes. Set amid the desert savannah of Syria are the proud remains of the unique and mysterious metropolis of Palmyra. The legendary ancient city was built in this vicinity due to the existence of an oasis, Tadmur, and today around thirty thousand people live in the surrounding area. The shortest and fastest route from the Mediterranean to Mesopotamia and Persia travels directly past the Tadmur Oasis thus it was only a question of time until an important trading post was founded there and later a flourishing cultural and economic centre developed. Close to the former Agora, the central square in which the city's inhabitants held their weekly market since the first century A.D., is one of Palmyra's architectural landmarks, the Tetrapylon. This structure consists of four square pedestals and was rebuilt in 1963. Only one of the sixteen columns is original and they once held numerous statues. In 106 A. D. under Emperor Trajan, Palmyra became a province of Rome. The city was obliged to provide military aid which was something that was to have far-reaching consequences. Due to its military responsibilities the city lost its political neutrality but the Romans honoured the city's loyalty with many fine buildings and various improvements to the centre of the city. One of the most beautiful and most visited tomb towers in The Valley Of Graves is the four storey high Tower Of Elabel that dates back to 103 A.D. It is a combination of a tomb tower and Hypoaeum. It is one of the few well-preserved monuments in the West Necropolis. Since its discovery in the 17th century the historic monuments of Palmyra shine out in renewed glory as an ancient reminder of a fascinating and mysterious epoch of desert history.

DVD. Terra Mystica. 26 Minutes. The ancient city of Palmyra is located in the Tadmur Oasis, in the very heart of the Syrian Savannah. Surrounded by arid desert, it was once a proud and pulsating trading metropolis. Everywhere you look, you can see relics of a bygone age that was full of myth and mystique. The influence of the legendary oasis city grew due to it having been regarded as a province of Rome. The Romans soon recognized the strategic importance of Palmyra, as it was a vital centre of trade in the Near East. Palmyra's fine buildings, such as its Amphitheatre, were typical of its impressive architecture. Most of the Tetrapylon has been restored. It towers high above the ancient ruins and the Great Colonnade was once the main street of the historic metropolis. Beyond the city walls in the Valley of Tombs, the mystic atmosphere of the former caravan city becomes apparent. Several well preserved mausoleums give the surreal looking desert landscape a truly ghostly atmosphere. The architecture of these multi-floored burial places are unique in the world. The view from the Arabian fortress extends across the picturesque ruins of the city to the endless horizons of the desert. The oasis and ancient remains of Palmyra look almost surreal, as if in a dream yet, the old ruins and the mighty fortress really do exist in very tangible and resplendent form.

DVD. Globe Trekker. 120 Minutes. Globe Trekker Holly Morris explores some of Syria's most famous sites and cities, delving beneath the surface to discover a culture of time honored tradition and people full of warmth and hospitality. Her journey begins in the ancient trading center of Aleppo, exploring the markets and impressive Citadel. From Aleppo, Holly takes a day trip to the Greco-Roman city of Apamea and some of the world's oldest Christian ruins known as the Dead Cities. Her next destination is the lush coastal mountains for a visit to Saladin's Castle and Krak des Chevaliers , before heading to the capital Damascus. Despite its ancient origins Holly finds that Damascus is very much the modern face of Syria. The final leg of her journey takes Holly east into the Syrian Desert to the legendary oasis of Palmyra, considered to contain the most impressive ancient Roman remains in the world. Also includes World Cafe Middle East - Damascus & Aleppo The producers of Globe Trekker and presenter Bobby Chinn take you on a culinary tour through the Syrian cities of Damascus and Aleppo to explore how Syria's food traditions have developed over the centuries.