Al-Midan ( ar, حي الميدان) is a neighbourhood and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

, south of the old walled city and near the modern city centre. In the 2004 census, it had a population of 177,456. Today, the neighbourhood is often considered to be one of the most conservative in Damascus.

Etymology

The name Midan is derived from Midan Al Hassa ( ar, ميدان الحصى) or the field of gravel. The neighbourhood was located between two sub

Barada , name_etymology = From ''barid'', meaning 'cold' in Semitic languages , image = Barada river in Damascus (April 2009).jpg , image_size = 300 , image_caption = Barada river in Damascus near the Four Seasons Hote ...

streams and when it rained heavily, the land gravel deposits filled the streams and consequently, the neighbourhood.

History

Al-Midan started during the

Mamluk Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning " slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') ...

rule over

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

. It took its final form about 400 years ago during the Ottoman empire and has not experienced any major changes since. It is considered the Southern Gate of Damascus and was created as a trading center by the people of Damascus for them to be closer to the people of the Hauran and to improve trade and economic relations between them. During the French occupation, the people of Midan revolted aggressively against the French and thus suffered heavy bombing during the Great Syrian Revolt of 1925–1927. Their actions were driven in part by the extensive commercial links connecting the grain merchants of the neighborhood with Druze notables in the Hawran, among whom the revolt had begun.

Michel Aflaq Michel Aflaq ( ar, ميشيل عفلق, Mīšīl ʿAflaq‎, , 9 January 1910 – 23 June 1989) was a Syrian philosopher, sociologist and Arab nationalist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of Ba'athism and its politi ...

and Salah al-Din al-Bitar, the founders of the

Ba'th Party The Arab Socialist Baʿath Party ( ar, حزب البعث العربي الاشتراكي ' ) was a political party founded in Syria by Mishel ʿAflaq, Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn al-Bītār, and associates of Zaki al-ʾArsūzī. The party espoused B ...

, were both born in the Midan as sons of grain merchants. The neighborhood was and still is (compared to other neighbourhoods in Damascus) very conservative. Traditional Midani Sweet Shop

Some of the sweets for which Midan is famous for include baklava,

barazek Barazek or barazeq (in Arabic برازق ''barāzeq'') is a Syrian-Palestinian cookie whose main ingredient is sesame (سمسم ''sumsum'') and often also contain pieces of pistachio. It probably originated during Ottoman rule in the Syrian capital ...

kanafeh Knafeh ( ar, كنافة) is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert made with spun pastry called ''kataifi'', soaked in a sweet, sugar-based syrup called attar, and typically layered with cheese, or with other ingredients such as clotted cream, pis ...

, namorah, and

awameh Lokma, also known by their Greek name, loukoumades, are pastries made of leavened and deep fried dough balls, soaked in syrup or honey, sometimes coated with cinnamon or other ingredients. The dish was described as early as the 13th century by ...

Districts

*Bab Masr (pop. 11,330) *Daqaq (pop. 10,858) *Al-Haqleh (pop. 8,076) *Al-Qa'a (pop. 11,791) *Midan al-Wastani (pop. 23,745) * Al-Tadamon (pop. 86,793) * Az-Zahreh (pop. 24,863)

References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Midan Neighborhoods of Damascus

Etymology

History

Districts

See also

References

Bibliography