Damascus

Stefan Weber

"Damascus, capital of the Ottoman province in Syria and one of the most important centres of the classical Muslim World, underwent some of the same developments in the 19th century as other urban centres in the Mediterranean area and beyond. In the course of the industrial revolution in Europe and the radical expansion of a worldwide network of traffic and communication, new ideas, techniques, material goods and architectural forms spread and challenged locally established patterns of urban and social organisation. This expansion and integration led to an increase in orientation of urban and social structures towards supra-regional models seen, for example, in architecture of houses, public buildings and bazaars or urban organization and clothing. Yet Damascus never became a "European city", but modernised in its own, unique ways. This study examines the society, architecture and...