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Rif Dimashq Governorate

The Green Mantle & Mountains

Explore ancient Maaloula, Mount Hermon, and the cliffside sanctuaries of Rif Dimashq. Pass this trial to permanently unlock Rif Dimashq on your map.

Length 7 Queries
Target 5/7 Required
Reward Map Unlock
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Geographical Encyclopedia

The Archives of Rif Dimashq

The ring surrounding Damascus is a breathtaking tapestry of snowy peaks, deep mountain gorges, ancient Christian monastic villages, and the fertile green Ghouta oasis. Explore the historical records below.

Maaloula & The Living Aramaic Language

Tucked into a dramatic, sheer cliffside in the Anti-Lebanon mountains north of Damascus lies the ancient Christian village of Maaloula. The name itself derives from the Aramaic word *Ma`luha*, meaning "entrance" or "gateway." Maaloula is internationally celebrated by linguists, historians, and theologians as one of the very last places on Earth where Western Neo-Aramaic—the spoken dialect of Jesus Christ and his disciples—is still actively spoken by the local inhabitants in daily life.

Carved directly into the pink limestone cliffs are two of the oldest monastic sanctuaries in Christendom: the Convent of Saint Thecla (*Mar Taqla*) and the Monastery of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (*Mar Sarkis*). According to local Christian tradition, when Saint Thecla was pursued by Roman soldiers, a massive cliff miraculously split open to allow her escape through a breathtaking narrow gorge known as the *Faj* (canyon). Unlocking Rif Dimashq connects you directly to this profound linguistic and spiritual sanctuary.

Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Shaykh)

Towering over the southwestern border of Rif Dimashq is Mount Hermon (*Jabal al-Shaykh*, meaning "Mountain of the Old Man," referencing its snow-capped peak resembling white hair). Standing at 2,814 meters, it is the highest peak in the Anti-Lebanon range.

Hermon acts as the primary hydrological engine of the entire southern Levant. Its deep winter snowpack slowly melts through the spring and summer, feeding underground aquifers that supply the headwaters of the Jordan River and numerous springs across the Damascus basin.

The Cliffside Sanctuaries of Sednaya

Perched high on a rocky crag overlooking the plains north of Damascus is the ancient town of Sednaya, home to the Convent of Our Lady of Sednaya (*Saydnaya*). Dating back to 547 AD under Emperor Justinian, it is one of the oldest and most revered pilgrimage sites in the Christian East.

Housing a famous icon of the Virgin Mary known as the *Shahidana* (The Supposedly Miraculous), the convent has drawn pilgrims of various faiths for over fifteen centuries seeking spiritual solace, healing, and divine protection.

The Green Mantle of the Ghouta

Encircling Damascus and spanning deep into Rif Dimashq is the *Ghouta*, a legendary agricultural oasis fed by the branching canals of the Barada River. For millennia, this massive green belt provided the capital with fresh fruits, vegetables, and timber.

Described by medieval travelers as an earthly paradise where orchards of apricots, plums, and walnuts stretched unbroken to the horizon, the Ghouta represents the harmonious engineering of water distribution in an arid Levantine environment.

The Anti-Lebanon Valleys: Bloudan & Zabadani

High up in the Anti-Lebanon mountain valleys, towns like Bloudan and Zabadani have served for generations as the premier summer resort havens for the Levant. Benefiting from high elevations that offer cool, crisp mountain air even during the hottest July afternoons, these towns are famous for their cliffside restaurants, natural mineral springs, and sprawling apple and cherry orchards.

The geography of Rif Dimashq is a breathtaking study in contrasts: from the frozen summit of Mount Hermon and the limestone canyons of Maaloula to the lush irrigation channels of the Ghouta. Unlocking Rif Dimashq on your interactive map completes your mastery of the capital's surrounding sanctuary ring—preserving the mountain heritage of ancient Syria.