King Faisal Street

Old Damascus Heritage (in the buffer zone defined by UNESCO):

King Faisal Street

News

Recent activities

Abstract

The project consists in building a motorway in the buffer zone of Old Damascus and destroying King Faisal Street (KFS), a very beautiful traditional region which goes along the ancient walls of the city from Bab Al-Salam to Bab Touma. This region is ayyoubid (12th-13th centery) and mamelouk (13th-16th centery). The souks Al-Manakhliyeh and Al-Amara in KFS region are traditional hand-craft places, a part of identity of old Damascus. 5000 families (inhabitants and traders) are concerned. Because this project is going to destroy the world heritage, material and social, the last remainders of active life in the historical Damascus, it is a real catastrophe for Humanity.

However there is a positive point in this story. Indeed the Syrian authorities left place for dialogue. People of KFS people could express their dissension. Writers, journalists and local and foreign organizations for Heritage expressed their opinion. The director of UNESCO WHC send letters to Syrian authorities to remember this zone is registered in World Heritage.

The British Syrian Society and MAM organized the 31th March 2007 a workshop intilted: "Damascus 2020: The Vision for Urban Development and Transportation - Case Study: King Faisal Street" and many people as an expert from UNESCO, architecters form Damascus University, traders of KFS:(see presentation in arabic) (see presentation in english), etc. could explain why this project is not acceptable.
This society published in its website the observations and recommandations of this workshop. Syrian governmental newspapers published many news.

The governmental committee of experts gave the result of a study about this project, but we couldn't obtain details.

Press articles

In Arabic
27/02/2005 http://thawra.alwehda.gov.sy/_print_veiw.asp?FileName=49255832920050226202834
08/08/2006 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=76582965200608082357256
09/12/2006 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=13792057220061209011018
12/01/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=102856252020070112221538
17/01/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=5974759752007011700371116
17/01/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=597475975200701170039288
28/01/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=447108102200701280111097
24/02/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=8475887582007022400415511
10/03/2007 http://www.aljaml.com/node/14832
12/03/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=410616561200703120003304
12/03/2007 http://www.aljaml.com/node/14919
15/03/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=15752897200703150100313
17/03/2007 http://www.aljaml.com/node/15313
18/03/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=444141339200703180033206
21/03/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=130607132007032101140012
27/03/2007 http://www.aljaml.com/node/15739
31/03/2007 http://www.aljaml.com/node/15990
03/04/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=7616761200704030011485
11/04/2007 http://www.baladnaonline.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18119&Itemid=72
16/04/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=3469972072007041600185314
16/04/2007 http://www.moc.gov.sy/index.php?d=30&id=2834
17/04/2007 http://tharwacommunity.typepad.com/whereto_syria/2007/04/post_32.html
19/04/2007 http://thawra.alwehda.gov.sy/_archive.asp?FileName=74484827520070418225736
21/04/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=130080453200704212353076
22/04/2007 http://thawra.alwehda.gov.sy/_View_news2.asp?FileName=31338950620070421234039
26/04/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=9867394922007042600135821
27/04/2007 http://kassioun.org/index.php?d=37&id=199819
27/04/2007 http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-367/_nr-365/i.html?PHPSESSID=5
08/05/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=63401742200705082357067
30/05/2007 http://www.tishreen.info/__archives.asp?FileName=470010362200705300037319
08/07/2007 http://kassioun.org/index.php?d=37&id=201460
17/07/2007 http://kassioun.org/?d=37&id=201702
30/07/2007 http://thawra.alwehda.gov.sy/_Kuttab_a.asp?FileName=57353125720070729230412
02/08/2007 http://www.aljaml.com/node/21320

HTTP://WWW.SYRIA-TODAY.COM/PKG05/INDEX.PHP?PAGE=VIEW_ARTICLE&DIR=ARTICLES&EX=2&ID=429&FIRST=0&LAST=16&CURRENTPAGE=0&SRC=ISSUE&CAT_ID=&ISSUE_ID=25

- Tishreen Newspaper 10/03/2007 - N°9814 Opinion (quart de page)
- Tishreen Newspaper 15/03/2007 - N°9819 Investigation (1 page) ' Opinion of KFS people, of Gouvernorate of Damascus and many experts in architecture and archaeology.
- El-Thawra Newspaper 25/03/2007 - N°13268 Investigation (1 page) ' Letter of F. Banderin director of UNESCO WHC.
- Saleb and Moujeb Newspaper weekly (week 12)
- Assafir Newspaper 14/03/2007 - N°10658 Opinion (Section Culture)

In English
- International Herald Tribune - 21 May 2007
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/21/africa/damascus.php
- BBC - 5 September 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6979495.stm

In French
- Courrier international N°866 du 7 au 13 juin 2007 - pages 54-55.
Be careful, we think a part of this article is wrong. KFS is not a problem linked to religion!

Photos of King Faysal Street

view-KFS (1562K)