As-Suwayda-Sana
The Department of Antiquities in Sweida, in coordination with the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, included a number of archaeological sites and historical buildings in the governorate within the tourism investment plan.
The assistant head of the As-Suwayda Antiquities Department and Head of the Buildings Division, Walid Abu Rayed, explained to SANA that the sites that were included come within the tourism investment plan, and included the site of the small theater Odeon in the city of Suwayda and the surrounding area, which dates back to the second century AD and is located to the south of the great church on the side of the street. The old market and the goldsmiths market in the city of Shahba, which dates back to the Roman period in the middle of the third century AD, and extends over a street 12 meters wide and 50 meters long, and includes 13 shops on the west side. It was restored by the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums more than 17 years ago.
The sites also include, according to Abu Rayed, the squares that mediate the archaeological buildings in the city of Shahba, whether in the ancient baths that date back to the Roman era and accommodated 500 bathers at the same time, or in the Roman Imperial Temple, which represents a large and organized architectural group around a large and tiled square located to the southwest of the city. The main Roman avenue known as Calebe, a term denoting religious buildings dedicated to the dwelling of the gods or their statues.
He continued: The sites also include the southern part of the French-style buildings located on the body of Salkhad Castle, which needs to be rehabilitated, and part of the ancient Saraya building in the town of Qanawat, which includes important overlapping and intertwined religious buildings dating back to successive eras, and the archaeological valley known as Wadi Al-Ghar in the town, which contains On the temple of the water goddess, the Odeon theater, the ancient aqueducts that draw water from the spring, as well as the plaza south of the temple of the sun goddess.
Abu Rayed indicated that the importance of this measure lies in reviving these archaeological sites and activating their primary role in revitalizing domestic and foreign tourism, pointing out that this measure at the present time has become an urgent necessity, especially that restoring life to these archaeological sites by offering them for investment does not affect their archaeological value. Or its structure, on the contrary, it helps in cleaning it, protecting it from any encroachments, lighting it permanently, achieving the continuity of the process of restoration and rehabilitation, and directing people’s attention to preserving it.
He pointed out that the infrastructure in these sites will be rehabilitated, including sewage, water, and the provision of hygiene supplies, indicating that the sites that were included in the tourism investment plan were taken into account, taking into account the possibility of public transport access to them.
Suhail Hatoum