Sights in Middle East
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Jamaa al-Jedid
Tucked down narrow Sharia al-Nawa'eer, the 14th-century Jamaa al-Jedid contains the tomb of Ismat al-Din Khatun, wife of first Nureddin and then his successor Saladin. The richly decorated burial chamber is worth a look.
reviewed
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A
Science & Natural History Museum
For an eclectic range of exhibits from electronics and space paraphernalia to fossils, stuffed animals and an 18m whale skeleton, this museum, near Liberation Tower, also has a planetarium with a Galaxy Skyshow at 18:00.
reviewed
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B
Bab Kisan
The Old City gate, Bab Kisan, purportedly marks the spot where the disciples lowered St Paul out of a window in a basket one night, so that he could flee from the Jews, having angered them after preaching in the synagogues.
reviewed
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Souq al-Bzouriyya
Souq al-Bzouriyya (literally the Seed Bazaar, but in reality the Spice Souq), is heavily scented with cumin, coffee and perfumes. Halfway along, on the left, is Hammam Nureddin, the most elegant of Damascus' old bathhouses.
reviewed
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St James’ Cathedral
The glowing lamps that hang from the ceiling and the richly patterned carpets strewn across the floors give St James’ Cathedral a palpable aura of mystery lacking in many other Christian sites of Jerusalem.
reviewed
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Fortified Wall
Little remains of the old city of Homs. Its walls and gates were largely demolished in the Ottoman era, although there is a short section of Fortified Wall with a circular corner tower just south of Sharia Shoukri al-Quwatli.
reviewed
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Zedekiah’s Cave
A good bit of the stone that makes Jerusalem so famous was excavated from what is today known as Zedekiah’s Cave, a rock quarry and holy site located a short walk east of Damascus Gate, along the Old City wall.
reviewed
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Prayer Hall
On the southern side of the Umayyad Mosque courtyard is the rectangular Prayer Hall, its three aisles divided by a transept. The hall as seen today is the Ottoman reconstruction that took place after the devastating fire of 1893.
reviewed
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C
Tomb of the 12 Imams
The early-11th-century brick Tomb of the 12 Imams is almost next door to Alexander's Prison. The once-fine (but now badly deteriorated) inscriptions inside bear the names of the Shiite Imams, though none are actually buried here.
reviewed
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Souq as-Silah
One of the liveliest thoroughfares, with its glittering gold and silver sellers, is Souq as-Silah, running due south from Bab Ziyada (set into the southern wall of Umayyad Mosque), out of which crowds of people continually emerge.
reviewed
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Taq-e Bostan
- Kermanshah, Iran
- Sights › Hill
Kermanshah’s star attraction is Taq-e Bostan, a towering cliff inscribed with some extraordinary Sassanian bas-reliefs. They are set in and around a pair of carved alcoves.
reviewed
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D
Ben Yehuda House
Ben Yehuda house is where the great linguist lived and did much of his work on the revival of the Hebrew language. A plaque marking the house was stolen by ultraorthodox Jews, who strongly disapprove of the language's every-day use.
reviewed
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Royal Automobile Museum
Car enthusiasts will like the display of over 70 classic cars and motorbikes from the personal collection of King Hussein at the Royal Automobile Museum. It’s in the northwestern suburbs, north of 8th Circle.
reviewed
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E
Mutrah Fort
Built by the Portuguese in the 1580s, the Mutrah Fort dominates the eastern end of the harbour. Used for military purposes, it is generally closed to visitors although you can scale the flank of the fort for a good view of the ocean.
reviewed
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Andad Souq
As well as the atmospheric old town qat souq, there's a much bigger one further east, near the ring road, and another, the Andad Souq, just to the west of the dry wadi (now a road) that runs through the western fringe of the old city.
reviewed
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Natural History Museum
The Ministry of National Heritage houses the small but lovely Natural History Museum. The museum is a must for anyone interested in the local flora and fauna, and there are also some excellent displays on Oman's geography and geology.
reviewed
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Dome of the Clocks
The Dome of the Treasury is counterbalanced by a domed structure on the eastern side of the Umayyad Mosque courtyard, built in the 18th century and known as the Dome of the Clocks because it's where the mosque's clocks used to be kept.
reviewed
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F
Chapel of Flagellation
The Chapel of Flagellation is where Jesus is said to have been flogged. Built in 1929, the design on the domed ceiling incorporates the crown of thorns and the windows of the chapel around the altar show the mob who witnessed the event.
reviewed
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G
Minaret of the Bride
There are three minarets in the Umayyad Mosque dating from the original construction, each of which was renovated and restored by the Ayyubids, Mamluks and Ottomans. The one on the northern side, the Minaret of the Bride, is the oldest.
reviewed
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H
National Museum for Antiquities
Not exactly overwhelming is the recently renovated National Museum for Antiquities, which has exhibits dating from prehistoric times to the early Islamic period. The highlights are the wonderful range of Sabaean relics.
reviewed
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I
Dar al Hayas a Sanania
This renovated old tower house is the newest museum in the city, the Dar al Hayas a Sanania. It has been spruced up to reveal something of the life and times of a traditional San'a home. It comes with rooftop views and a small craftshop.
reviewed
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J
Omani-French Museum
With galleries detailing relations between the two countries, the Omani-French Museum provides an interesting snapshot of mostly 19th-century colonial life in Muscat. From October until March, the museum is also open from 16:00 to 19:00.
reviewed
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K
Haifa Art Museum
The Haifa Art Museum is a museum of modern art, containing temporary multimedia displays created by local artists. The same ticket (good for three days) will also get you into the Haifa City Museum and the Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art.
reviewed
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Open Air Museum
Near Eshkol Tower, check out the Open Air Museum , a collection of ancient buildings brought here from other parts of Israel and reconstructed. There are several buildings from the Negev and an oil press from Kastra, on the Carmel Coast.
reviewed
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Purple Beach
The best bathing spot is Purple Beach , so named because of the royally favoured dye obtained from the snails that frequented the area in ancient times. With wonderful views of Old Akko on the horizon, the beach is popular with Israelis.
reviewed