Bab Tuma

Bab Tuma
باب توما

33°30′48″N36°18′54″E
Location	Old Damascus,Syria

Bab Tuma(Arabic:بَابُ تُومَا,romanized:Bāb Tūmā,meaning: "Gate of Thomas" ) is a neighborhood located in theOld city of DamascusinSyria.It is one of the seven gates ofDamascus,a geographic landmark ofChristianity.

Etymology

The gate was named by theByzantinesto commemorateThomas the Apostle,one of theTwelve ApostlesofJesus Christ.

History

Ancient

TheRomansfirst built the seven gates ofDamascus,the gate was dedicated toVenusaround 2,000 years ago.

Middle Ages

TheAyyubid dynastyreconstructed it in the 13th century.

Late modern period

Wilhelm IIandAugusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holsteinvisiting Bab tuma, 1898

TheDamascus affairhappened in 1840, near Bab Tuma, when an Italian monk & his servant disappeared. The Christians accused the Jews of their disappearance, saying they extracted their blood to bakematzo.

The neighborhood was the site of the 1860 massacre of Christians by a local interfaith mob, during the largerconflict between the Druze and Christiansin Mount Lebanon.

French noble,Alphonse de Lamartinevisited Bab Tuma in 1832. It was also visited by German emperorWilhelm IIand his wife,Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holsteinin 1898.

Tourism

It is a famous geographic landmark inDamascus.It has a hotel in the area called "Bab Touma Hotel".

Geography

It is located inOld Damascus,nearBab Sharqiand theUmayyad Mosque.Beit Shameea is located there, it was converted to Besançon school. Patriarch Dimitrios I, opened the St. Paul school in 1925.

Notable people

• Paul the Apostle,one of the most important figures in Christianity afterJesus Christ.
• Thomas the Apostle,who traveled thruAfghanistanandIndia.The first to bring Christianity toSouth Asia.
• Ananias of Damascus,a disciple ofJesus Christ.
• Raphael of Brooklyn,first Eastern Orthodox bishop in North America.
• Michel Aflaq,Syrian philosopher.
• Paul Anka,father was from Bab Tuma.

Religion and culture

In the 16th century, it was entirelySyriac CatholicandGreek Orthodox.EasterandChristmasare celebrated every year in the area.Kahkis prepared every year onEaster.

Gallery

• 
  Side view of Thomas' gate.
• 
  Thomas' gate in 1950, before the authorities tore down the shops, visible in the photo, to make way for a newly paved road.