Al-Mashnaqa Arch: the Lesser Church of Dionysias in Suwayda

A single basalt arch in the centre of Suwayda. It is the most visible surviving part of the lesser church of Dionysias. Most of the church is gone. Locals call the arch al-Mashnaqa, the gallows, and the square and roundabout around it carry the same name. Bunches of grapes are carved on the arch, a detail tied to the ancient name of the city itself.

How old the church is

The lesser church probably dates from the 5th century. It belongs to the city’s late antique religious core and stands some two hundred metres north of the five-aisled Great Church. Apart from the arch and the architectural pieces around it, little of the building survives. The sources do not explain why the arch is called the gallows.

Why the grapes are there

In Roman and Byzantine times the city was called Dionysias, after the god Dionysus. The bunch of grapes was his emblem and became a sign carried along with the city’s name. The vine was also a common motif in Byzantine church decoration, so the grapes on the arch sit where two traditions meet.

What not to miss

The rows of basalt wall on either side of the arch. From a distance the arch looks like a free-standing monument, but it was part of a building, and the wall remains beside it are the reminder.

Current situation and access

The condition of the arch since 2025 could not be confirmed by an independent source. Suwayda has been caught up in armed conflict since July 2025. Snack Syrian reported an armed incident and a barricade in the city centre on 29 August 2026. On 23 August 2026 the newspaper Al-Watan reported that the Damascus–Suwayda road had been cut at the Umm al-Zaytoun checkpoint. Snack Syrian reported on 2 and 10 September 2026 that entry to and exit from the governorate were effectively restricted. This page describes what the arch is; it does not say it can be visited today. Anyone thinking of going should first check the current situation with official sources.