Bab Sharqi
The east gate of Old Damascus and the only one that still shows its Roman plan. Straight Street begins here, the Christian quarter is just inside, and the city reads in order from this point.
- Entry
- Free
- Duration
- 25 minutes
- Best time
- Early morning, while the lanes are empty
- Period
- Roman
- Address
- Eastern end of the Old City, Damascus
Of the seven ancient gates of Damascus this is the only one whose Roman plan is still legible. It dates from the 3rd century AD and was built with three openings: a central one for vehicles and a smaller one on each side for people on foot. One of the side openings is still standing.
Why start here
Straight Street — the Roman Via Recta — begins at this gate and cuts the city from east to west. Entering here and walking west is the easiest way to read the old city in order: the Roman grid first, then the Ottoman souqs, and the Umayyad Mosque at the end.
How long it takes
The gate itself is a half-hour stop. The point is not to linger here but to enter from the right side.
Around it
Immediately inside the gate is the Christian quarter: narrow lanes, churches, courtyard houses. Quiet in the morning, busier in the late afternoon.
Tips
- The northern side opening still stands, left of the main passage
- Walking west from here reads the city in chronological order
- The Christian quarter is just inside the gate and worth the detour