Damascus, reputed to be the oldest continually inhabited city on earth, has enjoyed eras of immense power, and great cultural and artistic achievement. Alongside some of the most magnificent architecture in the Islamic world, such as the Umayyad Mosque, the city can also boast a heritage of fairytale palaces and sumptuous private houses now threatened by neglect. This book sets out to record these architectural gems and to raise the awareness of the outside world to the plight of the Old City of Damascus before it is too late. The authors were given unprecedented access to the hidden city in order to complete the task. The text describes Damascus through the ages, gives an account of daily life and concludes with descriptions of the houses and the people who built and lived in them.