{"id":5173,"date":"2025-03-20T12:53:14","date_gmt":"2025-03-20T12:53:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thisisdimashq.com\/?p=5173"},"modified":"2025-03-21T14:19:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T14:19:28","slug":"13-quirky-and-funny-names-of-damascus-neighborhoods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thisisdimashq.com\/en\/5173\/13-quirky-and-funny-names-of-damascus-neighborhoods\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Quirky and Funny Names of Damascus Neighborhoods"},"content":{"rendered":"
Damascus is an ancient city filled with stories, legends, and\u2014surprisingly\u2014some pretty unusual neighborhood names! Each name has its own backstory, whether it\u2019s tied to geography, its residents, or just a strange incident that happened there. Here are some of the quirkiest neighborhood names in Damascus and the stories behind them!<\/p>
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1- Harat Matrah Ma Dayya Al Ird Ibnu<\/strong> (\u062d\u0627\u0631\u0629 \u0645\u0637\u0631\u062d \u0645\u0627 \u0636\u064a\u0639 \u0627\u0644\u0625\u0631\u062f \u0627\u0628\u0646\u0647) \u2013 The Alley Where the Donkey Lost His Son<\/em> <\/h2>
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This alley is famous for being so narrow and winding that once you enter, you might struggle to find your way out. It\u2019s like a maze\u2014you go in and keep asking, “How do I get out of here?”<\/em><\/p>
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2- Harat Al Kalba<\/strong> (\u062d\u0627\u0631\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0643\u0644\u0628\u0629) \u2013 The Alley of the Female Dog<\/em><\/h2>
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Located inside Mufti Alley in Souq Sarouja, this place got its name when a stray dog gave birth to her puppies there. The locals started calling it \u201cDog Alley,\u201d and the name stuck for generations!<\/p>
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3- Harat Al Qutt<\/strong> (\u062d\u0627\u0631\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0642\u0637) \u2013 The Alley of the Cat<\/em><\/h2>
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Near Al-Amin district, next to the old city wall, this area was originally called \u201cBustan Al-Ot\u201d<\/em> (The Ot Garden). Some say the name was linked to a family or person, but over time, people just assumed it had something to do with cats!<\/p>
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4- Harat Al Jardoun<\/strong> (\u062d\u0627\u0631\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u062c\u0631\u062f\u0648\u0646) \u2013 The Alley of the Rat<\/em><\/h2>
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Next to Al-Ward Mosque in Souq Sarouja, there\u2019s no official record of why it got this name. However, popular stories suggest that a particularly infamous rat roamed the area, earning it the name \u201cRat Alley.\u201d<\/p>
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5- Harat Al Zott<\/strong> (\u062d\u0627\u0631\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0632\u0637) \u2013 The Alley of the Zott People<\/em><\/h2>
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Stretching from Bab Al-Saghir to Al-Amin Street in Al-Shaghour, this neighborhood was named after the Zott<\/em> people, who originally came from India. They weren\u2019t exactly well-liked in society. Ironically, this street is now called \u201cReform Avenue!\u201d<\/p>
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6 – Souq Mila<\/strong> (\u0633\u0648\u0642 \u0645\u064a\u0644\u0629) \u2013 The Slanted Market<\/em><\/h2>
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Originally called \u201cSouq Qameela\u201d<\/em> in the Mamluk era, this market was famous for selling second-hand clothes. Over time, the name evolved into Souq Mila<\/strong> and became associated with cheap or low-quality goods. Even today, when someone buys something used, people joke, \u201cDid you get that from Souq Mila<\/strong>?\u201d<\/em><\/p>
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7- Zuqaq Al Jinn<\/strong> (\u0632\u0642\u0627\u0642 \u0627\u0644\u062c\u0646) \u2013 The Alley of the Jinn<\/em><\/h2>
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Now a marketplace for car parts, this area was once rumored to be haunted. The wind passing between the hills of Rabwa and Mazzeh used to make eerie sounds, fueling legends of supernatural beings. These stories made the alley a perfect hideout for shady characters, adding even more mystery to its name!<\/p>
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8- Zuqaq Habs Al Amwat<\/strong> (\u0632\u0642\u0627\u0642 \u062d\u0628\u0633 \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0645\u0648\u0627\u062a) \u2013 The Alley of the Imprisoned Dead<\/em><\/h2>
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Located in Al-Amara, this place originally housed Al-Nasiriya School. However, people called it like that because it was where bodies of deceased debtors were kept until someone paid off what they owed.<\/p>
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9- Harat Al Mazabil<\/strong> (\u062d\u0627\u0631\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0632\u0627\u0628\u0644) \u2013 The Alley of the Garbage Dumps<\/em><\/h2>
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Back in the day, near Emir Abdelkader Al-Jazairi\u2019s palace, there was a bridge connecting nearby neighborhoods. The empty land beside it turned into a dumping ground for the palace\u2019s waste, and from then on, it was known as Harat Al Mazabil. Over time, it became a residential area with parks, but the name never changed!<\/p>
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10- Harat Al Qaatila<\/strong> (\u062d\u0627\u0631\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0642\u0639\u0627\u0637\u0644\u0629) \u2013 The Alley of the Filthy Ones<\/em><\/h2>
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Facing Bab Sharqi (the Eastern Gate), this alley\u2019s name comes from the Arabic word \u201cA\u2019tila,\u201d<\/em> which means filth. According to old stories, this area once had a leper colony, which people avoided, leading to the name \u201cHarat Al Qaatila.\u201d<\/em><\/p>
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11- Jnaynat Al Naanaa<\/strong> (\u062c\u0646\u064a\u0646\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0646\u0639\u0646\u0639) \u2013 The Garden of Mint<\/em><\/h2>
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Once located east of the Suleymaniyeh Takiyya, this area is now a transportation hub. In the 1930s, it had three names: \u201cNickel Garden\u201d<\/em> (because entry cost a nickel), \u201cLadies\u2019 Garden\u201d<\/em> (since it was reserved for women), and \u201cMint Garden\u201d<\/em> (because it was filled with mint plants). Even though the garden no longer exists, people still use the name.<\/p>
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12- Haret Al Wared<\/strong> (\u062d\u0627\u0631\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0648\u0631\u062f) \u2013 The Alley of Rose<\/em><\/h2>
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This alley\u2019s name is tied to \u201cHikr Al-Ward\u201d<\/em> (The Rose Lot), which once occupied this area. Although the name changed during the Mamluk period, it eventually came back, thanks to landmarks like Al-Ward Mosque and Al-Ward Hammam.<\/p>
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