topic by
Lynette
6/12/2002 (24:51) |
|
Historical Nablus is called Al-Qasaba or the Old City
By Lutfi Zaghloul
June 03, 2002, 07:17 AM
- Nablus is a Palestinian city with a rich history rooted deeply in human civilization. In the 19th Century, it gained the name Jabal Al-Nar (Fire Mountain) after its hearted stance in the face of Napoleon, who invaded the city on his way back from an attack on the coastal city of Akko. Historian Al-Maqdesi called Nablus ‘Little Damascus’ in reference to the similarity between the two cities.
Within the embrace of its two mountains, Ibal to the north and Jarzeem to the south, Nablus sits proudly along a valley extending on an east-west axis. Originally a Canaanite city, it was known to the Canaanites as Shakim, a word derived from Arabic that means pride and self-esteem. Roman Emperor Fespisianos ordered the rebuilding of the city, naming it ‘Filafia Niapolis’ (New Filafia), thereby giving it his own surname. With time, however, only the second part of the compound name remained.
Between its rise and the end of the British colonization of Palestine, Nablus was home to many peoples and civilizations, beginning with the Canaanites and on to the Romans, the Byzantine, and the Muslims, who reigned there during several periods, including the Ayyoubi, Mamluki, and Ottoman.
Historical Nablus is called Al-Qasaba or the Old City. The Old City is made up of three axes that extend from the east to the west and is surrounded by a chain of old buildings and homes. According to books, the Old City is accessed by sixteen gates, the two main ones being the eastern one near the Great Salahi Mosque and the western one near Al-Khader Mosque.
The axes are in fact narrow paths paved with rock and giving access to a series of shops on both sides. On top of the shops, one finds the homes of craftsmen and merchants, and jutting out from the axes at almost regular intervals are lanes leading to the residences of local residents. There are also several specialized markets that connect the axes.
Historical Nablus is called Al-Qasaba or the Old City
Today, through the axes and surrounding neighborhoods, one can access palaces and impressive halls, home to spacious courtyards and spaces with arches and colonnades, mosaic floors and highly decorative windows.
There are also the mosques of the Ayyoubis and the Mamlukis and the Ottomans, most famous of which is the Great Salahi Mosque, built by Salah Eddin Al-Ayyoubi after he conquered the Crusaders and liberated the city. There is also Al-Nasr Mosque, also built by Ayyoubi, and Al-Khadr Mosque, which sustained serious damage during the latest Israeli incursion. Nablus is also renowned for its lush public baths, several of which were harmed in the Israeli assault.
When talking about Nablus, mention of its soap factories is inevitable. I must note here that three of the city’s prominent soap factories were destroyed in the Israeli incursion. Perhaps the most recognizable feature of the city, however, is the clock tower, which dates back to the Ottoman epoch.
Like other Palestinian cities, Nablus was victim to a multi-dimensional Israeli military attack that was clearly designed to leave as much destruction as possible. F16 jetfighters and heavy caliber rockets attacked from the air while tanks and bulldozers did their damage at ground level, targeting the Old City in particular. In fact, the many tragedies left behind by the Israeli incursion remind local residents of the earthquake that rocked Palestine in 1936 and delivered notable damage to their city. Despite its magnitude, however, the earthquake did less damage than did the Israeli occupation forces that deliberately targeted the history and culture of the city, leaving voids in place of some of the city’s most important monuments.
Although what happened in Nablus was terrible, it has become clear that the people of Nablus, like Palestinians all over Palestine, will continue, along with their history, to shine brightly. Indeed, the will of the Palestinian people could perhaps best be described using the words of an old man who witnessed the recent destruction in Nablus and who said as follows: “They have rebuilt the Abu Sanbal Temple in Egypt and will most likely rebuild the Buddha statues in Afghanistan. The Palestinian people, with their determination, persistence and creativity, are capable of re-placing every stone in its right spot, because as they are guardians of their struggle, they are also guardians of their history.”
© June 2002 Arabia Online Ltd. All rights reserved
|
|