EXTERIOR oE THE GREAT MOSQUE: DAMASCUS 



The north wall and entrance shown here are part of the former building, but the windows, 

 which are tiny pieces of colored glass, have recently been added. Most worshipers enter by 

 this door. 



city itself you must get the favor of a 

 minaret keeper, and have his permission 

 to climb to the gallery of the minaret and 

 from there look out over the roofs, 

 courts, towers, and streets of the city 

 beneath you. Be it said to the credit of 

 the Damascene that, although he is a 

 faithful follower of the "desert prophet." 

 the fanaticism so often exhibited by 

 Mohammedans is absent in him. 



An interesting outlook of the city is 

 obtained from a minaret near the west 

 end of the street called "Straight." 

 From this position one immediately ap- 

 preciates how well that ancient thorough- 

 fare deserves its name ; for, as seen 

 in the illustration, the street, which is 

 roofed in, runs in a direct line across the 

 city from west to east for about one 

 and a half miles. This street still bears 

 the same name as in the days of the 

 Apostle Paul. 



But the principal attraction of the city 

 is the great mosque, which is located in 

 the heart of the busy capital, and can 

 only be reached through one of its many 

 populous streets. This spacious resort 

 for worship has recently been rebuilt, the 

 funds being contributed from all parts of 

 the Moslem world, for in 1893 the edifice 

 had been almost entirely destroyed by 

 fire. 



The mosque has had a varied experi- 

 ence, being at one time a heathen temple, 

 then a Christian church, then held jointly 

 by the Mohammedans and Christians and 

 used as church and mosque at the same 

 time, but since the eighth century the 

 Mohammedans have had the sole use of 

 it for their own purposes. 



The outer court of the mosque is 

 entered by three gateways, each guarded 

 by massive bronze doors of great an- 

 tiquity, and which were saved at the time 



