Marjeh Square
Public square in Damascus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marjeh Square (Arabic: ساحة المرجة, romanized: sāḥat al-Marjah), also known as "Martyrs' Square" (ساحة الشهداء sāḥat ash-Shuhadā’), is a square in central Damascus, Syria, just outside the walls of the old city. The Syrian Interior Ministry has its headquarters in the square.
| Martyrs' Square ساحة الشهداء | |
The square and the Yalbugha Mosque | |
  | |
| Coordinates | 33.5128°N 36.2980°E |
|---|---|
| Construction | |
| Completion | Late 19th century |
History
The square was built by the Ottomans in the late nineteenth century. A new post office and municipality were built there using steel and cement, new materials for Damascus at that time.[1] The Ottomans publicly executed seven Syrian national activists in the square on Martyrs' Day, 6 May 1916, after which it became known as "Martyrs' Square". When the French took over Syria they continued to use the square for the same purpose. Fakhri Hassan al-Kharrat, son of the Great Syrian Revolt leader Hasan al-Kharrat, was hanged there in 1925–26.[2] On 18 May 1965, Israeli spy Eli Cohen was publicly hanged in Marjeh Square.[3]
The Post Office building in Marjeh Square in 1890
Public hanging in Marjeh Square during the Arab Revolt in 1916–1918
The Telegraph Column in 1950
Eli Cohen publicly hanged in Marjeh Square on 18 May 1965
Marjeh Square in 2009
