For many years, Damascus was the focus of the invaders. The necessities of defending and defending it were surrounded by a wall of huge stones, which opened doors for entry and exit, at the beginning of the Greek era. In the Roman era, the fence was maintained and seven doors appeared in relation to the seven planets known at the time, and the symbols of these planets were carved on the doors because they believed they were protecting the city.

The seven Damascus gates are located on the Damascus wall, and these doors were enlarged and reduced according to military necessity. Some of them were destroyed and others were built in the successive covenants. Several others were also destroyed and closed during the days and years. The main task of Damascus' walls and doors was linked to the security of the people. It was a powerful means of defense to repel the aggressors from strangers and invaders from Damascus and its people.

Parts of the fence were destroyed in 749 by the Abbasids and the wall was taken to collapse. It was then re-fortified in 1174 AD in the era of Nur al-Din al-Zanki and opened doors that did not exist, including the door of the vulva and the door of victory. The main doors of Damascus are only seven: the door of Thomas, Bab al-Faradis, Bab al-Jabiya, Bab al-Saghir, Bab Qaysan and Bab al-Sharqi.

Many historians, led by the famous Damascus historian Ibn Asaker, Hassan al-Badri and Muhammad Ezzeddine al-Sayadi, describe the ancient doors of Damascus and their relation to the planets, and that the seven gates of Damascus are connected with the seven planets. The door of peace linked to the moon, the door of the butterfly connected with Mercury, the door of the jubilee is associated with Mars, the small door is connected with the Jupiter, and the door of the sacrament is associated with Saturn.

Ibn Asaker said of Damascus: "It was built on the seven planets and made seven doors on each door of the image of the planet." Ibn Asaker continued, quoting Abu al-Qasim ibn Muhammad: "The builder of Damascus made every door to one of the seven planets and engraved on it His image made an eastern door to the sun, the door of Thomas to the flower, the door of the small to the buyer, the gate of the gate to Mars, the door of the Ferris, to Mercury, and the door of Kisan to Saturn, and the door of peace to the moon. "

As the historian of Hassan al-Badri says in his book Nozha al-Imam in the beauties of the Levant, the doors of Damascus have a relationship with the planets. So he placed the pictures of the planets on these doors. He says: "Put a drawing of Saturn on the door of Kisan. Draw the sun on the eastern door and the flower on the door of Thomas. And the image of the buyer on the door of Jabbiya and Mars on the small door.

Seven Sham Doors:

Bab al-Salam: A door built by the noble Nur al-Din in the sixth century of migration, called the door of safety, Bab el-Sharif or Bab al-Faradis small, located between the door of Toma and Bab al-Faradis, renewed by King Saleh Ismail in 1243.

Bab al-Sharqi: The eastern door of the main and famous Damascus gates, on the eastern side, is called the door of the sun relative to the sun, from which Khaled bin al-Walid entered Damascus. It was renovated during the reign of Nur al-Din al-Shahid in 559 AH. Many parts are covered, and there are corridors for the most famous markets in Damascus, renewed by Medhat Pasha, governor of Damascus, and carried his name. It extends from Bab Sharqi to Bab al-Jabiya, a straight road. It is the oldest and longest road in Damascus, so the Damascusites called it Souk al-Tawil.

Bab Qaysan: One of the most famous sections of Damascus, which still has parts of it, dates back to the Umayyad period. It is located near the airport roundabout and Bilal al-Habashi Mosque, adjacent to the east by St. Paul's Church. The door, known as this name, was removed as a door to the Church of St. Paul in 1939. It is a witness to the history of Damascus and the intertwined Damascene society. It is a graveyard for Muslims and the tomb of Bilal al-Habashi, which became a mosque and a religious institute.

Bab Touma: From the doors of Damascus famous north of the wall, built during the Roman era and attributed to Venus, and then bore the name "Thomas" one of the disciples of Jesus peace be upon him. It was renewed in the era of Nur al-Din in the year 536 AH.

Bab al-Saghir: Located on the southern side of the old city near the neighborhood of the Shagur, built and renewed by the Romans, and attributed by Greece before them to Jupiter. Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan, the brother of the caliph Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, entered the Islamic conquest of Damascus. During the reign of Noureddine he repaired the door and established a mosque, a minaret and a bishop.

The most important restoration of the door and the surrounding wall was the restoration of King Issa in the time of the Ayyubid state in 623 AH / 1226 AD, from which the Tartars invaded Damascus under the leadership of Tamerlane in 803/1401 AD in the Mamluk period.

Bab al-Jabiya: Located on the western side of the old city, which is one of the original seven doors, built by the Romans and attributed to the planet Mars, and knows that the door is named by the name of Tal al-Jabbiya in the area of ​​Houran because the outside reaches it. This section is designed with three openings, in the middle is a large gate with two smaller gates on either side and connecting to the eastern door across the straight street. During the Arab Islamic conquest of Damascus, the leader Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah entered it. It was restored during the reign of Nur al-Din, who restored the door and the surrounding wall in 560 AH / 1165 AD and built around it Bashura. Followed by other renovations, most notably the restoration of King Sharaf al-Din Isa, the son of the just king in the time of the Ayyubid state.

Bab al-Faradis: From the original seven doors of Damascus, now known as the Gate of Architecture, it was rebuilt and restored during the reign of King Salih Najmuddin Ayoub in 1241, now submerged by residential blocks and commercial markets. It is located on the northern side of the Old City, built by the Romans and attributed to Mercury, This name refers to a locality that was outside the wall called Al-Fardais. According to Ibn Asaker in the book of the history of Damascus at the Arab Islamic conquest of Damascus, the income of the leader Amr ibn al-Aas. In the era of Nur al-Din repaired the door and the surrounding wall, Who built a mosque and a minaret at Ogh The core of the doors. The most important restoration of the door and the surrounding wall is the restoration of the good king Najmuddin Ayub in the time of the Ayyubid state in 639 AH / 1241 AD, the public call this door the name of the door of the architecture of the neighborhood in it is ironed today, and the inscription is not clear.

Seven doors reflect the roots of civilization in the oldest inhabited city in the world, and protect behind them a Damascus history that simulates many civilizations crossed from the Levant.