Qanawat, Damascus


Qanawat is a municipality of the Damascus, Syria, due west of the Old City. In the 2004 census, it had a population of 58,053. The municipality contains numerous government buildings such as the University of Damascus, National Museum of Damascus, Damascus Governorate Police headquarters, and the Ministries of Tourism, Information, and Interior. It also features historical places of interest such as the Hejaz Railway, Tekkiye Mosque, and Hammam al-Jadid.

History

The name Qanawat, Arabic for "channels", refers to the ruins of a historical Roman aqueduct in the Qanawat district. The Bab Sreijeh district contains the Mamluk-era Turkish bathhouse Hammam al-Jadid, today a gay bathhouse.
In July 2012, during the Syrian Civil War, the Free Syrian Army Rebels attacked the police headquarters compound.

Districts