Deir Atiyah

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Dair Atiah
ديرعطية
Dair Atiah
Location in Syria
Coordinates: 34°05′N 36°46′E / 34.083°N 36.767°E / 34.083; 36.767Coordinates: 34°05′N 36°46′E / 34.083°N 36.767°E / 34.083; 36.767
Country  Syria
Governorate Rif Dimashq Governorate
District An-Nabk District
Nahiyah Deir Atiyah
Elevation 1,250 m (4,100 ft)
Population (2004)
 • Total 10,984

Dair Atiah or Dayr Atiyah (Arabic: ديرعطية‎), is a city in Syria, located between the Qalamoun Mountains and the Eastern Lebanon Mountains Series, 88 kilometres (55 mi) north of the capital Damascus and on the road to the city of Homs. Dair Atiah's 2004 population is 10,984 people.[1] Its inhabitants are predominantly Christians.[2]

Dair Atiah enjoys a moderate climate in summer and cold in the winter as Dair Atiah is located at an altitude of 1,250 metres (4,100 ft) above sea level.

The proximity to a desert region, where the average rainfall does not exceed more than 125 millimetres (4.9 in) annually, means that environmental conditions, including poor soil, does not provide adequate resources to economically sustain the local population. Hence locals travel or emigrate.[citation needed] Many locals emigrated to the Americas in the early 20th Century, and to the Persian Gulf countries after the emergence of job opportunities there, and to Eastern Asia.

Agriculture

Farmers cultivate grapes, apricots, cherries, figs and other fruits.

Dair Atiah benefits from groundwater located in its valley.

Dair Atiah has a number of windmills (sometimes referred to as Air Wheels). The power generated by the windmills is used to pump water from deep wells. The origins of the windmills are not known, but they are reported to be a major source of power to pump water for agriculture for more than a hundred years.[3][4]

Culture

Dair Atiah has a museum, a sports center and cultural center.

In 2003, the first private university in Syria, University of Kalamoon, was opened in Dair Atiyah.

People in Dair Atiah consume a hot drink called Mate, which Syrian expatriates brought and introduced from South America. The invitation "Come and drink Mate" is typical of this region's hospitality. The invitation implies not only the sharing of a drink, but also a meal.

History

Historians match the name of this city with Romanian Commander Theodorus Paulus whose name means "Giving God" (Arabic: عطاء الله‎). This name has been associated in minds of successive generations in Dair Atiah for more than thousand years.[citation needed]

A number of ancient Roman channels can be found in Yabrud,[5] close to Dair Atiah.

Main sights

  • The Museum of Dair Atiah: The Museum of Dair Atiah is one of the biggest and richest museums in Damascus suburb, Reif Dimashq. It contains the heritage and folklore of the region.
  • The Canonical Museum of Dair Atiah
  • The Cultural Palace of Dair Atiah
  • The Village of Special Needs
  • Hammam el-Souk el-Tahtanye

References

  1. ↑ http://www.cbssyr.org/General%20census/census%202004/pop-man.pdf
  2. ↑ Suicide blasts stem Assad drive near Lebanon border. The Daily Star. 2013-11-21.
  3. ↑ "Save The Environment: let's build more Air Wheels". DAirAtiah Blog. 2006-12-19. Retrieved 2008-07-30. 
  4. ↑ "DairAtiah.com" (in Arabic). Retrieved 2008-07-04. 
  5. ↑ "YabroudOnline.com" (in Arabic). Retrieved 2008-07-05. 

External links

 
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