Marjeh Square
The Marjeh square ( Arabic ساحة المرجة, DMG sāḥat al-marǧa ), officially Martyrs-Platz ( ساحة الشهداء sāḥat aš-šuhadāʾ ), is located on the western edge of the old city of Damascus and was a historical center of the city during the Ottoman Empire . In the middle of the square is also the "Telegraph Monument". The Syrian Ministry of the Interior is also in this place.
history
The square was built in the late 19th century when Damascus was part of the Ottoman Empire . A new post office and a new city administration were built there from steel and cement, new materials for Damascus at the time. The Ottomans executed seven Syrian national activists on May 6, 1916. The day was later declared "Martyr's Day" and the square was called "Martyrs' Square".
The monument
The monument consists of a stone base on which a metal column rests, symbolizing a telegraph pole. Symbolic telegraph lines and insulators run around the column. On top of the column is a model of the Hamidiye Mosque , which is located in İstanbul.
The column bears the Turkish inscription: “Emiril mü'minin Halifei Resuul-ü Rabbi'l Alemin Şevketli Mehabetli Sultan ibn Sultan Sultanu'l Gazi Abdülhamid Han-ı Sani Efendimiz Hazretlerin Hicaz Hattı Mübarekesine temdidını hatgrafahurduklar-telınir. "
- This is the glorious monument on the extension of the blessed telegraph line in the hijas , which was established by decree of the Commander of the Faithful and Deputy of the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds (i.e. Mohammed ), His Highness and Majesty the Sultan, Son of the Sultan, Sultan of the Faith Fighters, Abdulhamid, our noble lord and glorious Khan was commanded.
Sultan Abdülhamid II had the column erected to commemorate the completion of the Hejaz Railway and the first telegraph line from Damascus to Medina .
Coordinates: 33 ° 30 ′ 46 ″ N , 36 ° 17 ′ 53 ″ E