Bimaristan an-Nuri, Damascus, Syria

4eddnash 5:00 PM Jul 14, 2009

loved it
being a physician I appreciated this place, which is the first hospital in the world and now made as a museum for arabic science and medicine. the building is one of the few remaining ayyubid monuments in Damascus during which the city was the capital for both Syria and Egypt and between (in the 1100's). very simple solid large building with a fantastic dome, actually shaped uniqeuly in the world. the finds, although not very well interpreted, and mainly in french are very interesting. surgical arabic instruments. ancient bomb (about 900 years old thrown at the crusades), instruments used for circumcision, old astrolnomical instruments and astorlaps, very old medical books donated by Nour el Din himself. a small collection but well worth couple of hours, especially the meuseum is in the old Damascus, a minute walk from Souq Hamidiya.

4Mathias S 5:00 PM Apr 12, 2019

very interesting entrance
It is an hospital built by a Zankid ruler Nur ad-Din, who united Damascus with Aleppo and Mosul in 1154. It is located close to Al-Hamidiyya bazaar. it has a magnificent entrance and is worth seeing for that reason.