Raqqa travel guide

Background

The great historian-geographer Pliny suggests that the town here was first established by Alexander the Great, though the credit probably lies with his general Seleucus Nicator, who went on to establish the Seleucid Empire. The settlement’s development is due to one of his successors, Seleucus II Callinicus (246-225 BC), who gave his name to the early town. The strategic importance of a town controlling much of the Middle Euphrates basin was further emphasized when the battle lines became drawn between the Byzantine Empire and the rising power of the Sassanid Persians. The town was close to this zone of contact and was the scene of a major battle in AD 531 in which the Christian army was resoundingly beaten.

The rise of Arab power across the region produced the town’s golden period (and the settlement becoming known as ‘Raqqa’, or ‘flat land’ in Arabic). The Umayyad caliph Hisham (AD 724-743) is said to have built two palaces here, though it was the succeeding (and rival) Abbasid Dynasty who enhanced Raqqa’s status as a major Euphrates town. The caliph Al-Mansur (AD 754-775) made the town the administrative capital of the province of Jezira, and laid the foundations of the stout defensive walls that can still be seen today. The later Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid (AD 786-809) substantially remodelled the town, and added a neighbouring twin settlement to serve as his summer capital.

Raqqa’s subsequent history is not so glamorous. It may have enjoyed a brief period of fame as the centre of a noted glazed ceramic-ware industry, possibly introduced by Salah ud-Din, but following its sacking by the Mongols in 1258 the town went into terminal decline. Raqqa’s recent revival is very recent indeed, dating just to the last four decades. It is once again the administrative capital of the province in which it stands, and is the main commercial market for the region.

Getting around

Raqqa is easily managed on foot, though there are taxis available everywhere should you want one and a journey within town shouldn’t cost more than S£25.

Ins and outs

Getting there and away

Raqqa is well connected by road with Aleppo to the west and Deir ez-Zor to the southeast. There are also services connecting it with Damascus, either via Aleppo, or else the desert road via Salamiyeh. The main luxury coach/minibus station is just past Rashid Ramadan Square, a little to the south of the town centre. The microbus stand is across the road. It’s an easy five-minute walk into the town centre from here and a taxi to the mid-range hotels costs about S£25. Raqqa’s train station is inconveniently located way to the north of the centre. The services to Deir ez-Zor and Qamishle pass through here on their way from Aleppo. A taxi to the centre from the train station costs about S£30.

Raqqa

Bus

The Pullman bus station is to the south of the large statue of Assad on Rashid Ramadan Sq, close to the centre of town. There are at least 15 private companies here that operate services to Deir ez-Zor once an hour all day and night. Kadmous have departures for Damascus at 0630, 1000, 1200, 1630, 1930 and 2330 (6 hrs, S£275), via Homs (4½ hrs, S£190); Deir ez-Zor at 1615 and 2015 (2½ hrs, S£100); and 1 departure daily to Aleppo at 2130 (3 hrs, S£125).

Microbus

Across the road is the microbus stand. Among the many departures, there are regular services (departing when full) to Mansura (for Rasafah) (25 mins, S£20), and Ath Thawra (for Lake Assad) (30 mins, S£25).

Train

The train station is inconveniently located around 2 km to the north of town; keep following Quneitra St northwards to reach it. A taxi here from the town centre will cost about S£30. There is a daily fast train to Deir ez-Zor at 1810 (2 hrs, 1st class S£55, 2nd class S£45) and an overnight service to Qamishle (4 hrs, S£100) via Deir ez-Zor (2 hrs, S£35) and Hassakeh (3 hrs, S£75) at 0200. The daily express service to Aleppo leaves at 0846 (2 hrs, 1st class S£120, 2nd class S£100), and the normal overnight service leaves at 0250 (3 hrs, 1st class S£75, 2nd class S£50).

Orientation

The main road is Quneitra Street and the town centre is marked by the clock tower. This is where you’ll find the cheap eateries and, just to the east on Kouwatly Street, the one decent budget hotel and Raqqa’s museum. Further east are the remains of the old city. South of the clock tower are the bus stations while north, this road is a 3-km stretch of shops and a busy jam-packed commercial hub. The mid-range hotels are both in a slightly quieter area, west of the centre.

Banks

There is a CBS branch on Kouwatly St that does foreign exchange. If you are stuck for cash out of bank hours, ask (subtly) at the gold shops along Quneitra St north of the clock tower. Most of them unofficially change money and give an excellent rate.

The town’s hospital is on Saqr Quraysh St, just to the north of the Karnak hotel. There are loads of pharmacies on Quneitra St. Post The main post office is on the southeast corner of the clock tower square.

Visa extensions

Visas can be obtained from the Department of Immigration and Passports, in the police station on Al-Baladiyyah St (enter through alleyway around the back, where you pay for the stamp in the kiosk).