Hama travel guide

Background

Although nothing remains to be seen of Hama’s ancient history apart from artefacts preserved in the museum, evidence of settlement going back as far as the Neolithic period has been uncovered in the course of extensive excavations of the large mound on which the town’s citadel stood. This was also the site of a fortress during the late second to early first millennium BC when the town, then known as ‘Hamath’, was the capital of the Syro-Hittite kingdom of the Aramaeans. In 720 BC it was completely destroyed by the Assyrian armies of Sargon, and only regained some measure of prosperity under the Seleucids, when it became known as ‘Epiphania’ after the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 BC).

Under the Romans and Byzantines it continued to prosper in relative obscurity until it fell in the Muslim conquest in the seventh century AD. It continued as a town of little importance during the Muslim period, caught between the competing city-states of Aleppo and Damascus. The Ayyubid period, however, brought with it relative prosperity. Given by Salah ud-Din to one of his nephews, the town subsequently managed to retain a certain degree of independence as a sovereign principality well into the Mamluk period. It was during this time that the first of the town’s norias were constructed. During the Ottoman period Hama was incorporated into the sanjak of Tripoli, although within this it also enjoyed the position of chief town of a pashalik.

Perhaps due to its relative isolation, during the rule of Hafaz al-Assad Hama developed as a fiercely conservative centre of Sunni orthodoxy and became the focus for opposition to Assad’s regime, which led to the tragic Hama Uprising. The opposition was led by the extremist Islamic movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, which was intent on replacing the secular, modernist ideology of Assad’s Baathist government with strict Islamic rule. The Brotherhood had been waging a bloody campaign of terrorism targeted at members of Assad’s Alawi sect and at the foundations of the state for several years, carrying out numerous bombings and assassinations, including the murder of at least 32 Alawi officer cadets in a bomb attack on the Aleppo Artillery School in 1979. Assad responded to this threat to his authority with increasing brutality and to many it seemed that the country was on the brink of civil war.

The showdown finally came in February 1982, when an army unit was ambushed while patrolling the narrow souqs of Hama’s Old City. The Brotherhood quickly put out a call for a general uprising in the city. The government’s response, led by Assad’s brother Rifa’at, was swift, although the scale of that response shocked even those who understood the full implications of the showdown. An all-out battle ensued which was to last for three weeks and devastate the city, leaving much of it flattened and thousands of its inhabitants dead (the site of the Apamee Cham Palace hotel, for example, was once a densely populated area of narrow streets and souqs). According to an Amnesty International report of November 1983, the estimates of the numbers killed ranged from 10,000-25,000.

Following the events of 1982, Assad ensured that a huge amount of investment was poured in, building new roads, public buildings and housing estates, in an attempt to create a ‘new start’ for the town. Today it is these modern aspects of Hama, with its wide streets and large new housing developments, which first make an impression.

Getting around

For the most part Hama is small enough to explore on foot, but taxis are easily found if you don’t fancy the hike to the bus/train stations. Taxi drivers are quite good about using their meter in Hama, but if yours isn’t, a journey within town shouldn’t cost anymore than S£25.

Ins and outs

Getting there and away

Well connected with the rest of the country, Hama’s well-ordered Pullman bus station is on Al-Murabet Street, 2.5 km southwest of the centre. From here into town it’s about a 20-minute walk, straight up Al-Murabet Street until the turn-off into Kouwatli Street (about S£30 in a taxi).

The train station is on the eastern edge of town and all services between Damascus and Aleppo stop here en route. Microbuses provide connections to places of interest in the surrounding countryside and depart from two different garages in town.

Hama

Bus

The Pullman bus station (Garaget Pullman) is right at the end of Al-Murabet St. All the usual companies operate buses out of here and you shouldn’t need to pre-book tickets. A taxi from the centre costs about S£30 or you can walk (about 20 mins from Kouwatli St) straight up Al-Murabet until the end, when you reach the large T-junction with Nasser Bin Sayar St. The bus station is across the road. Kadmous run buses to Damascus (3 hrs, S£100) several times per day, at 0800, 0900, 1100, 1230, 1400, 1700, 1800 and 2000; to Aleppo (2 hrs, S£100) at 0830, 0900, 0930, 1145, 1230, 1315, 1445, 1530, 1545, 1700, 1730 and 1845; to Deir ez-Zor (5½ hrs, S£300), via Palmyra (3½ hrs, S£140) at 0645, 1030, 1130, 1400, 1915 and 2315; and Tartus (2 hrs, S£100) at 0545, 0630, 0730, 1300, 1915 and 2130. Buses to Damascus and Deir ez-Zor all stop in Homs on the way. Al-Ahliah operate very similar schedules but also service Lattakia (3 hrs, S£160) with departure times at 0600, 0930, 1215, 1400 and 1815.

From Hama to Krak des Chevaliers you need to get a bus or microbus to Homs first and change there.

There’s also international departures to Jordan from here. Al-Majid have 2 buses daily at 1300 and 2300 to Amman (9 hrs, S£750).

Car hire

There is a Hertz/Chamcar desk at the Apamee Cham Palace Hotel, T033-525 335.

Microbus

On the left-hand side of Al-Murabet St (just before the intersection with Nasser Bin Sayar St), is the south microbus station. From here there are regular services to most of the surrounding towns including: Homs (45 mins, S£50), As Qeilebiyeh (for Apamea) (40 mins, S£30), Masyaf (40 mins, S£40) and Salamiyeh (S£20).

If you want to catch a microbus to Al-Hamra (for Qasr Ibn Warden) (S£25) or to Maraat al-Numan (S£25), head to the other microbus stand on Iraq St, northeast of the centre.

Train

The train station is way out on the eastern edge of town. The express trains en route to Damascus and to Aleppo stop here.

The main branch of CBS is east of the roundabout and clock-tower on Kouwatli St, Sat-Thu 0830-1230. There’s an ATM and a busy but efficient exchange desk here. There’s also a row of standalone ATMs that take foreign cards on Kouwatli St, on the western side of the clock tower and a branch of Banque Bemo with an ATM on Sadir St. Medical services The private Markhaz al-Tobi (Health Centre) hospital is in the eastern part of town, T033-515 801. Always ask first at your hotel for help if you need medical attention.

Post

The post office, Sat-Thu 0800-1400, is on the first right-hand turn off Said al-Aas St after crossing the bridge.

Telephone

Easycomm card- phones are scattered around town and you can buy phonecards from various shops and kiosks.

Visa extensions

The Passport and Immigration office, Sat-Thu 0900-1400, is located on Ziqar St. Extensions of up to 1 month are issued on the spot with a bit of to-ing and fro-ing between offices. It costs S£150 and you need 5 passport photos and a letter from your hotel.