Straight Street (Bab Sharqi)
Damascus · Old City
- Locality
- Damascus · Old City
- Type of place
- BIBLICAL SITE
- Coordinates
- 33.50943° N, 36.31796° E
Identity checked:
History: Straight Street (Bab Sharqi)
Straight Street is the old main east–west street of Damascus, the decumanus maximus of the Roman city. It was laid out in the Hellenistic period, when the city was given a grid plan, and runs for about 1,500 metres through the Old City. Its western half, including the Midhat Pasha Souq, is known today as Midhat Pasha Street, and its eastern half as Bab Sharqi Street.
The Acts of the Apostles says that after Saul's vision on the road to Damascus, the Lord told Ananias to go "into the street which is called Straight" and ask at the house of Judas for Saul of Tarsus, who was praying there (Acts 9:11). The street ends in the east at Bab Sharqi, the Gate of the Sun, marked here. Built around AD 200, it is the only original Roman gate of Damascus still standing, and the only one of the city's gates to keep its triple passageway.
An interesting detail
Bab Sharqi's wide central passage was for caravans and wheeled traffic, and the two smaller ones beside it for people on foot.