Homs
Syria · Asia
About Homs
Homs, known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa, is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is 501 m (1,644 ft) above sea level and is located 162 km (101 mi) north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is also the central link between the interior cities and the Mediterranean coast.
Before the Syrian civil war, Homs was a major industrial hub with a population of at least 652,609 people in 2004, it was the third-largest city in Syria after Aleppo to the north and the capital Damascus to the south. Its population reflected Syria's general religious diversity, composed of Sunni and Alawite Muslims, and Christians. There are a number of historic mosques and churches in the city, and it is close to the Krak des Chevaliers castle, a World Heritage Site.
Homs did not emerge into the historical record until the 1st century BC in the Seleucid Empire, becoming the capital of a kingdom ruled by the Emesene dynasty who gave the city its name. Originally a center of worship for El-Gabal, a pagan idol linked to the sun, it later gained importance in Christianity under the Byzantines. Homs was conquered by the Muslims in the 7th century and made capital of a district that bore its current name. Throughout the Islamic era, Muslim dynasties contending for control of Syria sought after Homs due to the city's strategic position in the area. Homs began to decline under the Ottomans and only in the 19th century did the city regain its economic importance when its cotton industry boomed. During French Mandate rule, the city became a center of insurrection and, after independence in 1946, a center of Baathist resistance to the first Syrian governments.
During the civil war, much of the city was devastated due to the Siege of Homs; reconstruction to affected parts of the city is underway. In December 2024, Syrian rebels began an offensive, entering Homs and taking control of the city on December 8.
Homs travel guide
Understand
With a population of 1.6 million, Homs is the third large city in Syria after the capital Damascus and Aleppo. It is centrally positioned in Syria and is home to Al-Baath University among other institutes. There are many restaurants and hotels. The old name for the city of Homs is "Emissa" or "Emizza" but in standard Arabic it is called "Hims" and "Homs" is its informal name. Homs is the birthplace of Hashim al-Atassi, the Syrian nationalist and former president of Syria.
Getting there
There is no airport in Homs; however, you can reach the city by taxi, private car, or bus from the airports at Damascus, Aleppo, or Latakia, or other ports of you are arriving from outside of Syria. There are bus stations in every city which provide service to reach Homs. There are no trains to Homs.
1 Homs railway station. (updated Mar 2020)
See
1 Citadel of Homs (قلعة حمص). Built on an ancient tell dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE, a castle has been standing here since Roman times. However, it is mostly associated with the medieval knight Usama ibn Munqidh and the castle is often referred to as Osama castle. The ancient structures where leveled during the 1830s and now only ruins remains. (updated Dec 2017)
Mosques 2 Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque (مسجد خالد ابن الوليد). Noted for its Ottoman-Turkish architectural style, the mosque is dedicated to Khalid ibn al-Walid, an Arab military commander who led the Muslim conquest of Syria in the 7th century CE following the decisive Battle of Yarmouk, which put an end to Byzantine rule in Syria. (updated Sep 2018) 3 Great Mosque of al-Nuri (جامع النوري الكبي). (updated Mar 2020)
Churches 4 Church of Saint Elian (كنيسة مار اليان), Tarafa bin al-Abd St. Greek Orthodox church consecrated in AD 432. (updated Jun 2020) 5 Forty Martyrs Cathedral (كاتدرائية الأربعين شهيدا). The largest Greek Orthodox cathedral in the city. (updated Jun 2020) 6 Saint Mary Church of the Holy Belt (كاتدرائية السيدة العذراء أم الزنار). Also known as Um Al Zennar (كنيسة أم الزنار), this Syriac Orthodox church was first consecrated in 59 AD. The current structure dates back to the 9th century AD. (updated Jun 2020)
Do
Go to the mountains, 45 km from the city center:
Mashta el Helou Marmarita Jwykhat Krak des Chevaliers There you can enjoy the cool weather, the beautiful view, or camp if you have a tent. A camping permit might be needed.
Eat
There are many restaurants in Homs in Ghouta street and Hamra street and others near city center. If you are just passing through the city, definitely try the labneh shawarma at the big food stall inside the Homs bus station.
Drink & nightlife
You can find many pubs and bars to have a drink, specially in Al Hamidiya street, and some in Al Hadara Street. Try arak, the local Syrian alcoholic drink.
Sleep
There are many hotels in Homs
Assafeer Hotel in Alinsha'at is the most popular (5 stars) Homs Grand Hotel (HGH) other cheaper hotels near the city center and the Damascus road (in Arabic:طريق الشام) 1 Safir Homs Hotel (فندق سفير حمص), Ragheb Al Jamali St, ☏ +963 31 211 2400. (updated Sep 2017)
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.