Artouze
Encyclopedia
Artouze is a town situated 15 km to the south west of Damascus
, Syria
. As of 1996, it had a population of 20,000.
canal that is still in use to this day to irrigate nearby farms.
Artouze may also be the location of the New Testament
story of the disciples on the road to Damascus. The place where Jesus appeared is commemorated by a temple now, which Pope John Paul II
visited during his visit to Syria in 2000.
Most of the farms were owned by few rich families from Damascus during the Ottoman
and French
periods. The land was redistributed during the presidency of Gamal Abdel Nasser
.
. It lies on the main road between Damascus and the Golan Heights. The Awaj
river passes through the town and splits into three branches.
Artouze has a twin town only 2 km north called Judidet Artouze. Expansion of the two towns has erased the green spaces between them.
Artouze has great military importance, with many army detachments nearby.
and garlic
were the main agricultural products. However, with the expansion of Damascus, Artouze developed a fast-growing construction and service economy, which is now the main source of employment for its population.
Artouze has no industrial region. Light industry located in and near the town is mainly limited to some dairy and poultry facilities.
Trade is a source of income of many people, with the town serving as a commerce centre for several surrounding small villages.
Artouze has a central water and sewage system. However, the water shortage is a serious problem affecting the whole region. There is no recycling centre.
(Golan
) passes through the town.
There is also a train station servicing a rail line built by the French between Damascus and the city of Qatana. However, the train has stopped running decades ago.
Public transport is now limited to buses and mini buses, which serve to connect Artouze to Damascus. Residents also use the small mini cabs as taxis for short trips within the town.
There have been no sectarian issues in the Artouze, but since 1967 many refugees (mainly Bedouin
) have come to live in Artouze, and the newcomers (called nazheen (نازحين)) have clashed with the long-term residents. Some of these clashes have resulted in casualties. Also, a few Iraqis have moved to Artouze following the American invasion of Iraq.
Artouze has several mosques. Churches of other faiths are located only in nearby Judidet Artouze.
Secularism flourished in the town in 1970s, but the last two decades have witnessed growing religious fervour among the population.
There are two secondary schools, one of which has been set up to serve the refugee community exclusively.
Artouze has good percentage of educated people in its population. English is the second language for most of the educated people, but the knowledge of it is also limited and not enough to communicate efficiently. French is also understood with limitation, especially between old educated Artouzians.
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. As of 1996, it had a population of 20,000.
History
Evidence of the town's history is scarce. However, there are historical references to a town in approximately the same location as Artouze during the Assyrian empire. There is also a RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
canal that is still in use to this day to irrigate nearby farms.
Artouze may also be the location of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
story of the disciples on the road to Damascus. The place where Jesus appeared is commemorated by a temple now, which Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
visited during his visit to Syria in 2000.
Most of the farms were owned by few rich families from Damascus during the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and French
French Mandate of Syria
Officially the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon was a League of Nations mandate founded after the First World War and the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire...
periods. The land was redistributed during the presidency of Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
.
Geography
Artouze is 15 km south west of Damascus, 6 km east of QatanaQatana
Qatana is a Syrian city administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq. Qatana has an altitude of 879 meters. It has a population of 18,465....
. It lies on the main road between Damascus and the Golan Heights. The Awaj
Awaj
The Awaj is a river in Syria. It rises on the eastern slopes of Mount Hermon, flows east for some 70 km to the south of Damascus and terminates in the Buhairat al-Hijanah....
river passes through the town and splits into three branches.
Artouze has a twin town only 2 km north called Judidet Artouze. Expansion of the two towns has erased the green spaces between them.
Artouze has great military importance, with many army detachments nearby.
Economy
Until the 1980s, the economy of Artouze depended largely on agriculture. Olives, wheatWheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
were the main agricultural products. However, with the expansion of Damascus, Artouze developed a fast-growing construction and service economy, which is now the main source of employment for its population.
Artouze has no industrial region. Light industry located in and near the town is mainly limited to some dairy and poultry facilities.
Trade is a source of income of many people, with the town serving as a commerce centre for several surrounding small villages.
Health care
There is only a small health centre, for day cases. The centre is not officially working as many of the public health centres in Syria. The nearest hospital is 3 km from the town centre: a private hospital in the nearby town of Judidet Artouze (Al kamal). Most patients go to Damascus for hospital care.Artouze has a central water and sewage system. However, the water shortage is a serious problem affecting the whole region. There is no recycling centre.
Transport
Artouze is well connected by roads to all neighbouring villages. A highway connecting Damascus to Al QuneitraQuneitra
Quneitra is the largely destroyed and abandoned capital of the Quneitra Governorate in south-western Syria. It is situated in a high valley in the Golan Heights at an elevation of 1,010 metres above sea level...
(Golan
Golan
Golan was a biblical city in Land of Israel. It was in the territory of Manasseh in the Bashan.Golan was the most northerly of the three cities of refuge east of the Jordan River . Manasseh gave this city to the Gershonite Levites .According to the Bible, the Israelites conquered Golan from the...
) passes through the town.
There is also a train station servicing a rail line built by the French between Damascus and the city of Qatana. However, the train has stopped running decades ago.
Public transport is now limited to buses and mini buses, which serve to connect Artouze to Damascus. Residents also use the small mini cabs as taxis for short trips within the town.
Population and ethnic groups
The main historical ethnic group are Arabs, and the town is predominantly Sunni Muslims. However, the nearby town of Judidet Artouze hosts a mix of Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, Druz and Muslims.There have been no sectarian issues in the Artouze, but since 1967 many refugees (mainly Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
) have come to live in Artouze, and the newcomers (called nazheen (نازحين)) have clashed with the long-term residents. Some of these clashes have resulted in casualties. Also, a few Iraqis have moved to Artouze following the American invasion of Iraq.
Artouze has several mosques. Churches of other faiths are located only in nearby Judidet Artouze.
Secularism flourished in the town in 1970s, but the last two decades have witnessed growing religious fervour among the population.
Education
Schools are mixed in the town, with boys and girls attending the same schools.There are two secondary schools, one of which has been set up to serve the refugee community exclusively.
Artouze has good percentage of educated people in its population. English is the second language for most of the educated people, but the knowledge of it is also limited and not enough to communicate efficiently. French is also understood with limitation, especially between old educated Artouzians.