Damascus, Aug. 25 (SANA) The monument in Umayyad Square stands as one of Damascus’ most recognizable landmarks, closely associated for decades with the Damascus International Fair before becoming known across generations as the “Damascus Sword.”
Its original function, architectural design and later artistic transformation have produced differing accounts of its origins and name, reflecting how the landmark gradually became part of the capital’s visual and cultural identity.
From the “Fair Column” to the “Damascus Sword”
Ammar al-Nahar, head of the History Department at Damascus University, told SANA that calling the monument the “Damascus Sword” is a common misconception.
He said it was not built to represent the historic Damascus sword, but was constructed between 1958 and 1960 as the Damascus International Fair expanded, serving as a structure from which the flags of participating countries were displayed.
Al-Nahar said the monument was known by different local names during the period of Syrian-Egyptian unity, but remained closely associated with the fair, appearing for decades on its posters, stamps and publications and becoming part of Damascus’ architectural memory.
An urban landmark from the era of Syrian-Egyptian unity
Researcher and historian Sami Moubayed told SANA that the monument was built on the orders of late Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Moubayed said initial designs prepared by German and Swedish engineers were rejected because they did not sufficiently reflect Damascene architectural character. A design inspired by the form of the Damascus sword — rather than intended as a literal representation of one — was subsequently adopted.
He said the structure became known to some as the “Unity Column” and to others as the “Fair Column.”
The monument commemorated the seventh edition of the Damascus International Fair in 1958, when fireworks were introduced to the event to celebrate the Syrian-Egyptian union. That edition attracted about 1.5 million visitors and was exceptionally extended to 35 days.
When stained glass transformed the monument
Visual artist Ehsan Antabi, who designed the monument’s stained glass, said the work was completed in 1998 after his design won a competition launched by the Culture Ministry to renovate the landmark.
Antabi said his role was limited to designing and executing the stained glass, while the original structural design was produced by an Egyptian engineering office during the Syrian-Egyptian unity period and constructed by Syrian contractors in the early 1960s.
His design combined the Damascus rose and the color red in an abstract composition, with red symbolizing both the beauty of the rose and sacrifice and resilience.
Antabi said the new visual identity contributed to Damascenes increasingly calling the monument the “Damascus Sword,” associating its form and symbolism with the city’s history.
He said stained glass was central to the project, drawing on Syria’s long tradition of colored-glass craftsmanship and seeking to combine heritage with contemporary creativity.
Over time, the Umayyad Square monument has outgrown its original function at the Damascus International Fair to become one of the capital’s best-known landmarks and an enduring part of Damascus’ visual and cultural ident
R.A/M.F
