At the historic Qadam station in Damascus, the Hejaz Railway Museum is preserving the memory of one of the Middle East’s most ambitious transport projects.
It was established in 2008 to mark the centennial of the railway’s launch, the museum houses rare documents, maps, and equipment that trace the line’s history since 1908.
The Hejaz Railway once connected Damascus to Medina, passing through Jordan and the Arabian Peninsula.
It was built to ease pilgrimages and strengthen regional ties. The line stretched more than 1,300 kilometers and was considered a landmark feat of engineering.
Among the museum’s exhibits are Ottoman-era maps, vintage telephones used to coordinate train movements, and tickets for routes such as Damascus–Haifa.
Tools from maintenance workshops, lanterns, and Morse code telegraphs highlight the ingenuity that sustained the railway.
Though the museum suffered damage and looting during Syria’s years of war, restoration efforts are underway.
Curators say the project is not only about repairing artifacts but also about reviving cultural memory. “It is a bridge between past and present,” said museum official Manal Khalifa.
With its collection of rare documents and equipment, the Hejaz Railway Museum offers visitors a journey through time, keeping alive the echoes of steam engines that once made Damascus the gateway to the Hejaz.
