KASSIOUN MOUNTAIN
Damascus' Shelter

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It had a sacred significance to the people of Damascus and it was associated with lots of fictitious romances. It contains a lot of archeological and sanctuary places and rises about 1200 meters above sea level. The name Kassioun comes from the desolate nature of the mountain. Buildings expanded in Damascus and reached the foot of the mountain.
In the year 551 of Hijri – 1130 A.C, the first caravan of Palestinian refugees arrived to Damascus escaping from the Crusaders’ massacres. The immigration continued and hundreds of immigrants settled down in a mosque, near the present Sheikh Reslan. The place wasn’t healthy enough and too many people died of diseases. As a result, a proper place was required and immigrants moved on to Al-Saliheyah village at the foot of Kassioun mountain close to Yazeed River and led a new life there. That was assigned to those Palestinian people who were known for their knowledge and godliness. There had been a myth on everybody’s mouth about that mountain ; it said that when Cain, the son of Adam, killed his brother Abel, Kassioun split apart and swallowed the murderer.
There is also Jebral's Cave where angels consoled Adam for losing his son Abel. This mountain, including Al-Rabouha, was a summer residence for kings and princes where they built their castles and playgrounds. The Abbasite Caliph Al-Mamoon built his famous observatory on its top to watch planets and stars. There are lots of monasteries, but most of them are desolated. One of the most famous monastery is Mouran Laura