Jableh
| Jableh جبلة جبلة الحره | |
|---|---|
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A collage of Jableh. | |
  Jableh Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates: 35°21′N 35°55′E / 35.350°N 35.917°E | |
| Country | Syria |
| Governorate | Latakia Governorate |
| District | Jableh District |
| Nahiyah | Jableh |
| Elevation | 16 m (52 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 80,000 |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
Jableh (Arabic: جبلة Ǧabla), also spelt Jebleh, Jabala, Jablah or Gabala, is a coastal city on the Mediterranean in Syria,[1] 25 km (16 mi) north of Baniyas and 25 km (16 mi) south of Latakia, with c. 80,000 inhabitants (2008).
The city is home to the tomb and the mosque of Sultan Ibrahim Bin Adham, a famous Sufi mystic who renounced his throne and devoted himself to prayers for the rest of his life.[2]
Jableh has a beach named Al-Kurnish in the local language, where people come and meet to enjoy the cold beer and water pipe in that incredible view of the sea.
History
Jableh has been inhabited since at least the second millennium BCE.[3] The city was part of the Ugaritic kingdom and was mentioned as "Gbʿly" in the archives of the city c. 1200 BC.[4] In antiquity Jableh was an important Roman city. One of the main remains of this period is a theatre, capable of housing c. 7,000 spectators. Near the seashores even older remains were found dating to the Iron Age or Phoenician Era.
In the medieval period, Jableh was part of the Principality of Antioch, one of the Crusader States, until it was captured by Saladin in 1189 during the Third Crusade. One famous resident was Hugh of Jabala, the city's bishop, who reported the fall of Edessa to Pope Eugene III, and was the first person to speak of Prester John.
Less than 1 kilometer from the city centre lies the ancient site of Gibala, today known as Tell Tweini. This city was inhabited from the third millennium BCE until the Persian period.
Economy
The majority of people in Jableh depend on agriculture for their life, people grow orange and lemon trees, olives, a large number of green houses for vegetables can be found in the country side. In the center of the city people work in trade and there are small factories in the city for cottons and for making orange juice.
Famous Residents
- Syrian pioneer of modern Arabic poetry Adunis, who was one of the first Arabic poets.
- World-champion swimmer Firas Mouala, who swam from Latakia to Cyprus (almost 90 km distance).
- Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, a famous Islamic figure who fought against the French Colonization in Syria, and then moved to Palestine where he led an armed rebellion against the British authorities and Zionist settlers.
Sports
Jableh Sporting Club is a football club based in Jableh. The club plays its games in the Al-Baath Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 10,000.
References
- ↑ "Gabala". Catholic Encyclopedia.
- ↑ Google Books Travels In Asia And Africa, 1325-54 By Battuta Ibn, Ibn Batuta Translated by Sir Hamilton Gibb (1996) ISBN 81-206-0809-7 p. 62
- ↑ Esber, Hawazan. "Small historical coastal cities: Urban development and freshwater resources". NESCO. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ↑ William A. Ward, Martha Joukowsky (1992). The Crisis years: the 12th century B.C. : from beyond the Danube to the Tigris. p. 113.
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