“Qasioun Journey” Project Moves Ahead Without Numbers

Damascus Governorate, in cooperation with the Syrian Ministry of Tourism, launched the “Journey to Qasioun” project on April 21 during an official ceremony at the Damascus Opera House in Damascus. The launch came about a year after work began at the site, without clear information on the nature of the project or the implementing entity.

At the ceremony, which Enab Baladi attended, Syrian officials did not provide key details about the project, including the final estimated cost, the amount Damascus Governorate has spent on infrastructure rehabilitation, the project’s overall economic feasibility, the source of funding, or the identity of the companies to be contracted.

Cable Car, Multi-Level Parking, and Children’s Theater

According to the presentation delivered at the start of the ceremony, the announced projects include a cable car starting from Umayyad Park, formerly Tishreen Park, toward Mount Qasioun, with a total length of 2.4 kilometers. The plan also includes an underground parking facility inside Umayyad Park and an upgraded internal transport system to move visitors by mass transit from al-Rabwah bus station, Nairabein Park station, and Umayyad Park station.

The project also includes the rehabilitation and development of al-Shami Park, located near al-Shami hospital and extending toward al-Jundi al-Majhoul Road, in addition to kiosks and commercial shops. It further includes the construction of an amphitheater and a children’s theater on the slope of Mount Qasioun for cultural and entertainment activities, including forums and other events.

Project services listed in the presentation include security points, medical points, civil defense, Qasioun Mosque, electric transport carts, entertainment carnivals, food carts, designated barbecue areas, and public facilities.

Idlibi: 70% of the Qasioun Project Is Free

Damascus Governor Maher Muhammad Marwan Idlibi said during the ceremony that the project includes natural, cultural, service, and commercial components, including free public seating areas, walking paths, an innovation boulevard for young people, handicrafts spaces, public services, and routes equipped for people with disabilities.

He said 70% of the project is free and open to the public, with new electricity and sewage infrastructure to ensure the site’s safety and sustainability.

Idlibi denied that any investment opportunities had been granted within the project apart from the parking component. He said the remaining opportunities would be offered through an electronic platform based on clear and transparent standards, but he did not say when the platform would be launched.

He also said the project would create more than 7,000 jobs and hundreds of small and medium investment opportunities. He added that the completion rate is high and that most of the project’s sections are scheduled to open by the end of summer 2026.

The Damascus governor said Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is interested in the project and keen to involve Syrian expertise in implementing it so it can be a distinctly national project. He said it complements the governorate’s priorities in infrastructure, services, and the return of displaced people, rather than replacing them, adding that since the liberation, the governorate has worked to improve roads, sewage systems, electricity, and schools.

Tourism Minister: Syria Will Enter the Guinness Book of Records

Tourism Minister Mazen al-Salhani told reporters that the Mount Qasioun area will host the first project to enter the Guinness Book of Records. He said representatives of Guinness were invited, attended the ceremony, reviewed the project details, and expressed support for the idea, which will be announced at another ceremony and will raise Syria’s name high. He did not specify which project, exactly, is competing for inclusion in the record book.

Al-Salhani said many investors are presenting initiatives to the ministry, whose doors are open to everyone and which supports every investor and anyone with a vision. He added that the Qasioun project will serve as an incubator for business, innovation, and inventions, and for bringing the latest technology into Syria by Syrian hands, with “zero corruption.” He said a transparent electronic platform will be launched, with clear investment contracts and applications submitted through it.

Infrastructure on Qasioun

Mu’ammar Dakak, assistant governor of Damascus, disclosed technical and engineering details about the rehabilitation work underway on Mount Qasioun, saying the project carries “a narrative dimension alongside its urban character.” He said the completion rate for construction and infrastructure works has exceeded 80%.

Dakak said governorate teams began inspecting sites that had been closed and inaccessible during the former regime period, and that a clear vision was prepared under the supervision of the Damascus governor and a team of specialist designers. Inspections showed that what had been known as “rest areas” were primitive structures made of concrete slabs resting on barrels filled with stones, lacking minimum structural safety standards and posing a potential risk to residents living below the mountain.

He said the site lacked an architectural identity befitting the importance of Qasioun, leading to the adoption of a new design vision aimed at reshaping the visual landscape, adapting designs to the terrain, and improving the site’s aesthetic and functional dimensions. He added that the governorate carried out advanced engineering studies and preparatory work, including detailed soil studies, geotechnical and geophysical tests, soil reinforcement, slope stabilization, and the preparation of foundations and slabs according to safe engineering standards.

According to Dakak, these measures helped protect residents living below the mountain and ensure the future safety of visitors. He said the work was carried out through broad institutional cooperation involving Damascus University, which provided experts for the studies, the Engineers Syndicate, which prepared and audited structural safety reports, and service institutions that implemented electricity, water, and sewage networks.

He added that an independent sewage line was installed separately from the al-Muhajireen network, and new main electricity lines were created independently from the existing grids to avoid pressure on current infrastructure. The main challenges, he said, included working in sloped areas and ensuring that no collapses occurred during implementation, obstacles he said were overcome through precautionary measures and technical expertise.

Previous Denial of New Investments on Qasioun

In June 2025, Damascus Governorate denied that new investments were being carried out on the slopes of Mount Qasioun after reports circulated on social media about the work underway there and amid speculation over the nature of the activity on the mountain. At the time, the governorate said the work involved rehabilitating the public road at the upper part of the slope over a distance of 960 meters, in line with public safety and tourism standards, while preserving the mountain’s appearance.

The governorate said the rehabilitation project had been launched primarily for the safety and comfort of visitors and the safety of residents living on the slope. A June 2025 statement also said the work plan included restoring old informal structures, reinforcing the western rocky section with an 80-meter concrete wall, creating free public seating areas and tourist terraces, building a multi-level parking facility, removing unstable old bases, and establishing a modern drainage network while rehabilitating water, electricity, public service, sanitary, and medical networks. Since the project began, questions have persisted about the implementing company and whether it is a public or private entity.

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