Al-Nabek Explained

An-Nabek
Settlement Type:City
Other Name:Al-Nabek, Nabk
Native Name:Arabic: ٱلنَّبْك
Pushpin Map:Syria
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Syria
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Governorate
Subdivision Name1:Rif Dimashq
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:an-Nabek
Subdivision Type3:Subdistrict
Subdivision Name3:an-Nabek
Unit Pref:Metric
Population As Of:2004 census
Population Total:32 548
Population Blank1 Title:Ethnicities
Population Blank2 Title:Religions
Timezone:EET
Utc Offset:+2
Timezone Dst:+3
Coordinates:34.0167°N 79°W
Elevation M:1255

An-Nabek or Al-Nabek (Arabic: ٱلنَّبْك|an-Nabk) is a Syrian city administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq and the capital of the Qalamoun. Located 81km (50miles) north of Damascus and south of Homs. It has an altitude of 1255 meters. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), An-Nabek had a population of 32,548 in the 2004 census.[1] The Monastery of Saint Moses the Abyssinian (Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi) is located along the Anti-Lebanon Mountains near Nabek and dates back to at least the 6th century.

In the mid-19th century, the population was recorded as consisting mostly of Sunni Muslims, Syriac Catholic and Melkite Catholic Christians.[2] In the mid-1940s, its 6,000 inhabitants were noted to be Sunni Muslims.

History

An-Nabek has been mentioned by Arab geographers from the 12th to 13th centuries CE. Ibn Jubayr recorded that it was a village north of Damascus "with much running water and broad arable fields." Yaqut al-Hamawi wrote in 1225 that "is a fine village with excellent provisions... There is here a curious spring which runs cold in the summer, and with clear, excellent water. They say its source is at Yabroud."[3] During the Syrian Civil War the town and surrounding area came under the influence of rebel fighters in an area that spilled over into Lebanon. This pocket was later liquidated by Syrian and Hezbollah troops in the Qalamoun offensive (July–August 2017), with many rebel fighters surrendering to government troops.

Landmarks

Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, the monastery of Monastery of Saint Moses the Abyssinian, sits above the town to the east.

Bibliography

External links

34.0167°N 79°W

Notes and References

  1. https://archive.today/20130112190703/http://www.cbssyr.org/new%20web%20site/General_census/census_2004/NH/TAB03-24-2004.htm General Census of Population and Housing 2004
  2. [Eli Smith|Smith]
  3. Le Strange, 1890, p. 511