Maaloula

Maaloula
ܡܥܠܘܠܐ
معلولا
Overview of Maaloula, 2006
Overview of Maaloula, 2006
Maaloula is located in Syria
Maaloula
Maaloula
Location in Syria
Coordinates: 33°50′39″N 36°32′48″E / 33.84417°N 36.54667°E / 33.84417; 36.54667
Country Syria
GovernorateRif Dimashq
Districtal-Qutayfah
SubdistrictMaaloula
Elevation
1,500 m (4,900 ft)
Population
 (2004 census)[1]
 • Total2,762

Maaloula (Arabic: مَعلُولَا; Western Neo-Aramaic: ܡܥܠܘܠܐ ,מעלולא, romanized: Maʿlūlā) is a town in the Rif Dimashq Governorate in Syria. The town is located 56 km to the northeast of Damascus and is built into the rugged mountainside at an altitude of more than 1,500m. It is known as one of two remaining villages where Western Neo-Aramaic is spoken, the other one being the nearby smaller village of Jubb'adin. Until the Syrian Civil War, Bakhʽa also had speakers of Western Neo-Aramaic. However, Bakhʽa was completely destroyed during the war, and all the survivors fled to other parts of Syria or to Lebanon.[2]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference CBS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "The Village of Bakh'a in Qalamoun: Interview". 26 January 2020.