Politically charged posters are pasted on concrete throughout the capital, making the city look harsh. The current president, Bashar al Asaad (bottom), frequently uses his father's image (right) to invoke sentimentality. Asaad is also regularly depicted alongside Nasrallah of Hezzbolah and Ahmadinejad of Iran.
Christopher Brownfield
In the souk, or market, a softer side of Syria reveals itself from beneath the veil.
Christopher Brownfield
The spice market at night.
Christopher Brownfield
The ancient beauty of the Umayyad Mosque's central courtyard is the pride of Damascus.
Christopher Brownfield
Visitors to the Ummayad Mosque (adjacent to the Temple of Saladin) remove their shoes out of respect.
Christopher Brownfield
Inside the Mosque, families worship casually and children play.
Christopher Brownfield
A proud Syrian father shares a glimpse of his child as a "gift for a visitor."
Christopher Brownfield
A Ghetto Bus in Jeremanah, the largest enclave of Christian Iraqi refugees.
Christopher Brownfield
The road beyond Damascus.
Christopher Brownfield
The shrine of Saint "Takla" in the remote Syrian village of Maalula. (Saint "Takla" is the Greek Orthodox Saint Thecla).
Christopher Brownfield
The canyon walls of Maalula during the Celebration of Saint Cross. The Virgin Mary can be seen atop the cliffs overlooking the isolated village of ten thousand.
Christopher Brownfield
Christian Syrian nationals celebrate together, dancing and drinking whiskey as fireworks explode close overhead. One local insisted that Maalula is affluent because it is open to "selling things that people actually like," such as coffee and alcohol.
Christopher Brownfield
