Homs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Homs
حِمْص
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City
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    Homs city landmarks
Martyrs' Square with the Old Clock • Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque • Al-Baath University • Khalid ibn al-Walid Stadium |
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| Nickname(s):
Mother of the black stones (أم الحجار السود)
Al-'Adhiyyah (الْعَذِيَّة) The city of Ibn Al-Walid (مدينة ابن الوليد) The House of Peace (دار السلام) |
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 Homs
Location in Syria
Homs
Location in Eastern Mediterranean
Homs
Location in Asia
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| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | Homs Governorate |
| District | Homs District |
| Subdistrict | Homs Subdistrict |
| First settled | 2000 BC |
| Area | |
| • City | 48 km2 (19 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 76 km2 (29 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 104 km2 (40 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 501 m (1,644 ft) |
| Population
(2017, est.)
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| • City | 775,404 |
| • Density | 16,150/km2 (41,800/sq mi) |
| Demonyms | English: Homsi Arabic: حمصي, romanized: Himsi |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Area code(s) | Country code: 963 City code: 31 |
| Geocode | C2528 |
| Climate | Csa |
Homs is a large city in western Syria. It is the capital of the Homs Governorate. The city is about 501 meters (1,644 feet) above sea level. It is located 162 kilometers (101 miles) north of Damascus. Homs sits on the Orontes River. It connects cities in the middle of Syria to the Mediterranean Sea coast.
Before the recent conflict, Homs was a big industrial center. In 2004, it had over 652,000 people. This made it the third-largest city in Syria. Its people come from different religious backgrounds. These include Sunni and Alawite Muslims, and Christians. The city has many old mosques and churches. It is also near the famous Krak des Chevaliers castle, a World Heritage Site.
Homs became known in history around the 1st century BC. It was then the capital of a kingdom ruled by the Emesene dynasty. This dynasty gave the city its old name, Emesa. It was first a place to worship the sun god El-Gabal. Later, it became important for Christianity under the Byzantine Empire. Muslims took control of Homs in the 7th century. They made it the capital of a district. Throughout history, different Muslim rulers wanted Homs. This was because of its important location. The city became less important under the Ottoman Empire. But in the 1800s, its cotton industry grew. This made it economically important again. After Syria became independent in 1946, Homs was a center of political activity. In recent years, parts of the city faced challenges and were damaged. Reconstruction efforts began in 2018.
Contents
Understanding the Name of Homs
The modern name, Homs, comes from the city's old Latin name, Emesus. This name came from the Greek words Émesa or Émesos.
Many believe the name Emesa came from a nomadic Arab tribe. This tribe, called Emesenoi by the Greeks, lived in the area. The Arab people who lived there shortened Émesa to Homs or Hims. This happened even before Muslims took over Syria.
Some people think Émesa came from the Aramaic city of Hamath-zobah. Hamath means "fortress," and Sawbah means "nearness." So, the name could mean "The fortress surrounding." This might refer to the Citadel of Homs and the plains around it.
Later, during the Crusades, the Crusaders called the city "la Chamelle." This means "the female camel" in French. But it was likely a changed version of the Arabic name.
A Look at Homs' Long History
For about 2,000 years, Homs has been a key place for farming, making goods, and trading. It also helped protect Syria from invaders. Digs at the Citadel of Homs show people lived there around 2300 BCE. Some scholars think it's the same city as Hamath-zobah mentioned in the