The Damascene Rose: The May Harvest in al-Mrah and a Living UNESCO Heritage
The Damascene rose: the May harvest in al-Mrah, rose water, syrup and jam, and the rose traditions UNESCO listed as intangible heritage in 2019.
The Damascene rose holds a special place: its scientific name, Rosa damascena, carries the name of the city, and its scent has gone into perfumes around the world. But its living home today is not Damascus itself — it is a small village in the Qalamoun mountains called al-Mrah.
The harvest
In May the roses open in the fields and the picking starts at dawn, before the sun climbs and the scent fades. Whole families go out — men, women and children — picking the flowers one by one into sacks. It is a season of work and celebration at once, with songs and food in the fields, and traders come from the cities to buy the crop.
What is made from it
- Rose water: distilled from the petals, used in sweets and drinks and even for washing the face.
- Rose syrup: a sweet red cordial mixed with cold water in summer.
- Rose jam: petals cooked in sugar.
- Rose tea: dried petals steeped like tea.
- Rose oil: the most precious of all, needing enormous quantities of petals for a tiny amount.
Heritage on the UNESCO list
In 2019 the "practices and craftsmanship associated with the Damascene rose in al-Mrah" were inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The listing is not only about the flower but everything around it: growing, picking, distilling, the songs and the traditions handed down through the generations.
How to experience it
If you are in Syria in May, ask about the harvest and a visit to al-Mrah — about an hour to an hour and a half from Damascus by car. Wear comfortable shoes and go very early. Out of season, you will find Damascene rose products in the souqs of Damascus — see our shopping guide.
- Season
- May
- Where
- Al-Mrah, Qalamoun, Rif Dimashq
- UNESCO
- Intangible heritage, 2019
- To buy
- Rose water, syrup and jam
See also our festival calendar.
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