There are a great number of mosques in Damascus, some of which were formerly churches, particularly the principal mosque, which was the cathedral church: This building, with its avenues and edifices belonging to it, is one of the finest things that the zeal of the first Christians produced, for by the architecture it appears to have been built before that art was lost, being all of the Corinthian order, and very well executed. The structure of the cathedral itself at A, was very particular; it is an oblong square; there are three rows of columns in it; in the middle there was a dome at A, under which, probably, was the high altar: To the west of the church is a large court with a portico of granite pillars on three sides; the front of the church next to the court consisted of arches, supported by pillars of verd antique; between them there are large folding doors to be opened at pleasure; so that when the doors were open, the people in the court and portico round it could see the priest celebrate divine service. Over these arches there are a double number of arched windows; there was likewise a portico on the outside of the court and church, of which there are now but small remains; there is a gallery over the portico, with a double number of arches, supported by small pillars.There were three grand entrances into the court, and as many to the church. All the walls of the church, and of the porticos within the court, were adorned on the outside, over the arches, with Mosaic work, of which there are great remains. On the north side there is a grand ascent to the court at O, by many steps, and remains of a beautiful colonnade before the entrance, and of another of the fame kind on the south, which is more entire. Below the steps to the north there is a very fine jetdeau at P, which throws up a great body of water. D is an octagon baptistery built on eight pillars. C another octagon building on pillars. E pillars on which lights are fixed. It seems very probable that there were buildings all round, which belonged to the officers of the church, and they might be divided from one another by the several avenues to the church; on each side of which it is probable there were twelve columns, which might form a portico on each side, and support galleries like those round the court, for in one avenue the pillars are standing; and it is not unlikely that every particular building was encompassed with such a portico, for it appears there were very large pillars about three feet diameter on the outside all round; those of the porticos being about two feet diameter; the great pillars are of a coarse marble, except some very large ones at the entrances, which are of granite: One part of these buildings is called the patriarch's palace I; another his seminary K; and as it is probable that there were five piles of building, one might be for the canons L, another for the priests M, and a fifth for the deacons and other inferior officers N; the whole was probably enclosed with a wall, within which there might be a portico corresponding to the portico of large pillars round the buildings; for I saw in the town, at proper distances, remains of some very beautiful door-cafes in the finest taste, and also several pillars, which gave me the hint for making this plan. The Turks call this the mosque of St. John Baptist, but the Christians say, that it was dedicated to John Damascenus, whose body is in it; and they tell some miracle that happened, when they attempted to remove it.
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