Nablus - From Economic Metropolis to Shrinking City

The city of Nablus was founded in 72 CE by the Romans. During the subsequent Ottoman rule, the citywas named “Little Damascus” and visitors to the town can still detect some of the strong pan-Arab roots on which this association is based. In the 19th century, the city became a major industrial center for olive oil and cotton processing. The town’s historic old city includes nine historic mosques, 18 Islamic monuments, an Ayyubid mausoleum and a 17th-century church, as well as Ottoman-era palaces and Turkish baths.