Bloudan

Bloudan () is a Sirie toun locatit 51 kilometers north-wast o the Damascus Govrenorate, in the Rif Dimashq Govrenorate an haes an altitude o aboot 1500 meters. In the 2004 census bi the Central Bureau o Statistics it haed a population o 3,101.General Census of Population and Housing 2004 . Sirie Central Bureau o Statistics (CBS). Rif Dimashq Governorate. 

Bloudan is situatit on top o a hill that owerleuks the Zabadani plain an is surroondit bi muntain forests. Its moderate temperatur an law humidity in simmer attracts mony visitors frae Damascus an throughoot Sirie. It is a major touristic destination an aw, it is visitit bi thoosands ivery year, mainly Arabs frae Lebanon an the Arab Gulf. In winter, Bloudan is uisually snawy, an as a result receives mony skiers. Bloudan haes mony restaurants an hotels, maist famous is the Great Bloudan Hotel which hostit the first Arabic conference tae discuss the Palestinian issue in 1937. Bloudan is famous for its mony pairks an springs an aw, such as the Abuzad, Qas'a, an Hazir springs.

Etymology
The current name, Bloudan, is derivit frae the Aramaic name Bil-dan, which means the place o the god Bil or Ba'l. Bloudan is cried the land o awmond, acause its forests are dominatit bi awmond trees.

History
Bloudan is a vera auncient toun whose history goes back tae the Roman era, as is evident bi the paintins an carvins foond in soouthren Bloudan. Remains o an auncient Greek Orthodox monastery an the St. George kirk are foond in the muntains o eastren Bloudan an aw. The historic St. Elias valley is an auncient pairt o the toun, wi biggins that are hunders o year auld.

Modren Bloudan wis built in the 18t century an continues tae grow the day.

 References 

Information , Syrian Tours. Retrieved on 1 December 2006.
بلودان , Syria Atlas. Retrieved on 1 December 2006.

Category:Populatit places in Zabadani Destrict