About the city of Dura
Naming and origin:
The name Dura is taken from “dor” which is a canaanite name meaning dwelling , and the old name for it is “Adoraim”. In the roman era , it was mentioned as ( Adora ) , and it has been famous
since ancient times for its vines and grapes , which were known as ( Al-Dora ) .
The roots of the city of Dura are deep in history , as the canaanites resided there about 5,000 years ago. Excavation at tel beit mirsim revealed the canaanite civilization and religion , as pottery plaques were found indicating that .
In 586 BC , “ nabu khad naser the chaldean ” destroyed beit mirsim after he destroyed the city of Jerusalem, the persians occupied Dura and parts of Palestine in the year (332 BC ) .
However, in the roman era 63 BC -636 AD , the country was divided into five provinces and Dura was made the capital of the “Idumea” region ,as well as in the ottoman period . Documents indicate that Dura revolted against the legitimate sultan , instigated and funded by France .
Based on the census conducted by the Palestinian national authority in 1997 , the population of the Dura region is ( 55,113 ) with annual growth rate of 3.6%, so the current population in the Dura region is 90,000,while the population of the city of Dura is 38,000, and its land area the city of Dura and its villages are 240 thousand dunums , of which 95 thousand dunums were usurped in 1948 . the remaining area of the city of Dura and its villages is about 145,000 dunums.
Development of the city during the twentieth century:
(1) The period of British occupation and mandate (1918 – 1948)
Dura, like other Palestinian cities, was subject to the British Mandate and suffered greatly from it. Because of its fierce resistance to the British Mandate, the British Army, in 1923 AD, evacuated all of its residents in Al-Kharb to civilian Dura, which narrowed for them due to the small area with the increase in the population. The British Mandate imposed a siege on it for a period of six months in addition. To heavy financial fines.
(2) The Jordanian period:
The city of Dura was affected by the Israeli occupation in terms of the influx of residents from within the Green Line after the occupation of the 48 regions and the migration of its residents to the interior and diaspora. The Jordanian government attempted to conduct land surveys at the level of the Palestinian Bank, but the 1967 war came before this was completed.
(3) The period of the Israeli occupation: (1967 – 1995)
Like other cities in the Palestinian West Bank, the city of Dura was subjected to the Israeli occupation, and it was greatly affected by this occupation in terms of killing, displacement, persecution, and land confiscation. Statistics indicate that the area of land occupied by Israel from the Dura region is about (96,000 dunams).
(4) The Palestinian National Authority:
During the era of the Palestinian National Authority, attempts to seize land by Israeli forces continued, which prompted citizens to form the National Committee to confront settlements. Despite this, the city of Dura occupied a prominent position during the era of the Palestinian National Authority after several ministries and government institutions took their headquarters in the city, thus strengthening This is due to the city’s status and administrative role
Archaeological sites, cultural and historical heritage, and tourism :
Primary goal of work in this field is to preserve the city’s cultural and historical heritage and to preserve the Palestinian identity as the archaeological sites are a witness to the city’s history caring for and preserving these sites is to strengthen the steadfastness of the palestinian citizen in his land and so that current and future generations can understand the development of culture , civilization , and the history of his people . and its origins .
Paying attention to archaeological sites and highlighting them is an opportunity to demonstrate cultural and historical identity, and enhance national belonging and respect for cultural heritage.
The municipality has focused on making archaeological sites become tourist attractions, where visitors can discover the cultural and historical heritage of the region, and thus tourists contribute to strengthening the local economy and supporting interest in those sites.
The main pillar on which the municipality worked hard was to protect heritage from the threats of the occupation, which made the municipality pay attention to all archaeological sites by restoring them and protecting them from pollution, vandalism, and climate change.
From here, the municipality of Dura worked to plan and research how to encourage the tourism sector in the city, especially ecotourism, as ecotourism contributes to encouraging tourists to benefit from the environmental components in terms of the beauty of nature, greenery, tranquility, simplicity, and the lifestyle of the population, all of this to create the concept of ecotourism or alternative tourism. It aims to create a link between the incoming or local tourist with the Palestinian countryside by creating environmental tourist paths that facilitate the tourist’s journey and path.
Pictures of the city’s heritage tourist trails:
Examples of projects that the municipality has worked to achieve to support the tourism, agriculture and industry sectors are:
The inflatable play area in Dura Municipal Park, which plays a role in strengthening partnership with the private sector, providing job opportunities and encouraging the tourism and entertainment sector.
A rehabilitation work project on the municipal slaughterhouse land, which aims to provide an encouraging environment for investment in the health and food aspects.
The Bir al-Wad Garden Project, which is an old well that tells the ancient Palestinian story and how women used to bottle water from it in ancient ways. The municipality restored it and made it a garden frequented by everyone who visits the city. The western well, the eastern well, and the shrine of the Prophet Noah, where there is a hospice that feeds all the needy and everyone who visits it with food. An old Palestinian street and the sidewalk on the agricultural street and Al-Shajar Street, which contributed to domestic tourism and created an infrastructure that supports the tourism sector and the preservation of historical and archaeological places in the city.
Bir El-Wad Park
Al-Shajar Street
The place of the Prophet Noah
The western well
Based on the palestinian situation, attention began to turn somewhat towards the picturesque nature, and rural residences and guest houses appeared in some areas in the palestinian countryside. Palestinian families also opened their doors to those who wanted to discover the palestinians , their customs and traditions in their true nature,and competition began to appear between tourism in cities and tourism in the countryside.
This is what made the municipality establish the Dura archaeological heritage museum to preserve the Palestinian cultural and heritage in the city . the municipality also signed a cooperation agreement with masar Ibrahim Al-Khalil in order to adopt the city of Dura and its countryside in the line of masar Ibrahim.
Accordingly , the municipality of Dura worked to establish a tourist trail , which included the restoration of historical sites , the establishment of rest houses , and the establishment of gardens within the internal tourist trail in the city of Dura .
The municipality also worked to create a new tourist trail complementary to the Ibrahim Al-Khalil Trail and the Dura Heritage Museum, in addition to supplying commercial kiosks for rent to youth, women, and farmers to help create new job opportunities by establishing income-generating economic projects and initiatives, as well as enhancing existing job opportunities for farmers and business owners. By helping them display and market their agricultural products and home handicrafts.
These kiosks were used to display, promote and sell the products of their projects to tourist groups coming from the rest of the country’s governorates. Owners of agricultural lands adjacent to the tourist route will be able to display and market their agricultural crops through these kiosks. As for young men, they can sell drinks and snacks to visitors, and through these kiosks, women will also be able to display and market pastries, homemade sweets, and handicrafts of all kinds that are manufactured in their homes.
The municipality holds an annual camp under the title (Tell me about my country). The camp aims to introduce children to the city’s internal heritage tourism path, during which participants move along the path, accompanied by tourism specialists and youth volunteers, as part of a program of activities that introduce the child to its history and its tangible and intangible heritage capabilities. Materialism.
The municipality also participates in many Palestinian national events that depend on the steadfastness of our Palestinian people on their land and the support of our Palestinian heritage based on the heritage transferred from it:
“Zahrat Al-Reef” competition, where she won second place during Heritage Week in Birzeit
Through the participation of the municipality of Dura, its youth council, the women’s cultural center, the pioneers of reviving the Palestinian heritage, and a group of women from the city in the Zahrat Al-Rif competition, where the participants represented our customs and traditions at weddings before 1948 in the city of Dura, and they told the stories of the threshing floor season in our farms, and about our traditional foods and songs, and they presented Our distinctive traditional uniforms and precious antique ink dresses, and each dress had a story and a story, thanks to the authentic guardians of our heritage, our heritage, our customs and traditions, our artifacts, the stories of our ancestors and their stories, which are the past, present and tomorrow.
Within the municipality’s vision, our participation is based on preserving the Palestinian cultural heritage and promoting it among the emerging generations.
