The Marjeh Square (Martyrs' Square) rehabilitation project in Damascus is part of the vision of the Damascus Governorate and competent authorities to develop the historical and urban center of the capital. The project aims to preserve its heritage value while improving its traffic and service efficiency.

Components of the New Design

Osama Khattar, head of the supervision unit at the Supervision Directorate in Damascus, told Al-Watan on 29 August 2026 that the square is being rehabilitated under a new design. The works he listed are:

• Building a small lake within the square.
• Rehabilitating the fountains.
• Laying a green lawn.
• Building a fence around the square and the lake.
• Marking out dedicated pedestrian paths.

Earlier Steps

• Study with Damascus University, January 2024: Al-Thawra quoted Damascus Governorate's Director of Technical Studies on 8 January 2024 as saying that the governorate was preparing, with Damascus University, a study to rehabilitate the square and remove visual distortions from the buildings overlooking it. Construction & Investment Prime (CIP) referred to this earlier study in August 2026.
• Trial traffic arrangement, July 2025: SANA reported on 22 July 2025 that the Traffic Engineering Directorate of Damascus Governorate had introduced a trial traffic arrangement in the square to make walking easier and improve traffic flow, as the square sees heavy footfall and congestion at peak hours.
• Square reopened to traffic, October 2025: Al-Watan reported on 13 October 2025 that roads through the square had been reopened to traffic and concrete blocks removed, after the Governor of Damascus met the neighbourhood committee, merchants and local notables to discuss rehabilitating the square, clearing concrete blocks and other obstructions to movement, and organising public walkways. According to a committee member, the governorate pledged to rehabilitate the lake, provide lighting and maintain a garden.

UPDATE 29.08.2026

Rehabilitation works have begun. Osama Khattar, head of the supervision unit at the Supervision Directorate in Damascus, told Al-Watan on 29 August 2026 that works on Al-Marjeh Square had started under the new design detailed in "Components of the New Design".

Stated timeframe: about one month. According to Khattar, the rehabilitation works are to be fully completed within a month.