syriatimes.tishreen.com The house of Hani Hamed House in Ira town has won the 2005 Award which is allocated to the most beautiful rural house in the city.
The award is, in fact, an appreciation certificate that aims to encourage people and architects to commit themselves to the architecture of traditional Arab houses which offer comfort, amity, health and beauty.
Ira, in the south west of Sweida, is famous for its beauty and its gentle night breezes.
Ira takes pride in its old church, Roman antiquities and long history which witnessed the birth of a strong Ghassanide emirate that lasted for more than 200 years.
Ira was among the most populated towns in Jabal Al- Arab and Houran in the 19th century.
In the beginning of the 1940 Ira was the birth place of a famous literary club whose contributions to the development of the country`s cultural movement won the admiration of prominent Syrian personalities.
General Charles De Gaul, leader of the French troops in Syria, paid a visit to Ira in 1941 and he was received by famous woman singer Asmahan. The population of Ira is 10,000 and it covers an area of land estimated 6 square kilometers. |