Editing Homs (section)

==Culture==
===Cuisine===
[[File:Beit al-Agha Restaurant - Hims, Syria.jpg|thumb|left|Courtyard of Beit al-Agha restaurant]]

Although people in Homs eat the same foods common in [[Levantine cuisine]], the city is well known throughout Syria for its own cuisine. A prominent dish is ''Batarsh'', a type of [[Baba ghanoush|baba ghanouj]] made with yogurt and garlic instead of ''[[tahini]]''.<ref>Wright, 2003, p. 63.</ref> Homs is also home to a variety of ''kibbeh mishwiyyeh'' or "grilled kibbeh". It consists of two pancakes of ''[[kibbeh]]'' stuffed with ground lamb, cooked with lamb fat and various spices.<ref>Wright, 2003, p. 427.</ref> ''Jazar Mahshi'' ("stuffed carrot") is native dish in Homs and is made of yellow carrot stuffed with minced lamb, rice.<ref>Wright, 2003, p. 223.</ref> The city specialises in cooking a type of [[okra]] meal, known as ''bamya bi-l zayt'' ("okra with olive oil").<ref>Wright, 2003, p. 182.</ref>

Homs has an array of restaurants, some specialise in [[Italian cuisine]], while others serve [[Arab cuisine|Arabic food]]. For the local population, popular restaurants serve ''[[shawarma]]'', grilled chicken, and other common Syrian foods, as well as homemade juices. In the Old City, low-price restaurants are grouped together along [[Quwatli Street|Shoukri al-Quwatly Street]] and sell similar foods, such as [[hummus]], [[falafel]], various salads (''[[mezze]]''), [[shish kebab]] and chicken dishes. Restaurants and coffeehouses typically offer [[hookah]]s and are a common place for men to gather and smoke.<ref>Carter, 2004, pp. 158–59.</ref>

===Museums===
[[File:Al-Zehrawi Palace.jpg|thumb|Qasr al-Zahrawi]]
There are two main museums in Homs, both located in the central part of the city. Qasr al-Zahrawi, a former [[Mamluk]]-era palace belonging to Ali ibn Abi al-Fadl al-Azzhari, a subordinate of [[Baibars]], the Mamluk sultan, is now the National Folklore Museum.<ref name="cart158"/> Outside the building is a courtyard, occupied on one side by a large terraced ''[[liwan]]'' with a conch shell semi-dome. In the opposite wall, there is a carving of two lions, a symbol of Baibars. The first museum built in the city, Homs Museum founded in 1922,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dgam.gov.sy/index.php?d=251&id=673|script-title=ar:متحف حمص|work=Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums|language=ar|date=13 December 2012|access-date=3 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204171143/http://www.dgam.gov.sy/index.php?d=251&id=673|archive-date=4 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> is located along [[Quwatli Street (Homs)|Shoukri al-Quwatly Street]] and contains a selection of artefacts from the Homs region, covering the time between the prehistoric and Islamic eras.<ref>Mannheim, 2001, p. 209.</ref>

===Festivals===
Homs has several festivals, and the city annually co-hosts the Desert Folk Festival and the Al-Badiya Festival with [[Palmyra]]. The Desert Folk Festival is an annual festival of the ancient traditions and costumes of the ''Badiya'' ([[Syrian Desert]]) and it includes exhibitions and concerts between Homs and Palmyra. The festival is held in the first week of May.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kadmusarts.com/festivals/3860.html|title=Desert Folk Festival in Palmyra|publisher=KadmusArts|year=2009|access-date=17 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106122006/http://www.kadmusarts.com/festivals/3860.html|archive-date=6 January 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Al-Badiya Festival, which is held mainly in Palmyra with some events in Homs, draws approximately 60,000 tourists during the last week of May. Activities include horse, camel and car races, horse contests, music and theatre shows, antique exhibitions and a crafts market.<ref name=DFF>{{cite web|url=http://www.kadmusarts.com/festivals/3858.html|title=Al Badya {{sic|nolink=y|reason=error in source|Fesival}} (Badyet Al-Chaam)|publisher=KadmusArts|year=2009|access-date=17 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106122711/http://www.kadmusarts.com/festivals/3858.html|archive-date=6 January 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other festivals include the al-Nasarah Festival and the Festival of Krak des Chevaliers and the Valley. An annual festival is held at the [[Church of Saint Elian]], attracting large numbers of pilgrims.<ref name="Beattie, 2001, p.208">Beattie, 2001, p. 208.</ref>

Historically, [[Wednesday]] was considered an important day for Homs citizens which is related to certain events happened in the history of the city. During the [[Royal family of Emesa|Emesani dynasty]] era, people who worshiped the sun god [[Elagabalus (deity)|Elagabalus]] held their [[liturgies]] at the great "Temple of the Sun" (currently [[al-Nouri mosque]]), celebrating the creation of the [[Sun]] on "the fourth day" of the divine workweek (The [[Book of Genesis|Creation narrative]] in the [[Hebrew Bible]]).<ref>{{cite book|author=George Kadar|script-title=ar:أدب الـنـكـتـة، بـحـث في جـذور الـنـكـتـة الـحـمـصـيـة ، حـرب الأيـديـولـوجـيـا الـفـكـاهـيـة و لـيـتـورجـيـا الـمـجـانـيـن الـمـنـدثـرة| title= Adab al-nuktah, baḥth fī judhūr al-nuktah al-Ḥimṣīyah, ḥarb al-aydyūlūjiyā al-fukāhīyah wa-lītūrjiyā al-majānīn al-mundathirah |publisher=Dār Raslān |year=2009|language=ar}}</ref>

===Sports===
[[File:AL Karama stadium.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Khaled Ibn Al Walid Stadium]]]]
Homs is home to two [[association football|football]] clubs. The [[Al-Karamah SC|Al-Karamah]] Sports Club was founded in 1928 and is one of the oldest sports clubs in Syria.<ref name="welt">{{cite web|url=http://www.weltfussballarchiv.com/Vereinsprofilnew.php?ID=22055|title=Al-Karamah Sports Club|publisher=Welt Fussball Archive|access-date=27 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216113334/http://www.weltfussballarchiv.com/Vereinsprofilnew.php?ID=22055|archive-date=16 February 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Al-Karamah is widely acclaimed on the regional and national levels,<ref>Carter, 2004, p. 67.</ref> having won eight [[Syrian Premier League|Syrian League]] titles, and eight [[Syrian Cup]] titles. Al-Karamah was a runner-up in the [[2006 AFC Champions League]]. The second sports club of the city is [[Al-Wathba]] Sports Club, which was founded in 1937. The [[Khalid ibn al-Walid Stadium|Khaled ibn al-Walid Stadium]] has a 35,000-person capacity and is home to both football clubs.<ref name="welt"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weltfussballarchiv.com/Vereinsprofilnew.php?ID=22067|title=Al-Wathba|publisher=Welt Fussball Archive|access-date=27 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317085933/http://www.weltfussballarchiv.com/Vereinsprofilnew.php?ID=22067|archive-date=17 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Another stadium called [[Bassel al-Assad Stadium (Homs)|Bassel al-Assad Stadium]] with a capacity of 25,000 was inaugurated in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://esyria.sy/sites/code/index.php?site=homs&p=stories&category=business&filename=201003021200021|title=موقع حمص – قريباً "حمص" ستكون بملعبين دوليين|website=esyria.sy|access-date=16 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116100312/http://esyria.sy/sites/code/index.php?site=homs&p=stories&category=business&filename=201003021200021|archive-date=16 January 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> Homs has produced a number of well-known sportsmen, including footballers [[Firas Al Khatib]] and [[Jehad Al Hussain]].

===Theaters===
Culture House Theater in Homs was established in 1973. It hosts [[Play (theatre)|theatre plays]], poetry, instrumental and musical festivals.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.discover-syria.com/news/15451|script-title=ar:افتتاح مسرح دار الثقافة بحمص.. مشوح: نجهد للارتقاء بالفكر الثقافي|work=Discover-Syria|language=ar|date=27 June 2014|access-date=2 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107025843/http://www.discover-syria.com/news/15451|archive-date=7 November 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>