Zwaitiny (Al-Zuwaytinah)

For English reading visitors of our Zwaitiny website, I just want to Note that the pictures are for the Fawwar Spring ( Al Fawwar, Alfawar) which is really the most important fresh water spring in the Valley and we hope that you all visit the Fawwar and our Village Zwaitiny (also spelled as Zwaitina, Zouitina, Zouitiny, Zawaitina, Zawaitiny, AlZawaitina, Al Zwaitiny, Zueitina, Zweitina) You are welcome. You can visit our visit our village anytime during the year summer, fall, winter, or spring and you always find beautiful, but I promise you to be there in August of every year



Zweitina or Zuwaytini
(Arabic: زُويتينة transliteration: Zūweytīnah)
is a small village located in Western Syria close to the Lebanese borders and administratively belonging to the Governorate of Homs. Its location in the midst of a coniferous mountain makes it a popular and favored summer destination. Its altitude ranges between 400 and 450 meters. Zweitina is perhaps most famous for its Al-Fawwar spring, which is named so because it flows sporadically. Zweitina is home to the historic Saint George's Monastery, one of the oldest in Syria. It is also very close to the Crac des Chevaliers, or Qal`at al-Ḥiṣn.[1]


Etymology
The name Zweitina is derived from the word zeitoun which is Arabic for olive. Zweitina is Arabic for a single olive fruit. Olive trees dominate the forests of Zweitina and are considered the most important crops in the village which produces large amounts of olive product, thus justifying the name.

St. George's MonasteryOthers argue that the name was derived from the Aramaic language and means "the land where silkworms grow" and refers to the silkworms which live and grow on berry trees found in the village's forests.[1]


Demographics & people
Due to changing weather conditions, Zweitina has a changing population, reaching approximately 5,000 inhabitants in summer. It is a village where Christianity dominates. Almost 75% of the original population live outside the village. Allentown and the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, USA, which have the highest number of immigrants from the village, are home to approximately 500 families.[2] Zweitina is also very close to the neighboring village of Marmarita, another Christian village.



Al-Fawwar spring
(Arabic: نبع الفوّار,
Nab` al-Fawwar) is a spring found in northern Syria in a town called Zweitina, which is administratively belonging to the Homs Governorate.

It is one of the most important landmarks in the town because of its religious significance, as it is located near the Saint George's Monastery. Al-Fawwar is basically a small grotto which is entered by going down a few steps where water is released from a few openings. The spring is known for flowing sporadically with random time intervals, the spring might not flow in days or even months. Loud sounds emitted from the underground would usually signal that the spring will flow and are heard minutes before the it starts flowing. The water would usually keep on flowing for a few hours, sometimes a day or two and the water would spread to smaller springs. This phenomenon is explainable though, the water at the opening traps the air and under high pressure the air pushes the water and causes this random strong flow of water. People regard this event as a good sign of good luck and are always happy when this happens.

The spring is surrounded with many restaurants, cafeterias and hotels. Thousands visit the Al-Fawwar spring every year, mainly tourists and visitors visiting the monastery.

Wikipedia
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Sadallah Awad
سعدالله نخلة عوض