The picture above is of Bluestone restaurant, once considered one of the trendiest eateries in Homs.

Named after Homs’ volcanic stones, the restaurant is located in Bustan al-Diwan (Orchard Court) neighbourhood within the Old Homs district.

Like several other neighbourhoods within Old Homs, Bustan al-Diwan was home to many historical characters. Their houses are now archaeological sites. On some of the walls there, inscriptions in ancient languages, including in Roman, could be found. (Read More...)

Also in one of the neighbourhood’s streets is the resting place of the uncle of Saladin, Asad ad-Din Shirkuh, from the 10th century. Another historic site is the Umm al-Zinar Church, which dates back to the first century.

Bustan al-Diwan has been mainly inhabited by Christians, some of Homs’ original people whose families arrived in the city more than 700 years ago.

The rich heritage and the diversity in this neighbourhood made it a popular destination for tourists and locals who wanted to take strolls and enjoy the scenery of ancient buildings.

The square located in front of Bluestone restaurant had always been packed with young people on Sundays (the Christian holiday) and Fridays (the Muslim holiday).

But the vibrant life in this neighbourhood suddenly came to an end when the Syrian regime began bombarding it.

We never expected that regime forces would resort to shelling Bustan al-Diwan. After all, the regime was trying its best to appease Christians and other minorities as it declared a war on "terrorists" and "Salafists" and "saboteurs"- the labels the regime gave to those who rose against it.

Only few months into the uprising, the regime began shelling the neighbourhood with mortars and rockets. The shelling forced most inhabitants to flee. Muslim and Christian residents received an equal share of the misery.

The regime showed its true face. It had no problem destroying houses when the need arose.

Both Mosques and Churches were targeted. Umm al-Zinnar church endured several shells, which led to the burning of a large part of it.

The once bustling square in front of Bluestone is a ghost town now. Rubble now covers the streets leading to the square.

Small crowds of people may pass through the square every now and then.

These are mostly quick funerals for those killed by the shelling.

This is how Bluestone restaurant looks now: