Damascus – al-Sabuniyeh Mosque دمشق – جامع الصابونية

al-Sabuniyeh Mosque (جامع الصابونية), located just southwest of the old city walls of Damascus (دمشق), is one of several attractive mosques in the area. It was founded as a funerary endowment in 1459-1464 by a rich merchant named Shihab al-Din Ahmad Ibn al-Sabuni, and has since been used as a mosque and religious school (madrasa). The highly decorated façade includes black and white banding, a tall and deeply stalactited doorway, and medallion panels over each set of windows. The octagonal minaret is also elaborately decorated. The mosque is rarely open, but the interior dome is painted with floral designs.

 

Getting There: al-Sabuniyeh Mosque (جامع الصابونية) is located southwest of the old city of Damascus (دمشق). From the main (western) entrance of al-Hamidiyeh Market (سوق الحميدية‎), follow the main street, Aal al-Beit (آل البيت) that runs to the south-southeast along the original boundary of the old city walls. This street will pass al-Darwishiyeh Mosque (جامع الدرويشية) on the right, al-Sibaiyeh Mosque (جامع السيبائية) on the right, al-Sinaniyeh Mosque (جامع السنانية) on the left and al-Ajami Mosque (جامع العجمي) on the right before finally reaching al-Sabuniyeh Mosque (جامع الصابونية) on the right, opposite the cemetery.

Coordinates: 33°30’21.00″N / 36°18’09.00″E

Transliteration Variants: al-Sabuniye Mosque, al-Sabuniyah Mosque, al-Sabuniya Mosque

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