One of the most incredible fortifications in Syria, and the whole of the Middle East, is the magnificent Aleppo Citadel (قلعة حلب). Located on a naturally formed hill at the center of the old city, the site has been in use since at least the 3rd millennium BCE. It was referenced in cuneiform tablets from Ebla (ايبلا) and Mari (ماري), and a recently excavated temple …
The Great Mosque of Aleppo (جامع حلب الكبير) is the largest and most well-known religious monument in the old city of Aleppo (حلب). Construction of the original mosque at this site began under al-Walid Bin Abd al-Malik (الوليد بن عبد الملك), the Umayyad caliph from 705 until his death in 715. The building was completed during the reign of his successor and brother, Suleiman Bin …
The city of Aleppo (حلب) has a long tradition of trade and commerce, and has historically been Syria’s major economic center. The traditional markets (اسواق) of the old city were, for centuries, the hub of this commercial activity. This maze of covered markets (اسواق) is far more extensive than any other in Syria, totaling a remarkable seven kilometers in length. Exploring these markets (اسواق) is …
One of the major attractions of Aleppo (حلب) is the city’s traditional residential architecture. Throughout the old city and the neighboring historic district of Jdeideh (جديدة) are beautiful residences dating back to the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, and in some instances even earlier. Dozens of these historic buildings had been converted into hotels, cafes, restaurants, and offices in recent decades, providing the opportunity for visitors …
al-Bahramiyeh Mosque (جامع البهرمية) is a spectacular Ottoman-era mosque in the old city of Aleppo (حلب). The mosque was constructed in 1583 by Bahram Pasha, the governor of Aleppo (حلب) at the time. The minaret was later destroyed in an earthquake, and reconstructed in 1698. The interior of the mosque is beautifully decorated, and it is recommended to visit around prayer time to gain access. …
al-Othamaniyeh Mosque (جامع العثمانية), also a religious school, was built in the 1730s by Pasha al-Duraki. It has one of the tallest minarets in the city of Aleppo (حلب), constructed in the traditional Ottoman style. It is centered on a large courtyard with a fountain and two small garden plots. The mosque, on the southern side of the courtyard, is preceded by a three-domed portico …
The Syrian Catholic Church of Saint Asia al-Hakim (كنيسة مار اسيا الحكيم السريان الكاثوليك) was constructed in 1500, one of the earliest churches built in the historic neighborhood of Jdeideh (جديدة). The church was originally called the Cathedral of Our Lady of Syrians and was the seat of the Syrian Catholic Patriarchate between the 17th and 19th centuries. It continued to serve as the main …
Located in the historic Jdeideh (جديدة) neighborhood of Aleppo (حلب), Beit Ajqabash (بيت أجقباش) is a magnificent old home dating back to 1757. Constructed for a wealthy Christian trading family of the same name, it was restored in the 1980s and today houses the Museum of Popular Traditions (متحف التقاليد الشعبية). The home has a beautiful courtyard with a central fountain, and is richly decorated …
al-Aadiliyeh Mosque (جامع العادلية) was constructed under the rule of Ottoman governor Mohammed Basha Bin Douqeh Kein (محمد باشا بن دوقه كين) sometime between 1550 and 1557, with the exact date disputed by historians. This was part of a mid-16th century expansion into the area that was previously an exercise ground under the Mamluks. The building is the second oldest Turkish-style mosque in Aleppo (حلب), …
One of the most fascinating historic monuments in Aleppo (حلب) is the Mamluk-era psychiatric hospital known as al-Bimaristan al-Arghuni (البيمارستان الارغوني). This remarkable institution was one of the first of its kind, providing care for individuals with a variety of mental illnesses at a time when Europeans viewed such people as being possessed by evil spirits. The hospital operated from the 14th century until as …
