The modest but attractive al-Darwishiyeh Mosque (جامع الدرويشية) is located just beyond the western edge of the old city of Damascus (دمشق). It was constructed between 1572 and 1575 by the Ottoman governor of Damascus (دمشق), Darwish Pasha, who held the position from 1571 to 1571. His tomb is in a small octagonal domed building on the southern side of the complex, joined to the …
Madrasa Abdullah al-Azem (مدرسة عبداللة العظم) was a religious school constructed in 1779 by Abdullah Basha al-Azem (عبداللة باشا العظم), member of the prominent al-Azem (العظم) family. Several members of this family held powerful positions in Syria and Lebanon during the Ottoman period. Abdullah Basha al-Azem (عبداللة باشا العظم) first served as the governor of Aleppo (حلب) beginning in 1794 and later transferred to Damascus …
Murad Basha Mosque (جامع مراد باشا) is one of the more interesting mosques located beyond the walls of the old city of Damascus (دمشق). The mosque was erected by and named after Murad Pasha, who served as the Ottoman governor of Damascus between 1568-1569. This area of the city, southwest of the old city, saw significant development during the Ottoman period as a stopover point …
al-Fathiyeh Mosque (جامع الفتحية) is a beautiful Ottoman-era mosque in the charming old city neighborhood of al-Qaimariyeh (القيمرية), popular for its coffee shops and restaurants. The mosque was constructed in 1743 under Fathi Bin Mohammed Bin Mohammed Bin Mahmoud al-Hanafi al-Qalaqansi (فتحي بن محمد بن محمد بن محمود الحنفي القلاقنسي), an Ottoman treasury official. The building follows the traditional Ottoman architectural plan. An arcaded portico …
Beit al-Sebaai (بيت السباعي) is one of several charming houses in the old city of Damascus (دمشق) built during the Ottoman period (1769-1774). It is now publicly owned and maintained by the Syrian government, frequently used as an art exhibition space and entertainment venue, and occasionally a location for television shows that are set in the Ottoman and French Mandate periods. While relatively small compared …
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 …
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), …
