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The Ancient City of Aleppo ( ar, مدينة حلب القديمة, Madīnat Ḥalab al-Qadīma) is the historic city centre of
Aleppo )), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black". , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , image_map1 = ...
, Syria. Before the Syrian Civil War, many districts of the ancient city remained essentially unchanged since its construction during the 12th to the 16th century. Being subjected to constant invasions and political instability, the inhabitants of the city were forced to build cell-like quarters and districts that were socially and economically independent. Each district was characterized by the religious and ethnic characteristics of its inhabitants. The Old City of Aleppo – composed of the ancient city within the walls and the old cell-like quarters outside the walls – has an approximate area of , housing more than 120,000 residents. Characterized by its large mansions, narrow alleys, covered souqs and ancient
caravanserais A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was a roadside inn where travelers ( caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across the network of trade routes covering ...
, the Ancient City of Aleppo became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Many sections in the
Al-Madina Souq Al-Madina Souq ( ar, سوق المدينة, Sūq al-Madīna) is the covered souq-market located at the heart of the Syrian city of Aleppo within the walled ancient part of the city. With its long and narrow alleys, al-Madina Souq is the largest ...
and other medieval buildings in the ancient city were destroyed and ruined or burnt as a result of clashes between the Syrian Arab Army and the rebel forces of Jabhat al-Nusra, in what is called the
Battle of Aleppo A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
, launched by the opposition JN armed groups on 25 September 2012. In February 2014, the opposition groups of the Islamic Front claimed responsibility for destroying a series of major historic buildings being used as fortified bases by the Syrian Army in the old city including the justice palace, the Carlton hotel and the old building of the city council. 30% of the Ancient City of Aleppo has been destroyed in the fighting.


Origins and founding

Lying on the left bank of
Queiq River The Queiq ( Modern Standard Arabic: , ''Quwayq'', ; northern Syrian Arabic: ''ʾWēʾ'', ), with many variant spellings, known in antiquity as the Belus ( grc-gre, Βήλος, ''Bēlos''), Chalos and also known in English as the Aleppo Riv ...
the ancient city was surrounded by a circle of eight hills surrounding a prominent central hill on which the castle (originally a temple dating to the 2nd millennium BC) was erected in the shape of an
acropolis An acropolis was the settlement of an upper part of an ancient Greek city, especially a citadel, and frequently a hill with precipitous sides, mainly chosen for purposes of defense. The term is typically used to refer to the Acropolis of Athens, ...
. The radius of the circle is about . The hills are Tell as-Sawda, Tell ʕāysha, Tell as-Sett, Tell al-Yāsmīn (Al-ʕaqaba), Tell al-Ansāri (Yārūqiyya), ʕan at-Tall, al-Jallūm, Baḥsīta. With an approximate area of , the ancient city was enclosed within a historic wall of in circuit that was last rebuilt by the
Mamluke Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') i ...
s. The wall has since mostly disappeared. It had nine gates (5 of them are well preserved) and was surrounded by a broad deep ditch. The newer '' Jdeydeh'' quarters of the old city were first built by the Christians during the early 15th century in the northern suburbs of the ancient city, after the Mongol withdrawal from Aleppo. Jdeydeh is one of the finest examples of a cell-like quarter in Aleppo. As a result of the economic development, many other quarters were established outside the walls of the ancient city during the 15th and 16th centuries.


Historical timeline

Throughout its history, Aleppo has been part of the following states: *ca. 2400 BC–mid 23rd century BC, Kingdom of Armi *mid. 23rd century BC–mid 22nd century BC,
Akkadian Empire The Akkadian Empire () was the first ancient empire of Mesopotamia after the long-lived civilization of Sumer. It was centered in the city of Akkad () and its surrounding region. The empire united Akkadian and Sumerian speakers under one ru ...
*21st century BC–19th century BC, Eblaite Kingdom *ca. 1800 BC–1595 BC,
Amorite The Amorites (; sux, 𒈥𒌅, MAR.TU; Akkadian: 𒀀𒈬𒊒𒌝 or 𒋾𒀉𒉡𒌝/𒊎 ; he, אֱמוֹרִי, 'Ĕmōrī; grc, Ἀμορραῖοι) were an ancient Northwest Semitic-speaking people from the Levant who also occupied la ...
Kingdom of Yamhad *1595 BC–ca. 1500 BC,
Hittite Kingdom The Hittites () were an Anatolian people who played an important role in establishing first a kingdom in Kussara (before 1750 BC), then the Kanesh or Nesha kingdom (c. 1750–1650 BC), and next an empire centered on Hattusa in north-centra ...
*ca. 1500 BC–ca. 1450 BC, Mitanni *ca. 1450 BC–ca. 1350 BC, New Kingdom of Egypt *ca. 1350 BC– early 12th century BC,
Hittite Kingdom The Hittites () were an Anatolian people who played an important role in establishing first a kingdom in Kussara (before 1750 BC), then the Kanesh or Nesha kingdom (c. 1750–1650 BC), and next an empire centered on Hattusa in north-centra ...
*11th century BC,
Syro-Hittite The states that are called Syro-Hittite, Neo-Hittite (in older literature), or Luwian-Aramean (in modern scholarly works), were Luwian and Aramean regional polities of the Iron Age, situated in southeastern parts of modern Turkey and northweste ...
kingdom of Palistin *10th century BC,
Syro-Hittite The states that are called Syro-Hittite, Neo-Hittite (in older literature), or Luwian-Aramean (in modern scholarly works), were Luwian and Aramean regional polities of the Iron Age, situated in southeastern parts of modern Turkey and northweste ...
kingdom of
Bit Agusi Bit Agusi or Bit Agushi (also written Bet Agus) was an ancient Aramaean Syro-Hittite state, established by Gusi of Yakhan at the beginning of the 9th century BC. It had included the cities of Arpad, Nampigi (Nampigu) and later on Aleppo Arpad was ...
*9th century BC–late 7th century BC,
Neo-Assyrian Empire The Neo-Assyrian Empire was the fourth and penultimate stage of ancient Assyrian history and the final and greatest phase of Assyria as an independent state. Beginning with the accession of Adad-nirari II in 911 BC, the Neo-Assyrian Empire grew t ...
*early 6th century BC–mid-6th century BC, Chaldean Empire *ca. 550 BC–ca. 350 BC, Persian
Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire (; peo, wikt:𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎶, 𐎧𐏁𐏂, , ), also called the First Persian Empire, was an History of Iran#Classical antiquity, ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Bas ...
*333 BC–312 BC,
Macedonian Empire Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled by ...
*312 BC–88 BC, Seleucid Empire *88 BC–64 BC,
Armenian Empire The Kingdom of Armenia, also the Kingdom of Greater Armenia, or simply Greater Armenia ( hy, Մեծ Հայք '; la, Armenia Maior), sometimes referred to as the Armenian Empire, was a monarchy in the Ancient Near East which existed from 331 BC ...
*64 BC–27 BC, Roman Republic *27 BC–395 AD,
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
*476–608,
Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
*608–622, Sassanid Persia *622–637,
Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
(restored) *637–661, Rashidun Caliphate *661–750, Umayyad Caliphate *750–878,
Abbasid Caliphate The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...
*878–905,
Tulunids The Tulunids (), were a Mamluk dynasty of Turkic origin who were the first independent dynasty to rule Egypt, as well as much of Syria, since the Ptolemaic dynasty. They were independent from 868, when they broke away from the central authority ...
*905–941,
Abbasid Caliphate The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...
(restored) *941–944,
Ikhshidids The Ikhshidid dynasty (, ) was a Turkic mamluk dynasty who ruled Egypt and the Levant from 935 to 969. Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid, a Turkic mamluk soldier, was appointed governor by the Abbasid Caliph al-Radi. The dynasty carried the Arabic t ...
*944–1003,
Hamdanids The Hamdanid dynasty ( ar, الحمدانيون, al-Ḥamdāniyyūn) was a Twelver Shia Arab dynasty of Northern Mesopotamia and Syria (890–1004). They descended from the ancient Banu Taghlib Christian tribe of Mesopotamia and Eastern Ara ...
*1003–1038, Fatimid Caliphate *1038–1080,
Mirdasids The Mirdasid dynasty ( ar, المرداسيون, al-Mirdāsiyyīn), also called the Banu Mirdas, was an Arab dynasty which ruled an Aleppo-based emirate in northern Syria and the western Jazira (Upper Mesopotamia) more or less continuously fr ...
*1080–1086,
Uqaylids The Uqaylid dynasty () was a Shia Arab dynasty with several lines that ruled in various parts of Al-Jazira, northern Syria and Iraq in the late tenth and eleventh centuries. The main line, centered in Mosul, ruled from 990 to 1096. History Rise ...
*1086–1118, Seljuq Empire *1118–1128,
Artuqids The Artuqid dynasty (alternatively Artukid, Ortoqid, or Ortokid; , pl. ; ; ) was a Turkoman dynasty originated from tribe that ruled in eastern Anatolia, Northern Syria and Northern Iraq in the eleventh through thirteenth centuries. The Artuq ...
*1128–1183,
Zengids The Zengid dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Oghuz Turkic origin, which ruled parts of the Levant and Upper Mesopotamia on behalf of the Seljuk Empire and eventually seized control of Egypt in 1169. In 1174 the Zengid state extended from Tripoli to ...
*1183–1260,
Ayyubids The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladin ...
*1260 March–October, Mongol Empire *1260–1400, Mamluk Sultanate *1400 Timurid Empire *1400–1516, Mamluk Sultanate (restored) *1516–1918, Ottoman Empire *1920 March–July,
Arab Kingdom of Syria The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, No ...
*1920–1924,
State of Aleppo The State of Aleppo (french: État d'Alep; ar, دولة حلب ') was one of the five states that were established by the French High Commissioner of the Levant, General Henri Gouraud, in the French Mandate of Syria which followed the San Remo ...
under the French Mandate *1924–1946, French Mandate of Syria *1946–1958, Syrian Republic *1958–1961, United Arab Republic *1961–present, Syrian Arab Republic


Pre-history and pre-classical era

Aleppo has scarcely been touched by archaeologists, since the modern city occupies its ancient site.


Early Bronze Age

Aleppo appears in historical records as an important city much earlier than Damascus. The first record of Aleppo may be from the third millennium BC if the identification of Aleppo as Armi, a city-state closely related to
Ebla Ebla ( Sumerian: ''eb₂-la'', ar, إبلا, modern: , Tell Mardikh) was one of the earliest kingdoms in Syria. Its remains constitute a tell located about southwest of Aleppo near the village of Mardikh. Ebla was an important center t ...
is correct. Armi has also been identified with the modern Tell Bazi. Giovanni Pettinato describes Armi as Ebla's alter ego. Naram-Sin of Akkad (or his grandfather Sargon) destroyed both Ebla and Arman in the 23rd century BC.Hawkins, John David (2000) ''Inscriptions of the iron age'' p.388


Middle Bronze Age

In the
Old Babylonian Old Babylonian may refer to: *the period of the First Babylonian dynasty (20th to 16th centuries BC) *the historical stage of the Akkadian language Akkadian (, Akkadian: )John Huehnergard & Christopher Woods, "Akkadian and Eblaite", ''The Camb ...
period, Aleppo's name appears as Ḥalab (Ḥalba) for the first time. Aleppo was the capital of the important
Amorite The Amorites (; sux, 𒈥𒌅, MAR.TU; Akkadian: 𒀀𒈬𒊒𒌝 or 𒋾𒀉𒉡𒌝/𒊎 ; he, אֱמוֹרִי, 'Ĕmōrī; grc, Ἀμορραῖοι) were an ancient Northwest Semitic-speaking people from the Levant who also occupied la ...
dynasty of Yamḥad. The kingdom of Yamḥad (ca. 1800-1600 BC), alternatively known as the 'land of Ḥalab,' was the most powerful in the Near East at the time. Yamḥad was destroyed by the Hittites under
Mursilis I Mursili I (also known as Mursilis; sometimes transcribed as Murshili) was a king of the Hittites 1620-1590 BC, as per the middle chronology, the most accepted chronology in our times, (or alternatively c. 1556–1526 BC, short chronology), and wa ...
in the 16th century BC. However, Aleppo soon resumed its leading role in Syria when the Hittite power in the region waned due to internal strife.


Late Bronze Age

Taking advantage of the power vacuum in the region,
Parshatatar Barattarna, Parattarna, Paršatar, or Parshatatar was the name of a Hurrian king of Mitanni and is considered to have reigned, as per middle chronology between c. 1510 and 1490 BC by J. A. Belmonte-Marin quoting H. Klengel. Very few records of hi ...
, king of the Hurrian kingdom of Mitanni, conquered Aleppo in the 15th century BC. Subsequently, Aleppo found itself on the frontline in the struggle between the Mitanni and the Hittites and Egypt. The Hittite Suppiluliumas I permanently defeated Mitanni and conquered Aleppo in the 14th century BC. Aleppo had
cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. Thi ...
ic importance to the Hittites for being the center of worship of the
Storm-God A weather god or goddess, also frequently known as a storm god or goddess, is a deity in mythology associated with weather phenomena such as thunder, snow, lightning, rain, wind, storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Should they only be in charge of ...
.


Iron Age

When the Hittite kingdom collapsed in the 12th century BC, Aleppo became part of the
Syro-Hittite The states that are called Syro-Hittite, Neo-Hittite (in older literature), or Luwian-Aramean (in modern scholarly works), were Luwian and Aramean regional polities of the Iron Age, situated in southeastern parts of modern Turkey and northweste ...
kingdom of Palistin, then the
Aramaean The Arameans ( oar, 𐤀𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤀; arc, 𐡀𐡓𐡌𐡉𐡀; syc, ܐܪ̈ܡܝܐ, Ārāmāyē) were an ancient Semitic-speaking people in the Near East, first recorded in historical sources from the late 12th century BCE. The Aramean ...
Syro-Hittite The states that are called Syro-Hittite, Neo-Hittite (in older literature), or Luwian-Aramean (in modern scholarly works), were Luwian and Aramean regional polities of the Iron Age, situated in southeastern parts of modern Turkey and northweste ...
kingdom of
Bit Agusi Bit Agusi or Bit Agushi (also written Bet Agus) was an ancient Aramaean Syro-Hittite state, established by Gusi of Yakhan at the beginning of the 9th century BC. It had included the cities of Arpad, Nampigi (Nampigu) and later on Aleppo Arpad was ...
(which had its capital at Arpad), it stayed part of that kingdom until conquered by the Assyrians In the 9th century BC, and became part of the
Neo-Assyrian Empire The Neo-Assyrian Empire was the fourth and penultimate stage of ancient Assyrian history and the final and greatest phase of Assyria as an independent state. Beginning with the accession of Adad-nirari II in 911 BC, the Neo-Assyrian Empire grew t ...
until the late 7th century BC, before passing through the hands of the
Neo-Babylonian The Neo-Babylonian Empire or Second Babylonian Empire, historically known as the Chaldean Empire, was the last polity ruled by monarchs native to Mesopotamia. Beginning with the coronation of Nabopolassar as the King of Babylon in 626 BC and being ...
s and the Achamenid Persians.


Classical antiquity

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...
took over the city in 333 BC.
Seleucus Nicator Seleucus I Nicator (; ; grc-gre, Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ , ) was a Macedonian Greek general who was an officer and successor ( ''diadochus'') of Alexander the Great. Seleucus was the founder of the eponymous Seleucid Empire. In the po ...
established a Hellenic settlement in the site between 301–286 BC. He called it ''Beroea'' (Βέροια), after
Beroea Beroea (or Berea) was an ancient city of the Hellenistic period and Roman Empire now known as Veria (or Veroia) in Macedonia, Northern Greece. It is a small city on the eastern side of the Vermio Mountains north of Mount Olympus. The town is ment ...
in Macedon. Northern Syria was the centre of gravity of the Hellenistic colonizing activity, and therefore of Hellenistic culture in the Seleucid Empire. As did other Hellenized cities of the Seleucid kingdom, Beroea probably enjoyed a measure of local autonomy, with a local civic assembly or ' composed of free Hellenes.Phenix, Robert R. (2008) ''The sermons on Joseph of
Balai of Qenneshrin Balai of Qenneshrin ( syr, ܒܠܝ ܕܩܢܫܪܝܢ), was a Syriac saint who lived in Qinnasrin in the 5th century CE. Very little is known about his early life. It has been suggested that he might have been a native of Edessa who later moved to Qin ...
''
Beroea remained under Seleucid rule for nearly 300 years until the last holdings of the Seleucid dynasty were handed over to Pompey in 64 BC, at which time they became a Roman province. Rome's presence afforded relative stability in northern Syria for over three centuries. Although the province was administered by a
legate Legate may refer to: * Legatus, a higher ranking general officer of the Roman army drawn from among the senatorial class :*Legatus Augusti pro praetore, a provincial governor in the Roman Imperial period *A member of a legation *A representative, ...
from Rome, Rome did not impose its administrative organization on the Greek-speaking ruling class. Beroea is mentioned in 2 Macc. 13:3.


Medieval period and the expansion of the city

The Sassanid King Khosrow I pillaged and burned Aleppo in 540 CE. Later on, the Sassanid Persians invaded Syria briefly in the early 7th century. Soon after Aleppo fell to
Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, No ...
s under Khalid ibn al-Walid in 637 CE. In 944 CE, it became the seat of an independent Emirate under the Hamdanid prince
Sayf al-Daula ʿAlī ibn ʾAbū l-Hayjāʾ ʿAbdallāh ibn Ḥamdān ibn al-Ḥārith al-Taghlibī ( ar, علي بن أبو الهيجاء عبد الله بن حمدان بن الحارث التغلبي, 22 June 916 – 9 February 967), more commonly known ...
, and enjoyed a period of great prosperity. On 9 August 1138 CE, a deadly earthquake ravaged the city and the surrounding area. Although estimates from this time are very unreliable, it is believed that 230,000 people died, making it the fifth deadliest earthquake in recorded history. After
Tamerlane Timur ; chg, ''Aqsaq Temür'', 'Timur the Lame') or as ''Sahib-i-Qiran'' ( 'Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction'), his epithet. ( chg, ''Temür'', 'Iron'; 9 April 133617–19 February 1405), later Timūr Gurkānī ( chg, ''Temür Kür ...
invaded Aleppo in 1400 and destroyed it, the Christians migrated out of the city walls and established their own cell in 1420, at the northwestern suburbs of the city, thus founding the quarters of Jdeydeh. The inhabitants of Jdeydeh were mainly brokers who facilitated trade between foreign traders and local merchants. Many other districts were built outside the historic walls during the 15th and 16th centuries. Mention is made of the city, by one of the witches, in William Shakespeare's Macbeth, written between 1603 CE and 1607 CE.


Main sights

Aleppo is characterized by mixed architectural styles, having been ruled, among the other, by Romans, Byzantines, Seljuqs, Mamluks and Ottomans. Various types of 13th and 14th centuries constructions, such as caravanserais, caeserias, Quranic schools, hammams and religious buildings are found in the old city. The quarters of Jdeydeh district are home to numerous 16th and 17th-century houses of the Aleppine bourgeoisie, featuring stone engravings.


Souqs and Khans

The city's strategic trading position attracted settlers of all races and beliefs who wished to take advantage of the commercial roads that met in Aleppo from as far as China and Mesopotamia to the east, Europe to the west, and the Fertile Crescent and Egypt to the south. The largest covered souq-market in the world is in Aleppo, with an approximate length of . ''
Al-Madina Souq Al-Madina Souq ( ar, سوق المدينة, Sūq al-Madīna) is the covered souq-market located at the heart of the Syrian city of Aleppo within the walled ancient part of the city. With its long and narrow alleys, al-Madina Souq is the largest ...
'', as it is locally known, is an active trade centre for imported luxury goods, such as raw silk from Iran, spices and dyes from India, and coffee from Damascus. Souq al-Madina is also home to local products such as wool, agricultural products and soap. Most of the souqs date back to the 14th century and are named after various professions and crafts, hence the wool souq, the copper souq, and so on. Aside from trading, the souq accommodated the traders and their goods in ''khans'' (
caravanserai A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was a roadside inn where travelers ( caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across the network of trade routes covering ...
s) and scattered in the souq. Other types of small market-places were called ''caeserias'' (قيساريات). Caeserias are smaller than khans in their sizes and functioned as workshops for craftsmen. Most of the khans took their names after their location in the souq and function, and are characterized with their beautiful façades and entrances with fortified wooden doors. The most significant khans within and along the covered area of Souq al-Madina are: ''Khan al-Qadi'' from 1450, ''Khan al-Saboun'' from the early 16th century, ''Khan al-Nahhaseen'' from 1539, ''Khan al-Shouneh'' from 1546, ''Khan al-Jumrok'' from 1574, ''Souq Khan al-Wazir'' from 1682, ''Souq al-Farrayin'', ''Souq al-Dira, ''Souq al-Hiraj'', ''Souq al-Attarine'', ''Souq az-Zirb'', ''Souq Marcopoli'', ''Souq as-Siyyagh'', ''The Venetians' Khan'',*''Souq Khan al-Harir'' from the second half of the 16th century, ''Suweiqa'', etc. Other traditional souqs and khans in Jdeydeh quarter (outside the walled city): *''Souq al-Hokedun'' or "Khan al-Quds". Hokedun means "the spiritual house" in
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
, as it was built to serve as a settlement for the Armenian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. The old part of the Hokedun dates back to the late 15th and early 16th centuries while the newer part was built during the 17th century. Nowadays, it is turned into a big souq with a large number of stores specialized in garment trade. *''Souq as-Souf'' or the wool market, located at Salibeh street, surrounded with the old churches of the quarter. *''Bawabet al-Qasab'', a trade centre for wooden products. Al-Madina Souq Al-Madina Souq ( ar, سوق المدينة, Sūq al-Madīna) is the covered souq-market located at the heart of the Syrian city of Aleppo within the walled ancient part of the city. With its long and narrow alleys, al-Madina Souq is the largest ...
"> File:Aleppo Khan Shuneh.jpg, Khan al-Shouneh File:05-03-23 InsideTheSoukInAleppo.JPG, Souq al-Hiraj File:Suq al-Atmah, al-Madina Souq, Aleppo (2).jpg, Souq al-'Atmah File:Covered Suq of Aleppo2.JPG, Souq al-Dira' File:Khan al-Wazir Alp.JPG, Khan al-Wazir


Historic buildings

The most significant historic buildings of the ancient city include: *The ''
Great Mosque of Aleppo The Great Mosque of Aleppo ( ar, جَـامِـع حَـلَـب الْـكَـبِـيْـر, ''Jāmi‘ Ḥalab al-Kabīr'') is the largest and one of the oldest mosques in the city of Aleppo, Syria. It is located in al-Jalloum district of the ...
'' (Arabic: جَـامِـع حَـلَـب الْـكَـبِـيْـر‎, Jāmi‘ Ḥalab al-Kabīr) is the largest and one of the oldest mosques in the city of Aleppo, Syria. It is located in al-Jalloum district of the Ancient City of Aleppo, a World Heritage Site, near the entrance to Al-Madina Souq. The mosque is purportedly home to the remains of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, both of whom are revered in Islam 6] and Christianity. It was built in the beginning of the 8th century CE. However, the current building dates back to the 11th through 14th centuries. The minaret in the mosque was built in 1090, and was destroyed during fighting in the Syrian Civil War in April 2013. *''
The Citadel The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, commonly known simply as The Citadel, is a public senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina. Established in 1842, it is one of six senior military colleges in the United States. ...
'', a large fortress built atop a huge, partially artificial mound rising above the city, dates back to the first millennium BC. Recent excavations unearthed a temple and 25 statues dating back to the first millennium BC. Many of the current structure dates from the 13th century. The Citadel had been extensively damaged by earthquakes, notably in 1822. *''Al-Matbakh al-Ajami'', an early 12th-century palace located near the citadel, built by the
Zengid The Zengid dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Oghuz Turkic origin, which ruled parts of the Levant and Upper Mesopotamia on behalf of the Seljuk Empire and eventually seized control of Egypt in 1169. In 1174 the Zengid state extended from Tripoli to ...
emir ''Majd ad-Din bin ad-Daya''. The building was renovated during the 15th century. It was the home of the ''Popular Traditions Museum'' between 1967–1975. *''
Al-Shibani Church Al-Shibani Church ( ar, كنيسة الشيباني, Kanīsa aš-Šībānī), also known as al-Shibani School ( ar, مدرسة الشيباني, Madrasa aš-Šībānī), is a 12th-century religious and cultural centre located in al-Jalloum distric ...
-School'' of the 12th century, an old church and school of the
Franciscan Missionaries of Mary , image = Mariadelapasion2.jpg , size = 175px , caption = Blessed Mary of the Passion foundress of the congregation , abbreviation = F.M.M , motto = , formation = , founder = Hélène de Chappotin(Siste ...
located in the old city, currently used as a cultural centre. *'' Khanqah al-Farafira'', a 13th-century sufi monastery built in 1237 by
Dayfa Khatun Dayfa Khatun ( ar, ضيفة خاتون; died 1242) was Ayyubid princess, and the regent of Aleppo from 26 November 1236 to 1242, during the minority of her grandson An-Nasir Yusuf. She was an Ayyubid princess, as the daughter of Al-Adil, Sultan o ...
. *''Bimaristan Arghun al-Kamili'', an asylum functioned from 1354 until the early 20th century. *''Dar Rajab Pasha'', a large mansion built during the 16th century near ''al-Khandaq street''. During the first decade of the 21st century, the house was renovated and turned into an important cultural centre with a nearby large theatre hall. *'' Junblatt Palace'', built during the 2nd half of the 16th century by the emir of Kurds in Aleppo and the founder of the Janpolad (Jumblatt) family; Janpolad bek ibn Qasim. *''Beit Marrash'', an old Aleppine mansion located in al-Farafira quarter, built at the end of the 18th century by the Marrash family. *''
Bab al-Faraj Clock Tower Bab al-Faraj Clock Tower ( ar, برج ساعة باب الفرج) is one of the main landmarks of Aleppo, Syria. It was built in 1898-1899 by the French architect of Aleppo city ''Charles Chartier'' with the help of the Syrian engineer ''Bakr Sid ...
'', built in 1898–1899 by the Austrian architect ''Chartier''. *'' Grand Serail d'Alep'', the former seat of the governor of Aleppo, built during the 1920s and opened in 1933. *''
National Library of Aleppo The National Library of Aleppo ( ar, دار الكتب الوطنية) is a Syrian national library in the northern city of Aleppo. It was opened in 1924, at the Islamic awqaf department in Khan al-Jumrok at the time of the French Mandate. Hist ...
'', built during the 1930s and opened in 1945. The most significant historic buildings of Jdeydeh Christian quarter include: *''Beit Wakil'', an Aleppine mansion built in 1603, with unique wooden decorations. One of its decorations was taken to Berlin and exhibited in
Pergamon Museum The Pergamon Museum (; ) is a listed building on the Museum Island in the historic centre of Berlin. It was built from 1910 to 1930 by order of German Emperor Wilhelm II according to plans by Alfred Messel and Ludwig Hoffmann in Stripped C ...
, known as the ''Aleppo Room''. *''
Beit Ghazaleh Beit Ghazaleh (The Ġazaleh House; ar, غزالة) is one of the largest and better-preserved palaces from the Ottoman period in Aleppo. It was named after the Ghazaleh family that owned it for about two centuries. Since 1914, it was used a ...
'', an old 17th-century mansion characterized with fine decorations, carved by the Armenian sculptor ''Khachadur Bali'' in 1691. It was used as an Armenian elementary school during the 20th century. *''Dar Zamaria'', built at the end of the 17th century and owned by ''Zamaria'' family since the early 18th century. Nowadays, the house is turned into a
boutique hotel Boutique hotels are small inventory, design driven, unique hotels with their own character, personality and storytelling at the heart of their concept. Positioning is secondary for these hotels as they focus on authenticity and personalization ...
. *''
Beit Achiqbash Beit Achiqbash (Arabic: بيت أجقباش في الجديدة); (''Bait Achikbache House'', ''Bayt Ajiqbash,'' ''Maison Ajikbash'') is an old Aleppine courtyard mansion built in the mid 18th Century by Qarah Ali (Karaly), a wealthy Christian me ...
'', an old Aleppine house built in 1757. The building is home to the ''Popular Traditions Museum'' since 1975, showing fine decorations of the Aleppine art. *''Dar Basile'', an early 18th-century Aleppine house, operating as a private school since 2001. *''Beit Dallal'' or Dallal House, built in 1826 on the place of an old church and a monastery, nowadays operating as a boutique hotel.


Madrasas

*''
Al-Halawiyah Madrasa Al-Halawiyah Madrasa () is a madrasah complex located in al-Jalloum district of the Ancient city of Aleppo, Syria. It is built in 1124 on the site of Aleppo's Great Byzantine Cathedral of Saint Helena of the 5th century, where, according to tradi ...
'', built in 1124 on the site of Aleppo's 5th century Great Byzantine Cathedral of Saint Helena, where, according to tradition, a
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
temple once stood. Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, built a great
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
cathedral here. When the
Crusaders The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...
were pillaging the surrounding countryside, the city's chief judge converted the cathedral into a mosque. In 1149,
Nur al-Din Nur al-Din ( ar, translit=nūr ad-dīn, نور الدين) is a male Arabic given name, translating to "light of the religion", ''nūr'' meaning "light" and ''dīn'' meaning "religion". More recently, the name has also been used as a surname. There ...
converted it into a madrasah; an Islamic-religious school.Halawiyya Mosque and Madrasa
Archnet Digital Library.
Nowadays, the 6th century Byzantine columns of the old cathedral can be seen in the hall. *''
Al-Muqaddamiyah Madrasa Al-Muqaddamiyah Madrasa () is a madrasah complex in Aleppo, Syria.Muqaddamiyya Madrasa
'', located in the Khan al-Tutun alley, was originally a church before 1123. It was converted into a mosque by the judge of Aleppo ''Ibn-Khashab'', then into a madrasah in 1168 by Izz Eddin Abdal Malek al-Muqadam during Nur al-Din's reign. It is the oldest operating madrasah in Aleppo.Muqaddamiyya Madrasa
Archnet Digital Library.
*'' Al-Shadbakhtiyah Madrasa'', one of the earliest preserved
Ayyubid The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladin ...
madrasas, built in 1193 by Jamal al-Din Shadbakht, a freed slave of
Zengid The Zengid dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Oghuz Turkic origin, which ruled parts of the Levant and Upper Mesopotamia on behalf of the Seljuk Empire and eventually seized control of Egypt in 1169. In 1174 the Zengid state extended from Tripoli to ...
ruler Nur al-Din.Shadbakhtiyya Madrasa
Archnet Digital Library.
*''
Al-Zahiriyah Madrasa Al-Zahiriyah Madrasa () is a 13th-century madrasah complex in Aleppo, Syria.Zahiriyya Madras ...
'', built in 1217 outside the city walls to the south of
Bab al-Maqam Bab al-Maqam ( ar, بَاب الْمَقَام, Bāb al-Maqām), meaning the ''Gate of Maqam'' is one of the Gates of Aleppo. The 13th century structure was built by al-Aziz Muhammad on the road that connected the Maqamat with the Citadel. ...
, by
Az-Zahir Ghazi Al-Malik az-Zahir Ghiyath ud-din Ghazi ibn Yusuf ibn Ayyub (commonly known as az-Zahir Ghazi; 1172 – 8 October 1216) was the Ayyubid emir of Aleppo between 1186 and 1216.
.Zahiriyya Madrasa
Archnet Digital Library.
*''
Al-Sultaniyah Madrasa Al-Sultaniyah Madrasa (), is a madrasah complex located across from the Citadel entrance in the Ancient city of Aleppo, Syria. It is a religious, educational and funerary complex. It contains the tomb of sultan Malik al-Zaher the son of Ayyubid ...
'', begun by Aleppo governor Az-Zahir Ghazi and completed between 1223–1225 by his son Malek al-Aziz Mohammed. The building is most famous for the mirhab of the prayer room. It contains the tomb of sultan Malik al-Zaher the son of
Ayyubid The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladin ...
Sultan Saladin.Sultaniyya Madrasa
Archnet Digital Library.
*''
Al-Firdaws Madrasa Al-Firdaws Madrasa (), also known as School of Paradise, is a 13th-century complex located southwest of Bab al-Maqam in Aleppo, Syria and consists of a madrasa, mausoleum and other functional spaces. It was established in 1235/36 by Dayfa Khatu ...
'', defined as "the most beautiful of the mosques of Aleppo". It was built outside the city walls to the southwest of
Bab al-Maqam Bab al-Maqam ( ar, بَاب الْمَقَام, Bāb al-Maqām), meaning the ''Gate of Maqam'' is one of the Gates of Aleppo. The 13th century structure was built by al-Aziz Muhammad on the road that connected the Maqamat with the Citadel. ...
gate, by
Dayfa Khatun Dayfa Khatun ( ar, ضيفة خاتون; died 1242) was Ayyubid princess, and the regent of Aleppo from 26 November 1236 to 1242, during the minority of her grandson An-Nasir Yusuf. She was an Ayyubid princess, as the daughter of Al-Adil, Sultan o ...
; the widow of governor
Az-Zahir Ghazi Al-Malik az-Zahir Ghiyath ud-din Ghazi ibn Yusuf ibn Ayyub (commonly known as az-Zahir Ghazi; 1172 – 8 October 1216) was the Ayyubid emir of Aleppo between 1186 and 1216.
in 1235–1236, then regent for the
Ayyubid The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladin ...
ruler
An-Nasir Yusuf An-Nasir Yusuf ( ar, الناصر يوسف; AD 1228–1260), fully al-Malik al-Nasir Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn al-Aziz ibn al-Zahir ibn Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub ibn Shazy (), was the Ayyubid Emir of Syria from his seat in Aleppo (1236� ...
. It is known for its large iwan (courtyard) with a pool in the middle surrounded by arches and ancient columns, sporting capitals with a honeycomb pattern. The same style characterizes the domes of the prayer hall. The mihrab is made of veined white marble, red porphyry and green diorite. *'' Al-Kamiliyah Madrasa'', built between 1230–37 outside the city walls by Fatima Khatun daughter of
Ayyubid The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladin ...
Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil.Kamiliyya Madrasa
Archnet Digital Library.
*'' Al-Sharafiyah Madrasa'', located to the northeast of the Great Mosque, founded by ''Abd al-Rahim ibn al-'Ajami'' and his son ''Sharaf al-Din 'Abdul Rahman'' in 1242.Sharafiyya Madrasa
Archnet Digital Library.
*'' Al-Turantaiyah Madrasa'', located outside the city walls to the east of Bab al-Nairab, built between 1241–51 by the Aleppine historian ''Ibn al-Udaym''. *'' Al-Ahmadiyah Madrasa'', opened in 1724 in al-Jalloum district. It has an architectural style of Tekyes structures.Ahmadiyya Madrasa
Archnet Digital Library.
*'' Al-Uthmaniyah Madrasa'', located near Bab al-Nasr, founded by the Ottoman pasha ''Al-Duraki'' in 1730, and was originally named ''Madrasa Ridaiya''.Uthmaniyya Madrasa
Archnet Digital Library.


Places of worship

*''
Al-Shuaibiyah Mosque Al-Shuaibiyah Mosque ( ar, جَامِع الشُّعَيْبِيَّة, Jāmiʿ aš-Šuʿaybīyah) also known as al-Omari ( ar, الْجَامِع الْعُمَرِي, al-Jāmiʿ al-ʿUmarī), al-Tuteh ( ar, جَامِع التُّوتَة, Jāmi ...
'', also known as al-Omari, al-Tuteh and al-Atras mosque, is the oldest mosque in Aleppo, built in 637. It absorbed the ancient Roman triumphal arch, which once marked the beginning of the '' decumanus''. The building was entirely renovated in 1146 and 1401. It is known for its 12th century kufic inscriptions and decorations. *''
Great Mosque of Aleppo The Great Mosque of Aleppo ( ar, جَـامِـع حَـلَـب الْـكَـبِـيْـر, ''Jāmi‘ Ḥalab al-Kabīr'') is the largest and one of the oldest mosques in the city of Aleppo, Syria. It is located in al-Jalloum district of the ...
'' (''Jāmi‘ Bani Omayya al-Kabīr''), founded c. 715 by Umayyad caliph
Walid I Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan ( ar, الوليد بن عبد الملك بن مروان, al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān; ), commonly known as al-Walid I ( ar, الوليد الأول), was the sixth Umayyad caliph, ruling from ...
and most likely completed by his successor Sulayman. The building contains a tomb associated with
Zachary Zachary is a male given name, a variant of Zechariah – the name of several Biblical characters. People *Pope Zachary (679–752), Pope of the Catholic Church from 741 to 752 * Zachary of Vienne (died 106), bishop of Vienne (France), martyr a ...
, father of John the Baptist. Construction of the present structure for Nur al-Din commenced in 1158. However, it was damaged during the Mongol invasion of 1260, and was rebuilt. The tower (described as "the principal monument of medieval Syria") was erected in 1090–1092 under the first Seljuk sultan, Tutush I. It has four façades with different styles. *''
Al-Qaiqan Mosque Al-Qaiqan Mosque ( ar, جَامِع الْقَيْقَان, Jāmiʿ al-Qayqān, lit=Mosque of the Crows) is one of the oldest surviving mosques in Aleppo, Syria. It is located in the western part of the Ancient City of Aleppo, within the historic w ...
'' ("Mosque of the Crows") of the 12th century, decorated with two ancient columns in basalt at the entrance. On the walls of the mosque, a stone block with an
Anatolian hieroglyphs Anatolian hieroglyphs are an indigenous logographic script native to central Anatolia, consisting of some 500 signs. They were once commonly known as Hittite hieroglyphs, but the language they encode proved to be Luwian, not Hittite, and the te ...
inscription could be seen. *''
Altun Bogha Mosque Altun Bogha Mosque ( ar, جَامِع أَلْتُونْبُوغَا, Jāmiʿ ʾAltūnbūḡā) is one of the oldest mosques in Aleppo, Syria. It is located in the Ancient part of the city, east to the Citadel of Aleppo. It is also known as the ...
'' of the Mamluk era, built in 1318. *''
Al-Sahibiyah Mosque Al-Sahibiyah Mosque ( ar, جَامِع الصَّاحِبِيَّة, Jāmiʿ aṣ-Ṣāhibīyah) also known as Fustoq mosque ('جَامِع فُسْتُق' or 'جَامِع فُسْتَق', 'Jāmiʿ Fustaq' or 'Jāmiʿ Fustuq'), is a 14th-centur ...
'' of 1350, built adjacent to
Khan al-Wazir Khan may refer to: *Khan (inn), from Persian, a caravanserai or resting-place for a travelling caravan *Khan (surname), including a list of people with the name *Khan (title), a royal title for a ruler in Mongol and Turkic languages and used by ...
. *''
Al-Tawashi Mosque Al-Tawashi Mosque ( ar, جَامِع الطَّوَاشِيّ, Jāmiʿ aṭ-Ṭawāšī), is one of the historical mosques in Aleppo, Syria, dating back to the Mamluk period. It is located in al-Qasileh district of the Ancient City of Aleppo, ne ...
'' built in 1398 and restored in 1537. It has a great façade decorated with colonnettes. *''
Al-Otrush Mosque Al-Otrush Mosque ( ar, جَامِع الْأُطْرُوش, Jāmiʿ al-ʾUṭrūš) also known as ''Demirdash Mosque'', is a mosque in the Syrian city of Aleppo, located at the south of the Citadel, in "al-A'jam" district of the Ancient City, few ...
'', built in 1398 in
Mamluk Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') i ...
style. It is famous for its decorated façade and the entrance which is topped with traditional Islamic
muqarnas Muqarnas ( ar, مقرنص; fa, مقرنس), also known in Iranian architecture as Ahoopāy ( fa, آهوپای) and in Iberian architecture as Mocárabe, is a form of ornamented vaulting in Islamic architecture. It is the archetypal form of ...
. It was restored in 1922. *''
Al-Saffahiyah Mosque The Al-Saffahiyah Mosque ( ar, جَامِع السَّفَّاحِيَّة, Jāmiʿ as-Saffāḥīyah) is a mosque in Aleppo, located to the south-west of the Citadel, at "Al-Jalloum" district of the ancient city, to the east of Al-Shibani Church- ...
'', erected in 1425 and partly renovated in 1925. It is famous for its preciously decorated octagonal minaret. *''
Khusruwiyah Mosque The Khusraw mosque Arabized as Khusruwiyah Mosque ( ar, جَامِع الْخُسْرُوِيَّة, Jāmiʿ al-Ḵusruwīyah; tr, Hüsreviye Camii) was a mosque complex in Aleppo, Syria. It was located southeast of the Citadel. The mosque was co ...
'' completed in 1547, designed by the famous Ottoman architect '' Mimar Sinan''. *''
Al-Adiliyah Mosque __NOTOC__ Al-Adiliyah Mosque ( ar, جَامِع الْعَادِلِيَّة, Jāmiʿ al-ʿAdilīyah, tr, Adliye Camii) or Dukaginzâde Mehmed Pasha mosque was a külliye in Aleppo, located to the southwest of the Citadel A citadel is the core ...
'', built in 1557 by the Ottoman governor of Aleppo ''Muhammed Pasha''. It has a prayer hall preceded by an arcade, with a dome, a ''mihrab'' with local faience tiles. *The old church of the ''Holy Mother of God'' of the
Armenian Apostolic Church , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...
at Jdeydeh quarter, built before 1429. *'' The Forty Martyrs'' Armenian Apostolic cathedral of 1429, located in Jdeydeh quarter. *''
Mar Assia al-Hakim Church Mar Assia al-Hakim Church ( ar, كنيسة مار آسيا الحكيم) is a Syriac Catholic Church in Al-Jdayde quarter of Aleppo, Syria. The church belongs to the Archeparchy of Aleppo of the Syrian Catholic Church. It was completed in 1500 an ...
'' Syrian Catholic church of the 15th century in Jdeydeh. *''The Dormition of Our Lady'' Greek Orthodox church of the 15th century in Jdeydeh. * Churches of Jdeydeh Christian quarter such as the Maronite ''
Saint Elias Cathedral Saint Elijah Cathedral ( ar, كاتدرائية القدّيِس الياس), is an Eastern Catholic (Maronite) church in Aleppo, Syria, located in the Christian quarter of al-Jdayde. It is named after the biblical prophet Elijah. The church was ...
'', the Armenian Catholic Cathedral of ''Our Mother of Reliefs'' and the Melkite Greek Catholic ''Cathedral of Virgin Mary''. *''The
Central Synagogue of Aleppo The Central Synagogue of Aleppo, ( he, בית הכנסת המרכזי בחאלֶבּ, ar, كنيس حلب المركزي, Kanīs Ḥalab al-Markazī), also known as the Great Synagogue of Aleppo, Joab's Synagogue or Al-Bandara Synagogue ( ar, ...
'' or ''al-Bandara synagogue'', completed as early as the 9th century by the efforts of the Jewish community. The synagogue was ruined several times until 1428 when it was restored. Recently, the building was renovated by the efforts of Aleppine Jewish migrants in United States.


Gates

The old part of the city is surrounded with thick walls, pierced by the nine historical gates (many of them are well-preserved) of the old town. These are, clockwise from the north-east of the citadel: *
Bab al-Hadid Bab al-Hadid ( ar, بَاب الْحَدِيْد, Bāb al-Ḥadīd) meaning the ''Iron Gate of Victory'', is one of the nine historical gates of the Ancient City of Aleppo, Syria. It is one of the well-preserved gates of old Aleppo. History The ...
(Iron Gate) *
Bab al-Ahmar Bab al-Ahmar ( ar, بَاب الْأَحْمَر, Bāb al-ʾAḥmar) meaning the ''Red Gate'', was one of the nine historical gates of the Ancient City of Aleppo, Syria. The name was derived from the village of al-Hamr ( ar, الحمر) as the ga ...
(Red Gate, completely ruined) *
Bab al-Nairab Bab al-Nairab ( ar, بَاب النَّيْرَب, Bāb an-Nayrab, also spelled Bab al-Nayrab) meaning the "Gate of al-Nayrab", was one of the nine historical gates of the Ancient City of Aleppo in northern Syria, but has since disappeared. Its nam ...
(Gate of Nairab, completely ruined) *
Bab al-Maqam Bab al-Maqam ( ar, بَاب الْمَقَام, Bāb al-Maqām), meaning the ''Gate of Maqam'' is one of the Gates of Aleppo. The 13th century structure was built by al-Aziz Muhammad on the road that connected the Maqamat with the Citadel. ...
(Gate of the Shrine) *
Bab Qinnasrin Bab Qinnasrin ( ar, بَاب قِنَّسْرِيْن, Bāb Qinnasrīn), meaning the ''Gate of Qinnasrin'' is one of the gates of the medieval Old City of Aleppo in northern Syria. In its present form, it dates to 1256. History The gate was ori ...
(Gate of Qinnasrin) *
Bab Antakeya Bāb Antakiya ( ar, بَاب أَنْطَاكِيَّة, Bāb ʾAnṭākīyah, Aleppo Arabic: , "Gate of Antioch") is a critical defense gate in Aleppo, and protects the city from the west. Bab Antakiya is located in the centre of the western wal ...
(Gate of Antioch) * Bāb Jnēn (Gate of Gardens, completely ruined) * Bab al-Faraj (Gate of Deliverance, completely ruined) * Bab al-Nasr (Victory Gate, partially ruined)


Hammams

Aleppo was home to 177 hammams during the medieval period, until the Mongol invasion when many vital structures in the city were destroyed. Nowadays, roughly 18 hammams are operating in the old city. *Hammam al-Sultan built in 1211 by
Az-Zahir Ghazi Al-Malik az-Zahir Ghiyath ud-din Ghazi ibn Yusuf ibn Ayyub (commonly known as az-Zahir Ghazi; 1172 – 8 October 1216) was the Ayyubid emir of Aleppo between 1186 and 1216.
. *
Hammam al-Nahhasin Hammam al-Nahhasin ( ar, حمام النحاسين) is one of the oldest and largest public baths (hammam or Turkish bath) in Aleppo, Syria. It is located in Al-Madina Souq of the Ancient City of Aleppo, to the south of the Great Umayyad Mosque, ...
built during the 12th century near Khan al-Nahhasin. *
Hammam Bab al-Ahmar Hammam Bab al-Ahmar ( ar, حمام الباب الأحمر, Hamaam Bāb al-Aḥmar) meaning the ''Red Gate'', is a hammam located in Aleppo. Located in the Ancient City of Aleppo, near the Citadel of Aleppo, it is famous for its dome and decor fro ...
built by Ottomans. * Hammam al-Bayadah of the Mamluk era built in 1450. *
Hammam Yalbugha Hammam Yalbugha ( ar, حمام يلبغا) is a Mamluk-era public bath ("hammam") in Aleppo, Syria. It was built in 1491 by the Emir of Aleppo Saif ad-Din Yalbugha al-Naseri. It is located next to the entrance of the Citadel of Aleppo ...
built in 1491 by the
Emir of Aleppo The rulers of Aleppo ruled as kings, emirs and sultans of the city and its surrounding region since the later half of the 3rd millennium BC, starting with the kings of Armi, followed by the Amorite dynasty of Yamhad. Muslim rule of the city end ...
Saif ad-Din Yalbugha al-Naseri. *Hammam al-Jawhary, hammam Azdemir, hammam Bahram Pasha, etc.


Districts and subdivisions

Old quarters around the citadel inside the walls of the ancient city: *Al-A'jam (الأعجام) district with the neighborhood of ad-Dahdileh (الدحديلة). *Altunbogha (ألتونبوغا) district with the neighborhoods of Oghlubek (أوغلبك) and Sahet al-Milh (ساحة الملح). *Aqabeh (العقبة) district with the neighborhoods of Bahsita (بحسيتا), Khan al-Harir (خان الحرير), al-Masaben (المصابن) and Jebb Asad Allah (جب أسد الله). *Bayadah (البياضة) district with the neighborhoods of Jbeileh الجبيلة, Keltawiyeh (الكلتاوية) and Mustadamiyeh (المستدامية). *Farafira (الفرافرة) district with the neighborhoods of Bandara (البندرة), Qastal Hajjarin (قسطل الحجارين), ad-Dabbagha al-Atiqa (الدباغة العتيقة), Suweiqat Ali (سويقة علي) and Suweiqat Hatem (سويقة حاتم). *Jalloum (الجلوم) district with the neighborhoods of Saffahiyeh (السفاحية), Khan al-Wazir (خان الوزير) and Souq al-Madina (سوق المدينة). *Qal'at al-Sharif (قلعة الشريف) district with the neighborhood of Tallet Alsauda (تلة السودا). *Al-Qasileh (القصيلة) district with the neighborhood of al-Hawraneh (الحورانة). *Sahet Bizzeh (ساحة بزة) district with the neighborhood of Maghazleh (المغازلة). Old quarters outside the walls of the ancient city: *Abraj (الأبراج) district with the neighborhoods of Haret al-Pasha (حارة الباشا) and Shaker Agha (شاكر آغا). *Aghyol (أقيول) district with the neighborhood of Shmesatiyeh (الشميصاتية). *Almaji (ألمه جي) with the neighborhoods of Qastal Harami (قسطل الحرامي), Wakiliyeh (الوكيلية) and Shara'sous (شرعسوس). *Bab al-Maqam (باب المقام) district with the neighborhoods of al-Maghayer (المغاير) and Maqamat (المقامات). *Ballat (البلاط) with the neighborhoods of Qattaneh (القطانة) and Sahet Hamad (ساحة حمد). *Ad-Dallalin (الدلالين) district. *Ad-Dudu (الضوضو) with the neighborhoods of Safsafeh (الصفصافة), Jubb al-Qubbeh (جب القبة), Jubb Qaraman (جب قرمان) and Barriyet al-Maslakh (برية المسلخ). *Fardos (الفردوس) district. *Hazzazeh (الهزازة) with the neighborhoods of at-Tadribeh (التدريبة) and Zuqaq al-Arba'in (زقاق الأربعين). *Ibn Ya'qoub (ابن يعقوب) district with the neighborhoods of Banqusa (بانقوسا) and Mushatiyeh (المشاطية). *Beit Meheb district or
Jdeideh Jdeideh ( ar, جديدة المتن translit. al-Judaydat), also Jdayde, Jdaideh and Jdeidet el-Matn, is a coastal municipality and the administrative capital of the Matn District in the Mount Lebanon Governorate. Jdeideh has an area of approxi ...
quarter (بيت محب أو الجديدة) with the neighborhoods of Sissi (سيسي), Salibeh (الصليبة), Bawabet al-Qasab (بوابة القصب), Basatneh (البساتنة), al-Muballet (المبلط) and Sahet at-Tananir (ساحة التنانير). *Kallaseh (الكلاسة) district. *Muhammad Bek (محمد بك) district (also called
Bab al-Nairab Bab al-Nairab ( ar, بَاب النَّيْرَب, Bāb an-Nayrab, also spelled Bab al-Nayrab) meaning the "Gate of al-Nayrab", was one of the nine historical gates of the Ancient City of Aleppo in northern Syria, but has since disappeared. Its nam ...
) with the neighborhoods of Badenjk (بادنجك), Baggara (البكارة) and Sakhaneh (السخانة). *Qadi Askar (قاضي عسكر) district with the neighborhood of Hamza Bek (حمزة بك). *Qarleq (قرلق) district. *Qastal al-Mosht (قسطل المشط) district with the neighborhoods of al-Aryan (العريان), Trab al-Ghuraba (تراب الغرباء) and Mawardi (الماوردي). *Sajlikhan (صاجليخان) district with the neighborhood of Aghajek (أغاجك). *As-Salheen (الصالحين) district. *Tatarlar (تاتارلار) district.


Preservation of the ancient city

As an ancient trading centre, Aleppo's impressive '' souqs'', ''khans'', ''hammams'', ''madrasas'', mosques and churches are all in need of more care and preservation work. After World War II, the city was significantly redesigned; in 1954 French architect André Gutton had a number of wide new roads cut through the city to allow easier passage for modern traffic. Between 1954-1983 many buildings in the old city were demolished to allow for the construction of modern apartment blocks, particularly in the northwestern areas (Bab al-Faraj and
Bab al-Jinan Bab al-Jinan ( ar, بَاب الْجِنَان, Bāb al-Jinān), meaning the ''Gate of Gardens'', was one of the gates of Aleppo that used to lead to gardens on the banks of the Quwēq river. The gate is thought to have been built by Sayf al-Dawl ...
). As awareness for the need to preserve this unique cultural heritage increased, Gutton's master plan was finally abandoned in 1979 to be replaced with a new plan presented by the Swiss expert and urban designer
Stefano Bianca Stefano Bianca is a Swiss architectural historian and an urban design Urban design is an approach to the design of buildings and the spaces between them that focuses on specific design processes and outcomes. In addition to designing and shaping ...
, which adopted the idea of "preserving the traditional architectural style of Ancient Aleppo" paving the way for prominent local activists, among them
Adli Qudsi Adli Qudsi (1940 – 2018) was an architect known for his efforts in the reconstruction and preservation of the ancient city of Aleppo, Syria. In the 1970s, he successfully halted an urban expansion project that would have widened the streets of t ...
, to convince UNESCO to declare the Ancient City of Aleppo as a World Heritage Site in 1986. Several international institutions joined efforts with local authorities and the Aleppo Archaeological Society, to rehabilitate the old city by accommodating contemporary life while preserving the old one. The governorate and the municipality were implementing serious programmes directed towards the enhancement of the ancient city and Jdeydeh quarter. The German Technical Cooperation ( GTZ) and
Aga Khan Foundation The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a private, not-for-profit international development agency, which was founded in 1967 by Shah Karim Al Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. AKF seeks to provide long-term ...
(within the frames of
Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme The Historic Cities Programme (HCP) of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) promotes the conservation and re-use of buildings and public spaces in historic cities of the Muslim world. HCP undertakes the restoration and rehabilitation of historic ...
) had a great contribution in the preservation process of the old city. The local representative of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture from 1999 until 2008 was the architect
Adli Qudsi Adli Qudsi (1940 – 2018) was an architect known for his efforts in the reconstruction and preservation of the ancient city of Aleppo, Syria. In the 1970s, he successfully halted an urban expansion project that would have widened the streets of t ...
, who played a large role in the protection of the Old City from the destructive forces of urban expansion.


See also

* Tourism in Syria *
Al-Shibani Church Al-Shibani Church ( ar, كنيسة الشيباني, Kanīsa aš-Šībānī), also known as al-Shibani School ( ar, مدرسة الشيباني, Madrasa aš-Šībānī), is a 12th-century religious and cultural centre located in al-Jalloum distric ...
*
Aleppo )), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black". , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , image_map1 = ...
*
Aleppo Codex The Aleppo Codex ( he, כֶּתֶר אֲרָם צוֹבָא, romanized: , lit. 'Crown of Aleppo') is a medieval bound manuscript of the Hebrew Bible. The codex was written in the city of Tiberias in the tenth century CE (circa 920) under the r ...
*
Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016) {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Battle of Aleppo{{lang, ar, مَعْرَكَةُ حَلَبَ , partof = the Syrian Civil War , image = , caption = Clockwise from top-left: A destroyed tank ...
*
Central Synagogue of Aleppo The Central Synagogue of Aleppo, ( he, בית הכנסת המרכזי בחאלֶבּ, ar, كنيس حلب المركزي, Kanīs Ḥalab al-Markazī), also known as the Great Synagogue of Aleppo, Joab's Synagogue or Al-Bandara Synagogue ( ar, ...
*
Dead Cities The Dead Cities ( ar, المدن الميتة) or Forgotten Cities ( ar, المدن المنسية) are a group of 700 abandoned settlements in northwest Syria between Aleppo and Idlib. Around 40 villages grouped in eight archaeological parks sit ...
* Timeline of Aleppo history *
World Heritage Sites in Danger The List of World Heritage in Danger is compiled by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) through the World Heritage Committee according to Article 11.4 of the World Heritage Convention,Full title: ''Conv ...


References


External links


3-D Old Aleppo mapAleppo news and services (eAleppo)Organization of World Heritage CitiesErnst Herzfeld Papers, Series 5: Drawings and Maps, Records of Aleppo
Collections Search Center, S.I.R.I.S., Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

{{Aleppo landmarks World Heritage Sites in Danger Historic sites in Syria Neighborhoods of Aleppo Architecture in Syria Arabic architecture History of Aleppo Amorite cities