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Aleppo
On latitude 63 North and longitude 36 East, Aleppo is at a distance of 350 km North of
Damascus. It is also one of the oldest cities in the world. Paleotinic and Neolithic
remains are to be found nearby. The kingdom of “ Arman”, believed to be Aleppo it self,
and the kingdom of “Ebla” not far from it, are considered among the oldest kingdoms in
the world. The Akkadian king “Naram sin” takes pride of a victory against them in the
XVIIIth century B.C. during the Amorite period, Aleppo was the capital of “ Yamhad”. It
was thereafter successively occupied by Hittites, Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians,
Greeks, Romans and Byzentines. During the Persian invasion of the Byzentine Empire
in 440 A.D. , it was completely destroyed and rebuilt only during the Umayyad period
after islam.
The crusaders besieged it several times to no avail, and from time tat Nureddin Zenki
began his counter-off against them. It was destroyed in 1260A.D. by the Mogols and
once again in 1400A.D. by Timour Lank ( Tamerlan ). It became a flourishing city during
the Ottoman are because it was a necessary stopping place between the Asiatic and
African provinces of this empire and the capital Constantinople ( Istanbul ). This
importance as trading place draw European merchants since the XVIth century, and
thus we find in it some examples architecture. The brightest period through which
passed was, however, the time of Seif Al-Dawla Al-Hamadani who, in the Xth century
stood alone against the Byzantine offensive in Syria, and made of Aleppo and its citadel
the stronghold of this resistance, as well as a flourishing centre of arts, literature and
industries.
Aleppo has many beautiful archeological monuments. Here are its gates, Bab Al-Faraj,
Bab Al- Nasr, Bab Qinnsrin, Bab Antakieh, here are its places, mosques and churches,
here are its museums, bi maristans ( hospitals ) and other monuments telling of the
glory of its past. Here are its famous Khans ( caravanserais), which speak of its
commercial importance during the Ottoman era, like Khan Al-Jumruk Khan al-Wazir,
Khan Al-Saboun ( this last from the Mamluk era),
Other monuments of great architectural dating from the period of commercial growth
under the Ottomans are the Umayyad Mosque ( as constructed) , the Fardoss Mosque,
the Palace, the palace of justice, the palace of finance, the great Mosque, in addition to
many churches, and the greatest architecturally and arecheologically, in Aleppo is
however the Aleppo citadel.

The souks ( markets ) of Aleppo have an outstanding locally developed architectural
style. Beside general goods they offer a great variety of Aleppo famous handicrafts, like
filigraned gold and silver, hand-made diamond and precious stone, jewels, hand-made
textile products, carpets, hand-made glass-wares, perfumed soaps, laurel soaps and
etc.
Aleppo is also famous for its modern industries, the main souks inside the old town are
souk Al-Joukh, souk Al-Koton, souk Al-Attarin, and so

Aleppo citadel :
It stands in the middle of the town at the height of more than 50m above the surrounding
buildings. It is a very old citadel, perhaps first built during the Yamhad Kingdom era, in
the II millennium B.C., but was completely reconstructed by Seif Al-Dawla in the Xth-XIth
century A.D. in a beautiful Arab-Islamic style of architecture and decoration.
It is surrounded by very deep ditch. Its high doors are reinforced with steel plates. It has
many high towers. The ditch surrounding is in the form of a ring having a diameter of
50m and width of 26m. its main features are the Thorne Room, the bath, the palace and
the small mosque.

Another place worth seeing in Aleppo is the public park which is very beautifully
arranged and through which passes the Qweik river.
It contain also and exhibit of modern arts and many statues are distributed through it
including that of the famous Arab poet and knight Abu-Firas Al-Hamadani.

Aleppo Museum:
It is located in mid-town in Baron street, it is one of the riches museums of the world in
archeological finds from the ancient kingdoms of the east. These finds have been
discovered at the archeological sites of Ugarit, Ebla, Tal Halaf, Al-Nairab, Ain Dara, Tal
Brak, Tal Leilan, Tal Ahmar, Arslan Tash and etc

The façade of the Aleppo museum is the façade of Tal Halaf castel, transported and
reconstructed here. Collections of Aleppo museum have been arranged, and are
displayed according to the respective periods to which they belong. Thus, the museum
has been divided into the following sections:
Prehistoric section.
Ancient Syria section
Classical ( Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine) secion
Arab-Islamic section.
Modern arts section.

The permanent ‘Display of new architectural discoveries” gives evidence of the
importance of the upper Euphrates basin as cradle of oldest civilizations, these
discoveries find their way to Aleppo museum where they are exhibited.

Folklore Museum :
It is located at Ajkabash House, one of the best preserved old building of Aleppo and
feature collection of beautiful made handicrafts for which Aleppo has been famous.

St. Simeon’s Convent, Cathedral and Castle:
Situated at 15km north west of Aleppo, at an altitude of 600m, above mean sea level,
they were built by the Byzantine emperor Zenon in the fifth century around the column
on which Simeon the stylist is said to have passed a great part of his live.
Christian church. It has the form of a huge cross, with total area of 4000m square
approximately, with an altar at the end of each of the four arms of the cross. Its
cornithian columns are adorned with engraved friezes. The Saint’s column stands in the
middle of an octagonal courtyard. Many decorations, mosaic, geometrical figures,
engravings and inscriptions are to be found here. The convent has buildings for monks,
building for pilgrims, and etc.. the whole site is surrounded by hugs walls, with many
towers, for defense. The ruins of this most important archeological site are very well
preserved.