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This is my favourite site in Damascus. It is a place of worship since the 9th century BC, first for the Aramaeans, who built in this spot a temple to god Hadad and then of the Romans who converted it to a temple to god Jupiter. When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, a basilica to John the Baptist replaced the temple. In AD 636, Muslims entered Damascus and the eastern part of the basilica was converted to a mosque, while Christians continued to use the western part as a church. Few years later, the Umayyad caliph Khaled Ibn Al-Walid decided to built a new mosque at this place, so he destroyed the old Roman and Byzantine construction and built a magnificent, grand mosque. Umayyad Mosque is in sanctity second only to the holy mosques of Mecca and Medina. Tourists enter the mosque through Bab al-Amara at the north. Women have to wear a long robe, which is provided to them at the ticket office. Taking photographs is permitted.
Admission 50SP. Open daily from dawn until after sundown prayers, closed 12.30-2pm Friday for noon prayers. Leave a Comment
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