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As the name implies, this is Aleppo's mosque of mosques, built by Caliph Al Walid of Damascus' Umyyad Mosque fame, and Caliph Suleiman (c. AD 700). Historical buffs may be disappointed to know that nothing much of the original structures exist today due to countless destructions and rebuildings in the past. The sole remaining structure that survives today is the free standing minaret, which, with its intricate ornamentation, is a mesmerizing sight especially when lighted at night.
Entering the mosque won't cost you a single piastre, although donations are welcome. As always, observe proper etiquette when entering such holy Islamic places. Leave a Comment Directions: Within the souq area in the old city
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 Eveningmin the Umayyad Mosque by dabuwan
Inside, there are wonderful big chandeliers hanging from the ceiling; on the outside courtyard green lights are switched on to point the Mecca direction.
The atmosphere is absolutely charming. Leave a Comment
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 Umayyad Mosque courtyard by dabuwan
The confusion about its name apart, it is one of the largest and most famous mosques in the world.
It has been built at the beginning of the 13th century, by the Umayyad dinasty and it is a very well preserved building. Leave a Comment
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 The Massive Courtyard Umayyad
Mosque-Aleppo-Syria by GroverdeanLeave a Comment
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 by Sambawalk
The freestanding minaret was spared from the ravages of the fires and all subsequent destruction in 1090. It remians as original as before. It stands 47m high, with five stoeroies high. It is not possible for visitors to climb up. Leave a Comment
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Aleppo's Great Mosque or Al Jamaa al Kebir, has several alternative names, including, confusingly, like its twin mosque in Damascus, the Umayyad Mosque. The Great Mosque was built between 705 and 715 AD, making it just 10 years' younger than the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, which it looks very similar to.
The mosque is arranged into a rectangle of about 150m x 100m ,with a large courtyard in the middle . There is a gate in each of the four sides allowing access into the mosque through the courtyard, apart from the eastern gate which connects straight to the prayer hall.
Foreign visitors are charged a small admission fee, but are free to wander anywhere inside the mosque and take photos. Leave a Comment
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The Great (Omayyad) Mosque of Aleppo was first built in 715 AD, only 10 years after its namesake mosque in Damascus. Much like the Damascus mosque, the site chosen for the construction had been used for worship for centuries, first as a Semitic temple, then a Roman temple which later became the Byzantine Cathedral of Saint Helena's (mother of Constantine the Great). In fact, the mosque was constructed only on the gardens and courtyard of St Helena's, leaving the adjacent Cathedral intact for use by Christians until the 12th century. Over the years, the mosque suffered several tragic destructions caused by earthquakes, fires and invasions. The most damaging one came at the hands of the Mongols when they invaded Syria in the 13th century. Only the stunning 11th century square Minaret survived the invasions to this day, while the rest of the edifice dates from the reconstruction following the Mongol invasion. The mosque has a spacious courtyard and a vaulted prayer hall, which contains the shrine of Zachariah, father of John the Baptist (whose shrine is in the Omayyad Mosque of Damascus). For more photos of this architectural masterpiece, check out my travelogue "The Omayyad Mosque of Aleppo." Directions: In the Old City, north of the Souk
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The head of Zachariah, King of Israel and father of St. John the Baptist, is kept inside the Great Mosque. It is behind a gold grille. Youy can peer through this and see the head, wrapped in a green cloth, placed on top of an empty gold casket. Leave a Comment
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A small chamber inside the Omayyad Mosque is believed to hold the remains of the prophet Zachariah, father of St John the Baptist. It is said that his remains were discovered in Baalbek in the 11th century and then brought to Aleppo. They were first kept inside a mosque in the Citadel before finally moving to the Omayyad Mosque. During busy times, it is hard to get near the chamber to see what is inside (as was the case when I visited), but one could admire the beauty of the portal and the ancient blue, white and green Kashan tiles surrounding it. Address: Omayyad Mosque
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