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Syria is the cradle of more
than 30 different civilizations. It has more than
2000 historical sites. We can find the traces left
by the pre-historic man, especially near the rivers.
Aleppo is a charming city in
northern Syria recognized for being
one of the 4 Syrian sites on the UNESCO's
world Heritage list. Located at the crossroads of
several trade routes from the 2nd millennium B.C.,
and considered one of the oldest inhabited cities
in the world, Aleppo was ruled
successively by the Hittites, Assyrians, Arabs,
Mongols, Mamelukes and Ottomans.
The main historical sites in Aleppo
are:
Aleppo Citadel:
The largest and the most impressive historical
monument in Aleppo. It is situated
at the center of the city on a hill about 40 meters
high. It was built by Prince Saif Al-Dawleh
Al-Hamadany. Its style combines austerity
with beauty. Beautiful towers are built into the
walls, its imposing entrance is protected by metal
doors, and its fortifications are strengthened by
a deep moat.
The Great Mosque:
Jami Al- Kabir (The Great Mosque)
is the largest and one of the finest in the city.
The Mosque was built in 1213 in
the time of the Omayyad Caliph Suleiman Ibn Abdul
Malek. Its notable features are the beautiful square
minaret, its prayer niche (mihrab), and the pulpit
made of ebony inlaid with ivory.
The Ancient Covered Market (Souk):
The Aleppo covered markets are the longest in
the world. They are seven kilometers long combined
and have 39 market each with its own trading specialty
of goods and.
Baths:
Aleppo has about 60 baths (hammam) some of which
were built more than 800 years ago. Hammam Yalbugha
Al- Nasseri, built in the 14th century, was restored
by the Ministry of Tourism and has been open to
the public since 1985.
Aleppo Museum
At Aleppo museum you will witness, starting at
the main entrance, a temple gateway and a female
sphinx from the Iron Age Neo Hittite settlement
in Tell Khallaf. The first hall exhibits statues
and cuneiform slates from Mari in the Bronze Age,
including some pieces discovered by Agatha Christie's
husband, Max Mallowan, at the site of Tell Brak
(Tell Khouwayra). Further on, you will find a room
containing Bronze Age objects from Hama and Ugarit.
Saint Simon:
In Arabic "Qalaat Seman", which bears the name
of the ascetic Saint Simon (4th century AD), who
spent forty-two years of his life here. It’s isolated
on the top of a column that was several times made
higher (reaching up to about 20 m). It is to be
noted that at the foot of the hill of Saint-Simon,
a village: Deir Semaan, relayed to the monastery
by a processional road, also housed many pilgrims.
Brad Village:
Brad was the capital city of Mount Sima’an (Simon).
Its ruins imply that it was a huge city at
Mar Maroun’s
time. The date of the construction of its big church
coincides with the date upon which Mar Maroun died,
i.e. the early years of the 5th century.
The monastery contains a small church which is destroyed
and it also contains a building to accommodate the
pilgrims, the rest of the building residence are
destroyed, the oil compressor is destroyed also.
There is a destroyed tower and there is a pillar
for the hermits.
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