Location: Aleppo Governorate Map
Aleppo is a second largest city in Syria. It is also one of the oldest cities in the World. History of Aleppo stretches for five thousand years. Situated North of Damascus in Aleppo Governorate it was an important stopping point of Silk Road. Much of its glory and beauty is due to its strategic location on the intersections of trade routes.
The citadel of Aleppo with its characteristic oval
shape extends to the center of the old city, entirely surrounded by the
souks and their inextricable system of alleys.
Suq Al-Attarin
(perfume market) extends from the western flank of the citadel to the
Antioch Gate (Bab Antakieh) and is considered the oldest part of the
city. Here is the Great Mosque of Aleppo.
The more recently built
city extends north and north-west of the souk area to the train station
and beyond.
The east-west oriented Al Khandaq Avenue serves as a
dividing line between the souq area and the Jdeydeh (Literally: "The
New") neighborhood. This hinges on Al Hatab square and has welcomed
Christian elements since the time of the Mamluks, mostly of Armenian
origin or Maronite beliefs who enriched themselves through trade as
evidenced by their opulent mansions that have survived the passage of
time. The churches of the various Christian denominations and the Museum
of Popular Arts are located in Jdeydeh.
Al Telal avenue separates
the Christian neighborhood from that of Azizieh where the national
museum and the famous Baron hotel are located. This is the tourist
district of Aleppo with affordable hotels and restaurants.
The
Public Gardens (Al Adiqa al Amma) are located towards the train station.
Very well looked after, they host a few restaurants and some internet
cafes.
Beyond the railway lines is the university district with
some higher category hotels.
The oldest monument in the city is an 11 km long aqueduct, built by
the Romans. A huge wall, 10 m high and 6.5 m thick, with seven gates,
separates the city from the outskirts. The covered courtyard (bazaar)
opens onto several streets, the whole consists of vaults and is
illuminated from above through windows made partly in special domes.
Aleppo has 7 large churches along with 3 monasteries and the El-Yalawe
mosque in the old Roman style, originally built as a church by Empress
Helena. The main export items and at the same time the main products of
the country are wool, cotton, silk, wax, pistachios, soap, tobacco,
wheat, which are exported mainly to France and Turkish harbors. The
industry is limited to silk products. Residents of Aleppo mainly
consider themselves Sharifs, that is, descendants of Muhammad. Another
pride of the residents is the Citadel, the base of which rises 50 meters
above the city. For a long time, the entire city lay within the citadel,
and only in the 16th century, after Aleppo came under the rule of the
Ottoman Empire, the city began to gradually grow outside the fortress
walls.
The tomb of the poet Nasimi is located in Aleppo.
Aleppo Citadel, a large hilltop fortress rising 50m above the city.
Dating back to the 1st millennium AD. e., some details were completed in
the 13th century. It was damaged as a result of earthquakes, in
particular in 1822.
Madrasah Halauie, built in 1124 on the former
site of the Cathedral of St. Helena. Then Saint Helena, mother of
Constantine the Great, built a large Byzantine cathedral there. When the
invading Crusaders sacked the city, the city's chief judge converted St.
Helena's Cathedral into a mosque, and finally, in the mid-12th century,
Nur ad-Din founded a madrasah, or religious school, here.
Al-Matbah
Al-Ajami, an early 12th-century palace located near the citadel, was
built by the emir Maj ad-Din bin Ad-Daya. It was renovated in the 15th
century. In 1967-1975, the Museum of Folk Traditions was located here.
Al-Shibani cultural center of the 12th century. The ancient church and
school of the Franciscan Missionary of Mary, located in the old city,
currently functions as a cultural center.
Moqaddamia Madrasah, one of
the oldest theological schools in the city, was built in 1168.
Zahiriye Madrasah. Built in 1217 south of Bab El-Maqam, along Az-Zir
Ghazi.
Sultaniye Madrasah, begun by the governor of Aleppo Az-Zahir
Ghazi and completed in 1223-1225 by his son Malik Al-Aziz Muhammad.
Al-Firdaus Madrasah is a mosque called “the most beautiful mosque in
Aleppo.” It was built by the widow of the governor of Aleppo Az-Zahir
Ghazi in 1234-1237. Notable is the courtyard, which has a swimming pool
in the middle, surrounded by arches with antique columns.
National
Library of Aleppo. It was built in the 1930s and opened in 1945.
Grand Seray d'Alep is the former residence of the city governor; was
built in the 1920s and opened in 1933.
Khanqa Al-Farafirah, a Sufi
monastery built in 1237.
Bimaristan Arghun al-Kamili, a refuge that
operated from 1354 until the beginning of the 20th century.
Dar Rajab
Pasha is a large mansion built in the 16th century near Al Khandaq
Street. Recently[when?] the house was restored and turned into a large
cultural center with a theater hall inside.
Beit Jonblat is an old
palace built at the end of the 16th century by the Kurdish ruler of
Aleppo, Hussein Pasha Jan Polad.
Al-Uthmaniya Madrasah, an Islamic
school located in the northern part of Bab An-Nasr. It was founded by
the Ottoman Pasha Al-Duraqi in 1730 and was originally called the
Ridaiya Madrasah.
Beit Marrash. An old Aleppo mansion located in the
Al-Farafira quarter. It was built at the end of the 18th century by the
Marrash family.
Chapel of Bab Al-Faraj. Built in 1898-1899 by the
Austrian architect Cartier.
The most famous historical buildings
of the Christian quarter of Zhdeide
Beit Ajikbash, an old Aleppo
house built in 1757. Since 1975, it has housed the Museum of Folk
Traditions, displaying Aleppo art.
Beit Ghazaleh. A 17th-century
mansion, decorated by the Armenian sculptor Khachadur Bali in 1691.
There was an Armenian school here in the 20th century.
Beit Dallal,
that is, "Dallal House", was built in 1826 on the site of an old
monastery, currently functioning as a hotel.
Beit Wakil, an Aleppo
mansion built in 1603, attracts with its unique wooden decorations. One
of these sets was taken to Berlin and exhibited in the Pergamon Museum,
known as the Aleppo Room.
Gift Basil. House from the early 18th
century, converted into a business school in 2001.
The Gift of
Zamaria, built at the end of the 17th century and owned by the Zamaria
family since the beginning of the 18th century. Currently it is a
boutique hotel.
Aleppo Museum
Museum of Folk Traditions "Aleppo House" in Beit
Achikbash, Zhdeide
Aleppo Citadel Museum
Museum of Medicine and
Science in Bimaristan Arghun al-Kamili
Aleppo Memorial Museum in Beit
Ghazala, Jdeida
Museum of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the old
Armenian Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Zhdeide
Bab el-Hadid (en: Bab al-Hadid) (باب الحديد) (Iron Gate).
Bab
El-Maqam (en: Bab al-Maqam) (باب المقام) (Gate of the Tomb).
Bab
Antakeya (باب انطاكية) (Gate of Antioch).
Bab El-Nasr (en: Bab
al-Nasr) (باب النصر) (Gate of Victory).
Bab El-Faraj (en: Bab
al-Faraj) (باب الفرج) (Gate of Liberation).
Bab Qinnasrin (باب
قنسرين) (Qinnasrin Gate).
Bab Jnen (باب الجنان) (Gate of Gardens).
Bab El-Ahmar (en: Bab al-Ahmar)(باب الأحمر) (Red Gate).
The Great Mosque of Aleppo (Jami el-Kabir) or Umayyad Mosque, founded
in 715 by Walid I and most likely completed by his successor Suleiman.
The building contains the tomb of Zechariah, father of John the Baptist.
The mosque was damaged during the Mongol invasion in 1260, and was
restored. It has four facades of different styles.
Khusruwiyah
Mosque, completed in 1547, was designed by the famous Ottoman architect
Sinan.
Al-Nuqtah Mosque ("Mosque of a drop (of blood)"), Shiite
mosque. It is believed that the site was previously a monastery,
converted into a mosque in 944.
Al-Adeliya Mosque, built in 1555 by
the governor of Aleppo, Muhammad Pasha.
Al-Saffahiya Mosque, built in
1425, with wonderfully designed octagonal minarets.
Al-Qaiqan Mosque
("Mosque of the Crows"), with two ancient basalt columns at the
entrance. The mosque contains a stone block with Hittite inscriptions.
Altun-God mosque (1318).
Al-Tawashi mosque (XIV century, restored in
1537), with a large facade decorated with columns.
Cathedral of the
Forty Martyrs (en: Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs) is an Armenian church
in Zhdeid (XVI century).
Central Synagogue of Aleppo - built ca. 1200
by the Jewish community.
Maronite, Syrian Orthodox, Catholic and many
other churches in the old Christian quarter of Jdeide.
Aleppo is surrounded by many historical monuments and ancient remains
of dead cities. They are a group of 700 abandoned settlements in
northwestern Syria. These cities date back to the 5th century BC and
contain elements of Byzantine architecture.
The most important
dead cities and archaeological sites in the Jebel Semaan (Mount Simeon)
region include:
Kalota Castle, located 20 km northwest of Aleppo. It
was built as a Roman temple in the 2nd century AD. After the conversion
to Christianity, in the 5th century, the temple was turned into a
basilica. As a result of the wars between the Hamdanids and the
Byzantines, the church was turned into a castle in the 10th century. Two
churches near the castle are well preserved: the eastern church, built
in 492, and the western church (6th century).
Basilica of Harab
Shams, one of the oldest and best preserved Christian buildings in the
Levant. The Byzantine church, which lies 21 km northwest of Aleppo,
dates back to the 4th century.
Fafertin Church, a dilapidated Roman
basilica dating from 372 AD, is located 22 km northwest of Aleppo.
According to Aleppo historian Abdallah Hajjar, this basilica is
considered one of the oldest church buildings in the world.
The
village of Surkaniya, located 23 km northwest of Aleppo, is the remains
of an old Byzantine settlement with a dilapidated chapel from the 6th
century.
Kafr Qira is a settlement in the village of Burj Heydar,
located 24 km northwest of Aleppo. There are many dilapidated Christian
buildings dating back to the 4th and 6th centuries.
The historical
settlement of Sinhar, or Simhar, is located 24 km northwest of Aleppo.
Situated in an isolated valley, the village was inhabited between the
2nd and 7th centuries. The Sinhar Church is one of the oldest churches
in Syria and dates back to the 4th century, and there is a 6th century
chapel nearby.
Basilica of Mushabbak. Well-preserved churches from
the second half of the 5th century (about 470) are located 25 km west of
Aleppo, near the city of Daret Azze.
Barjaka or Burj Suleiman is a
village, a historical settlement located 26 km northwest of Aleppo; site
of an old hermitage tower with well-preserved chapels from the 6th
century.
Church in the village of Sheikh Suleiman, located 28 km west
of Aleppo. There are 3 ancient churches in the village: a ruined church,
which is located in the center of the settlement; the well-preserved
southern basilica, built in 602; and the Church of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, dating from the 5th century, which is considered one of the most
beautiful churches in northern Syria. There is also a hermitage tower in
the northern part of the village.
Kafr Nabo, 29 km west of Aleppo.
This is an old Assyrian settlement of the 9th century BC and the site of
an old Roman temple, which was later converted into a church. There are
many well-preserved residential buildings from the 5th and 6th
centuries.
Brad, a city located 32 km west of Aleppo; has many old
basilicas, such as the Maronite monastery of St. Julian of Anazar
(399-402 AD), where the temple of St. Maron is located, and the basilica
in the northern part of the village, built in 561.
The settlement of
Kimar is located 35 km northwest of Aleppo. The village of Roman and
Byzantine eras, dating from the 5th century AD, contains many
well-preserved churches, towers and old water tanks.
Temple of Saint
Simeon the Stylite (Deir Semaan), a well-preserved and one of the most
famous ecclesiastical monuments in Syria, dating from the 5th century.
It is located approximately 35 km northwest of Aleppo. Deir Semaan is
one of the oldest Christian churches in the world.
The village of
Sugane, located 40 km northwest of Aleppo. There are two dilapidated
churches and old reservoirs here.
Ain Dara, an Iron Age Syro-Hittite
temple (c. 10th to 8th centuries BC), is located 45 km northwest of
Aleppo. Known for its resemblance to Solomon's Temple as described in
the Bible. The surviving sculptures depict lions and sphinxes
(comparable to the cherubs of the First Temple). However, Solomon's
Temple was built around 1000-900 BC, and Ain Dara already existed by
that time. Ain Dara was built either in honor of Ishtar, the goddess of
fertility, or in honor of the female goddess Astarte, or in honor of the
deity Baal Hadad - this question remains controversial.
The village
of Bab al-Khawa, located 50 km west of Aleppo on the border with Turkey;
a site with a large number of old churches from the 4th century and
well-preserved gates from the 6th century AD.
Quiros (also known as
Khurus, Arabic: حوروس, or Ayyupolis) is an ancient city located 65 km
north of Aleppo; it houses the ancient temple of Cosmas and Damian
(known as the Temple of Nabi-Uri), as well as an old Roman amphitheater
and two old Roman bridges.
By plane
Aleppo has an international airport where Syrian Air
planes stop from Milan-Malpensa and Rome-Fiumicino. A bus service
provides connections to the center but taxis are not at all expensive.
On the train
The train station is quite centrally located.
Passenger trains connect Aleppo to Latakia and Damascus. Trains from the
Syrian capital arrive late at night so you will need to consider booking
a sleeper. International trains coming from Gaziantep (Türkiye) stop in
Aleppo
The cheapest restaurants are located in the Hotel Baron area. The only Italian restaurant is located inside the Poulman Al Shahba hotel in the university district.
Modest prices
Spring Flower Hostel (Near National Museum), ☎
+963-21-212 2790.
Mar Simaan AlAmoudi Student's Hostel, ☎ +963 21 464
0304. Hostel managed by the Syriac Orthodox archdiocese of Aleppo and
almost always occupied by students who attend summer courses.
Hanadi,
Bab jneen, ☎ +963 21 223 8113. 1 star hotel with very clean rooms in a
restored old building. The rooms have private bathrooms and are equipped
with air conditioning. The use of the washing machine is free for
customers. Trips to the dead cities and the Basilica of San Simeone are
offered.
Average prices
New Omayad (Near Baron Hotel), ☎ +963
21 00963, +963 21 211410. Very simple rooms with private bathroom and
(noisy) air conditioning.
High prices
Hotel Baron, ☎ +963 21
221 0880, fax: +963 21 221 8164. Famous hotel built in 1911 by the two
Armenian brothers of the Mazloumian family. Lawrence of Arabia stayed in
room 202 and Agatha Christie in 203. During her stay, the novelist
worked on writing the first part of her novel "Murder on the Orient
Express". The hotel has preserved the atmosphere of the time intact but
lacks modern comforts.
Chahba Cham Palace (Across the stadium and the
railway lines towards the university district), ☎ +963 21 227 0100, +963
21 266 1600, fax: +963 21 227 0140. The most luxurious of Aleppo hotels.
Swimming pool, tennis courts, fitness room, two cinema rooms.
In ancient times, Aleppo was known under the name Halpe or Halibon,
and the Greeks and Romans called it Veroia (ancient Greek Βέροια, lat.
Beroea). During the Crusades and then during the French Mandate for
Syria and Lebanon, the city was called Aleppo in Italian, instead of
Aleppo. However, the origin of Aleppo's ancient name "Halab" is unclear.
Some suggest that "Halab" means "iron" or "copper", since it was the
main producer of these metals in ancient times. "Halaba" means "white"
in Aramaic, with proponents citing the color of the soil and the
abundance of marble in the area. Another explanation comes from folk
etymology and is that the name is Arabic. حَلَبَ, "Halaba" means "milk
(milk)", referring to the ancient legend that Abraham gave milk to
travelers. They asked each other “حَلَبَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ؟, Halaba
Ibrahiym?”, that is, “Doil Ibrahim (Abraham)?” The color of his cow was
red (Arabic: شَهَبٌ, shaheb), so the city is called حَلَبُ
الشَّهْبَاءُ, “Halab al-Shahba”.
In 2003, the German
archaeologist K. Kohlmeyer discovered two statues (of a god and a king)
during excavations at the Temple of Adad in the citadel of Aleppo, and
the beginning of the inscription in Luwian hieroglyphs on the royal
statue reads: “I am Taita, hero, king of the country of Palestine. I
dedicated the image to my master, the god of the Storm of Aleppo..."
(translated by A. V. Safronov)
Aleppo is located 120 km from the Mediterranean Sea, at an altitude
of 380 m above sea level, 45 km east of the Syrian-Turkish border. The
city is surrounded by agricultural land to the north and west, where
pistachio and olive trees are cultivated. In the east, Aleppo is
surrounded by the Syrian Desert. The city was founded a few kilometers
south of the old city's location, on the right bank of the Kueike River;
the old part of the city lies on the left bank of the river. It was
surrounded by 8 hills, forming a circle with a radius of 10 km, in the
center of which was the main high hill. A fortress dating back to the
2nd millennium BC was built on this hill. These hills are called Tell
al-Sauda, Tell Aisha, Tell al-Sett, Tell al-Yasmin, Tell al-Ansari
(Yarukiyya), An at-Tall, al-Jallum and Bahsita. The old part of the city
was surrounded by an ancient wall consisting of nine gates. The wall was
surrounded by a wide, deep ditch.
With an area of 190 km², Aleppo
is one of the fastest growing cities in the Middle East. The city's
development plan, adopted in 2001, envisaged expanding the total area of
Aleppo to 420 km² by the end of 2015.
Aleppo's climate is very close to the Mediterranean. At the same
time, the mountain plateau on which the city is located significantly
reduces the warming effect of the Mediterranean Sea during the winter
months, which makes winter in Aleppo much colder than in other
Mediterranean cities, although it is shorter. In terms of the average
January temperature, winter is comparable to winter on the southern
coast of Crimea, with stable night frosts observed at night, with a warm
day, although the weather changes very often.
In some years,
serious cold snaps are possible, reaching −5 °C, and occasionally −10
°C. Snow often falls, some winters are snowy and are accompanied by the
formation of temporary snow cover. Windy, damp weather dominates in
winter. Summer is very hot, and there is practically no precipitation.
However, it also begins and ends earlier than in Mediterranean cities.
Temperatures average +36 °C during the day, but often rise above +40 °C.
Spring in Aleppo begins roughly in the second half of February and lasts
until the end of April. Autumn in Aleppo is very short, and only occurs
in November.
Aleppo is one of the most ancient cities in the world; it was inhabited in the 6th millennium BC. Excavations at Tell al-Sauda and Tell al-Ansari (south of the old part of the city) show that the area was inhabited in the second half of the 3rd millennium BC. Aleppo is mentioned in Hittite inscriptions, in the Mari inscriptions on the Euphrates, in central Anatolia, and in the city of Ebla, where it is described as one of the main centers of trade and military art.
Aleppo appears in historical records much earlier than Damascus. The
first mention of it dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. e., when Aleppo
was the capital of the independent kingdom of Ebla. The city was known
as Armi in Ebla and as Armanum in Akkad. Naram-Sin, king of Akkad (or
his grandfather, Sargon the Ancient), destroyed Ebla and Arman in the
23rd century BC.
In the late Babylonian period, Aleppo was first
mentioned under the name Halab (Halap, Halba). The city was the capital
of the Amorite kingdom of Yamhad. The Kingdom of Yamhad (Arabic: يمحاض)
(c. 1800–1600 BC), also known as the “land of Aleppo,” was the strongest
and most powerful kingdom in the Middle East at the time.
Yamhad
was destroyed by the Hittites under Mursili I in the 16th century BC.
However, Aleppo soon resumed its leading role in Syria when Hittite
forces in the region weakened due to internal strife.
Taking
advantage of the anarchy in the region, Parrattarna, king of the Hurrian
kingdom of Mitanni, conquered Aleppo in the 15th century BC.
Subsequently, Aleppo found itself on the front line in the struggle
between Egypt, Mitanni and the Hittite kingdom. Hittite Suppiluliuma I
defeated Mitanni and conquered Aleppo in the 14th century BC. Aleppo had
cult significance for the Hittites: it was the center of worship of the
weather god.
When the Hittite kingdom collapsed in the 12th
century BC Aleppo became part of the Aramean Syro-Hittite kingdom of
Arpad, and later it became the capital of the Aramean Syro-Hittite
kingdom of Hatarikka-Luhuti. In the 9th century BC Aleppo became part of
the Neo-Assyrian Kingdom, and later the Neo-Babylonian Kingdom and the
Achaemenid Empire.
Alexander the Great conquered the city in 333 BC. Seleucus Nicator
founded a Greek settlement here (c. 301-286 BC) and named it Veria,
after the city of Veria in the Macedonian Empire.
Beria remained
under Seleucid rule for almost 300 years. Roman rule ensured the
stability and security of Northern Syria for more than three centuries.
During the Roman era, the population in northern Syria increased
markedly, and it also grew during the rule of the Byzantines in the 5th
century. In late antiquity, Beria was the second largest city after
Antioch, the capital of Syria; and the third largest city in the Roman
Empire. Archaeological evidence suggests high population densities in
villages and towns between Antioch and Berea in the 6th century AD.
Currently, these settlements contain ancient houses and churches, such
as the Church of St. Simeon the Stylite. Saint Maron was probably born
in this region: his tomb is in Brad, west of Aleppo.
Berea is
mentioned in 2 Mac. 13:3.
The Sassanids invaded Syria at the beginning of the 7th century.
Aleppo was soon conquered by the Arabs under the leadership of Khalid
ibn Walid in 637. In 944 it became the seat of the independent emirate
of the Hamdanid prince Sayf al-Dawla, and the city flourished as the
home of the great poet Al-Mutanabbi and the philosopher Al-Farabi. The
city was retaken by the Byzantines in 962 and was part of the Eastern
Roman Empire (Byzantine) from 974 to 987. Aleppo and its emirate became
a vassal state from 969 until the Byzantine-Selju Wars. From 1024 to
1080, with short interruptions, the city was ruled by the Mirdasid
dynasty. Aleppo was besieged twice by the Crusaders, in 1098 and 1124,
but was not conquered.
An earthquake that occurred in 1138
destroyed the city and its surroundings. One cannot rely entirely on
estimates at the time, but it is nevertheless believed that 230,000
people died, thus making it the fifth deadliest earthquake in human
history.
Aleppo fell to Saladin and then to the Ayyubid dynasty
in 1183.
On January 24, 1260, Aleppo was taken by the Mongols led
by Hulagu along with the knights of Prince Bohemond VI of Antioch and
his father-in-law, King Hethum I of Armenia. The city was poorly
defended by the Ayyubid Turan Shah: the walls collapsed after six days
of bombardment, and the citadel after four weeks. Many Muslims and Jews
died, and the Christian population was spared. Since the Mongols
respected Turan Shah for his bravery, they did not kill him. Then the
city was handed over to the former emir of Homs, al-Ashraf Musa, and a
Mongol garrison was established in the city. The award was also given to
Hethum I for his assistance in the capture of Aleppo. Mongol troops then
marched towards Damascus and it surrendered. The Mongols entered
Damascus on March 1, 1260.
In September 1260, the Mamluks
negotiated a treaty with the Franks of Acre that allowed them to pass
through the Crusaders unhindered, and engaged the Mongols (see Battle of
Ain Jalut) on September 3, 1260. The Mamluks were victorious, killing
the Mongol commander Kitbuku, and five days later they recaptured
Damascus. The Muslims captured Aleppo within a month, and the Mamluk
governor was left to rule the city. In December of that year, Hulagu
sent troops to try to retake Aleppo. The Mongols killed a large number
of Muslims in revenge for the death of Kitbuki, but since they failed to
capture the city within two weeks, they were forced to retreat.
In October 1271, the Mongols managed to capture Aleppo again, defeating
the Turkmen troops defending the city and an army of ten thousand from
Anatolia. The Mamluk garrisons fled to the city of Hama, but Baybars
returned with his army to defend Aleppo and the Mongols retreated.
On October 20, 1280, the Mongols retook Aleppo, robbing markets and
setting fire to mosques. The city's Muslim inhabitants fled to Damascus,
where the Mamluk leader Al-Mansur Qalauun was gathering his forces. As
his army approached Aleppo, the Mongols retreated again, returning
across the Euphrates.
In 1400, the Turkic leader Tamerlane
recaptured the city from the Mamluks. Many residents were killed, and a
tower of thousands of human skulls was built outside the city. After the
departure of the Mongols, the entire Muslim population returned to
Aleppo. But the Christians who fled the city during the Mongol invasion
were unable to move back to their quarter in the old part of the city.
This led them to create a new quarter in 1420, built outside the city
walls, in the northern suburbs of Aleppo. This new quarter was called
al-Jdeideh ("new area" in Arabic).
In the 19th century, two major Jewish pogroms took place in the city. In 1947, following the formation of Israel, a major pogrom took place in the city, as a result of which a mass exodus of Jews to Israel began.
In 2012, during the Syrian Civil War, the city became the scene of
fierce fighting between anti-government rebels and terrorist groups on
one side and government forces on the other. The active phase of the
fighting began in the summer of 2012.
Initially, the
confrontation involved mainly moderate opposition groups and government
troops, as well as Kurdish fighters from the People's Protection Units.
Gradually, radical Islamist groups, including the al-Nusra Front and the
Islamic State, began to play an increasingly important role among the
anti-government forces, and numerous allied armed groups (mainly Shiite
militias from Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan) entered the war on the side
of the government. as well as military advisers from Iran. With the
start of the Russian military operation in Syria in September 2015, the
Russian Aerospace Forces joined the armed confrontation in Aleppo,
carrying out air and missile strikes against rebel and terrorist groups.
As the country's largest city by population and considered the
"economic capital of Syria" before the war, Aleppo was seen by parties
to the conflict and experts as having great strategic and political
importance, with the battle for control of the city as a decisive front.
This led to the protracted and fierce nature of the fighting, which led
to massive destruction of urban infrastructure and large losses among
the civilian population.
Having attacked the city in the summer
of 2012, rebel groups quickly captured approximately 40% of its
territory. Their further progress, however, was stopped, and in
2012-2013 the situation became a dead end. The militants managed to cut
the strategic Damascus-Aleppo highway, for control of which fierce
battles began.
On January 15, 2013, powerful explosions occurred
on the territory of the local university. The explosion killed 80 people
and injured about 150 people, including students and refugees housed on
the university grounds.
On March 12, Syrian troops and rebels
resumed fighting for Aleppo International Airport, and rebels also
attacked the Nairab and Mannah air bases near the airport. On March 19,
the nerve gas sarin was used in the Aleppo suburb of Khan al-Asal,
killing 15 people.
By October 2013, half the city was held by
government forces, the other half by various rebel factions. The city's
population has dropped from 2.5 million to less than 1 million since the
conflict began.
In 2014-2015, the Syrian army, supported by
allied militias and Iranian troops, carried out a series of successful
operations that laid the groundwork for the future encirclement and
assault of the city.
On March 4, 2015, a powerful explosion
occurred near the Syrian Air Force intelligence building in Aleppo. The
rebels detonated an explosive device in a tunnel located under the
intelligence service building. More than 30 people died.
On the
night of July 12, a powerful tunnel explosion in the Old City severely
damaged the wall of the Aleppo Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The beginning of the Russian military operation in Syria in
September 2015 made it possible to radically change the situation in
Syria in favor of the government of Bashar al-Assad, unblock Aleppo, and
subsequently establish control over the entire territory of the city.
In February 2016, the Syrian army, in a successful offensive,
surrounded Aleppo from the north, cutting off the militants' supply
lines from the Turkish border.
During the 2016 summer campaign,
the army completed the complete encirclement of the city and began its
siege. According to estimates as of September 2016, about 250 thousand
people remained in the eastern part of Aleppo (controlled by the
opposition and terrorists), and 1.5 million people in the western part
(controlled by government forces).
On July 28, Russia, together
with the Syrian authorities, launched a humanitarian operation in
Aleppo. Three humanitarian corridors were opened for the civilian
population, and a fourth for militants to exit.
In August, the UN
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) expressed
concern about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in
the city, particularly in eastern Aleppo. Later, UN Secretary General
Ban Ki-moon said that there was a high probability of humanitarian
disaster in the city.
The presence of a humanitarian catastrophe
was pointed out at the end of September by the UN Under-Secretary
General for Humanitarian Affairs, Stephen O’Brien. At the same time, UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon accused Syria and Russia of war crimes -
the use of incendiary and bunker bombs against residential areas of
Aleppo.
On November 15, 2016, with massive air and missile
support from the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Syrian army launched an
offensive to capture the uncontrolled (eastern) part of the city, which
a month later led to the collapse of the militants’ defensive lines and
the city’s transition to government control. By mid-December 2016, the
city was completely occupied by government forces.
By the evening
of December 22, 2016, the city finally came under the control of
government forces.
After the liberation of the city, its
residential areas were repeatedly subjected to mortar and rocket attacks
from militants, which led to new casualties.
Aleppo suffered greatly during the fighting, with many local
landmarks damaged or destroyed. Many manufacturing plants in the
country's economic capital were looted.
In July 2019, the central
city market “Al-Saktyya”, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List,
was restored.
In August 2019, the restoration of housing and
infrastructure of the city was still ongoing. By the fall of 2019, a
number of industrial production facilities had been restored. Refugees
who returned to the city took part in the reconstruction of Aleppo
The majority of Aleppo residents are Muslim Arabs. The Christian population consists of Armenians, Greeks, Maronites, Syrian Catholics; There are Jewish and American Protestant communities.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Aleppo was inhabited by 200
thousand inhabitants; the city had extensive industry and trade, its
factories supplied the entire East with silk, paper, wool and brocade
fabrics. But an earthquake, plague and cholera undermined his
well-being. According to the historian from Aleppo, Sheikh Kamel
al-Ghazzi (1853-1933), the population of the city before the devastating
earthquake of 1822 was 400 thousand people. Then, due to cholera and
plague (1823 and 1827, respectively), the population of Aleppo dropped
to 110 thousand people. In 1901, the total population of Aleppo was
108,143 people, of which 76,329 (70.58%) were Muslims, 24,508 (22.66%)
were Catholic Christians; and Jews - 7306 (6.76%). The Christian
population increased significantly with the influx of Armenian refugees
(following the 1915 Armenian genocide) and Syrian Christians from other
cities. After the arrival of the first group of Armenian refugees
(1915-1922), the population of Aleppo in 1922 became 156,748 people, of
which Muslims accounted for 97,600 inhabitants (62.26%), Catholic
Christians - 22,117 (14.11%), Jews - 6580 (4.20%), the number of
Europeans in the city was 2652 (1.70%), Armenian refugees - 20,007
(12.76%) and others - 7792 (4.97%).
The second flow of Armenian
refugees towards Aleppo was caused by the withdrawal of French troops
from Cilicia in 1923. More than 40,000 Armenians arrived in the city
between 1923 and 1925, and Aleppo's population reached 210,000 by the
end of 1925, of which Armenians made up more than 25%.
According
to historical data presented by Sheikh Ramel al-Ghazzi, the vast
majority of Christians in the city of Aleppo were Catholics, until the
last days of Ottoman rule. The growth of Orthodox Christians is
associated, on the one hand, with the arrival of Armenian and Syrian
Christians who survived in Cilicia and southern Turkey; and on the other
hand, with the arrival of a large number of Orthodox Greeks from the
Sanjak of Alexandretta, after its annexation in favor of Turkey (1939).
In 1944, the population of Aleppo was about 325,000 people, where
112,110 (34.5%) were Christians (of which 60,200 were Armenians).
Armenians made up more than half of Aleppo's Christian community until
1947, while many left for Soviet Armenia as part of the Armenian
repatriation (1946–1967).
Aleppo is the most populous city in Syria, with a population of
2,181,061 people (2004). According to official estimates announced by
the Aleppo City Council, the city's population reached 2,301,570 by the
end of 2005. More than 80% of Aleppo's residents are Sunni Muslims.
These are primarily Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens. Other Muslim groups
include Circassians (Circassians, Kabardins, Adygeis), Chechens,
Albanians, Bosniaks and Pomaks.
According to estimates in 2010,
the final report of the Aleppo urban development project carried out by
the city municipality and GTZ as part of the joint Syrian-German program
for sustainable urban development, the city's annual population growth
over the next ten years was expected to be about 2.7% per year, and the
population will reach 3.6 million inhabitants.
One of the largest
Christian communities in the Middle East, Aleppo was home to many
Eastern Christians before the war, mainly Armenians, Syrian Christians
and Melkite Greeks. Before the war, more than 250 thousand Christians
lived in the city, accounting for about 12% of the total population. A
significant number of Syrian Christians in Aleppo are from the city of
Urfa (Turkey) and speak Armenian. A large community of Christians
belongs to the Armenian Apostolic, Syrian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox
churches. There were many Catholics in Aleppo, including Melkite Greeks,
Maronites, Latins, Chaldeans, and Syrian Catholics. Several areas of the
city have a predominantly Christian and Armenian population, such as the
old Christian quarter of Zhdeide. The modern Christian areas are called
Aziziyah, Sulaymaniyah, Ghare de Baghdad, Urube and Meydan. There are 45
active churches in Aleppo belonging to the above-mentioned
denominations.
The Arabic-speaking population of Aleppo speaks a
Northern Syrian dialect called Shawi.
Aleppo is a mixture of several architectural styles. Numerous
invaders, from the Byzantines and Seljuks to the Mamluks and Turks, have
left their marks on the city's architecture for 2,000 years. There are
various buildings from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as hotels,
Muslim schools and hammams, Christian and Muslim buildings in the old
part of the city and the Zhdeide quarter. This quarter contains a large
number of houses from the 16th and 17th centuries that belonged to the
Aleppo bourgeoisie. In Aziziye there are houses of the 19th and early
20th centuries in the Baroque style. The new Shahba quarter mixes
various architectural styles: neoclassical, Norman, oriental and even
Chinese styles.
Aleppo is completely paved with stone, in some
places with large white blocks.
While the old city is
characterized by a large number of mansions, narrow streets and covered
markets, the modern part of the city features wide roads and large
squares such as Saadallah al-Jabiri Square, Freedom Square, President
Square and Sabaa Bahrat Square.
There is a fairly clear division between old and new Aleppo. The old
part is enclosed within walls that form a 5 km long circle with nine
gates. A huge medieval castle, known as the Aleppo Citadel, lies in the
center of the ancient part. It was built like an acropolis.
Historically, Aleppo constantly changed hands, was under the control of
different states, and the political situation was unstable. In this
regard, residents built separate quarters, divided along religious
lines, which were socially and economically independent. A good example
of such neighborhoods is the famous Christian quarter of Zhdeide.
The old city of Aleppo can be divided into two parts: the old part
and Jdeide. As already described above, the old part was built inside
the walls, while Zhdeide is a Christian quarter built at the beginning
of the 15th century, after the Mongol troops left the city. After
Tamerlane invaded Aleppo in 1400 and completely destroyed it, Christians
were forced to leave. But in 1420 they created their own quarter in the
north-west of the city - the Zhdeide quarter. Residents of this area
were mainly engaged in brokerage: they were intermediaries between
foreign traders and local merchants.
The total area of the
ancient city is about 3.5 km². More than 120 thousand inhabitants live
here.
The strategic location of this trading city attracted people of all
races and beliefs to use the commercial roads as the Silk Road passed
through Aleppo. The largest indoor market in the world is located in
Aleppo, with a length of 13 kilometers. Al-Madina, as it is known here,
is a trading center where luxury goods such as raw silk from Iran,
spices and dyes from India, and coffee from Damascus are imported. In
al-Madina you can also find locally made products: wool, agricultural
products and the famous Aleppo soap. Most of the markets were built in
the 14th century, they are named after various professions and crafts:
wool market, copper market and so on. In addition to goods, the market
also houses khans, or caravanserais (Arabic: كاروانسرا). Caravanserais
are characterized by beautiful facades and entrances with wooden doors.
The most famous markets and caravanserais (khans) of the ancient
city:
Khan Ak-Qadi, built in 1450, is one of the oldest caravanserais
in Aleppo.
Khan Al-Burgul, built in 1472.
Souk As-Sabun, or Soap
Khan, built in the early 16th century, is located next to the soap
shops.
Souk Khan An-Nahhasin, or copper market. Built in 1539. Known
for its traditional and modern shoes, it contains 84 stores.
Khan
Ash-Shuneh was built in 1546. It sells traditional Aleppo crafts.
Suk
Khan Al-Harir, or silk khan. Built in the second half of the 16th
century, it has 43 stores and specializes mainly in textile trade.
Souq Khan Al Ghumroq, or Customs Khan, a textile shopping center with 55
shops. Built in 1574, Khan Al-Gumrok is considered the largest khan in
ancient Aleppo.
Souq Khan Al-Wazir, built in 1682, is considered the
main cotton market in Aleppo.
Souq Al-Attareen, or herbal market.
Traditionally it was the main spice market in Aleppo. It currently
operates as a textile sales center with 82 stores.
Souk Az-Zirb, or
Souk Az-Zarb. Coins were minted here during the Mamluk period.
Currently, this market has 71 shops, most of which deal in textiles and
basic needs of the Bedouins.
Souk Al Behramiya has 52 grocery stores
and is located next to the Behramiya Mosque.
Souq Al Haddadin is a
market of old traditional blacksmiths and consists of 37 shops.
Souq
Al Atiq, or the old market, specializes in the sale of leather and
includes 48 shops.
Souq Al-Siyag, or jewelry market, consists of 99
shops and is the main center for jewelry trading in Aleppo and the
entire country.
The Khan of the Venetians was the home of the
Venetian consul and Venetian merchants.
Souq An-Nisuan, or women's
market, is a place where you can find everything a bride needs:
accessories, clothes, and so on.
Al-Suweiqa, or Sueikat Ali (suweiqa
means "small market" in Arabic), is a large market that contains shops
mainly specializing in home and kitchen equipment.
Many
traditional khans also function as markets in the Christian quarter of
Zhdeide:
Souq Al-Hokedoun or "Khan al-Quds". Hokedun means "spiritual
house" in Armenian, as it was built as an inn for Armenian pilgrims on
their way to Jerusalem. The old part of Hockedun dates from the late
15th and early 16th centuries, while the new part was built in the 17th
century. It has now grown into a large market with numerous shops
specializing in clothing trade.
As-Salibe, the center of old
Christian cathedrals.
Souq As-Suf or wool market, surrounded by old
churches.
Bawabat Al-Kasab, wood products store.
The city's main economic role is as a trading place, and it is
located at the crossroads of two trade routes and mediates trade with
India. It continued to prosper until the Europeans began using the sea
route to India around the Cape of Good Hope and then using the route
through Egypt to the Red Sea. Since then, the city has seen a decline in
agricultural exports to surrounding regions, mainly wheat, cotton,
pistachios, olives and sheep.
The main industries are textile,
chemical, pharmaceutical, agro-processing, electrical equipment, and
alcoholic beverages. Tourism is also developed. Aleppo is the largest
urban agglomeration in the Syrian Republic and the largest industrial
center, employing more than 50% of the country's industrial workers and
generating an even larger share of export earnings.
Aleppo is
located in a very favorable area for agriculture.
Tourism was developed in the city. The main tourist places are Aleppo Fortress (411,880), Aleppo Citadel Museum (31847), National Museum (24090). There are 3 five-star hotels, 11 four-star hotels, 8 three-star hotels, 11 two-star hotels, 61 one-star hotels, 11 hostels.