Syria reopens Great Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo after 13 years

Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib on Thursday attended the reopening of the Great Umayyad Mosque in the northern Syrian city, marking the return to service of the historic site after 13 years of closure due to civil war damage. State-run Alikhbariah TV broadcast the ceremony live, according to the outlet.

War damage and restoration

Intense fighting engulfed the mosque and its surroundings between 2012 and 2016 as former regime forces and opposition factions battled for control of the area, with the site changing hands multiple times. Authorities closed the mosque in 2013 after heavy bombardment inflicted extensive damage on its dome, arcades and historic minaret. Aleppo's Endowments Directorate launched restoration work following the fall of the Bashar Assad regime on Dec. 8, 2024, seeking to preserve the mosque's architectural and historical character.

Governor hails return of 'houses of God'

"Today, we are honored to reopen one of the houses of God, restoring Aleppo's great mosque after difficult years in which it was subjected to destruction," al-Gharib said during the ceremony. He noted that the mosque, constructed during the Umayyad period, had functioned for centuries as a hub of scholarship and worship in the historic city. The governor also referenced the mosque's role in the Syrian uprising that began in March 2011, noting that protests against the former regime had originated from the site.

Ancient Umayyad heritage

The Great Umayyad Mosque — also known as the Great Mosque of Aleppo — ranks among Syria's oldest and most significant religious monuments. Most historical accounts trace its foundation to the early eighth century under Caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik.