Citadel of Aleppo

Aleppo Citadel holds within its walls a history spanning over four thousand years, though its current form was primarily shaped during the Seljuk period and subsequent eras. The initial fortifications were constructed atop a natural limestone outcrop rising about 50 meters above the city level, offering a panoramic view extending to the Al-Bab plains in the east and the slopes of Mount Semaan in the west.

At the beginning of the twelfth century, Nur ad-Din Zangi transformed the site into a formidable fortress by excavating a circular trench 22 meters deep and constructing an arched bridge with seven winding turns that forced attackers to expose their flank to arrows.

Later, Saladin further enhanced the citadel by adding water cisterns carved directly into the rock, as well as a structure topped with an octagonal dome decorated in the muqarnas style.

The citadel underwent three major restoration phases: the Mamluk renovations between 1250 and 1290, the Ottoman refurbishment in 1521, and the Syrian-UNESCO project between 1995 and 2008—during which cement mortar was replaced with traditional lime mortar, and cracks in the western tower were remedied using carbon fiber reinforcement. During the conflict from 2012 to 2016, its northern façade suffered damage from artillery bombardment, yet the robust rock prevented its collapse. Meanwhile, the February 2023 earthquake produced superficial fissures that were meticulously repaired with fine hydraulic mortar.

Today, the citadel stands not only as a symbol of Aleppine identity but also as a key venue for Sufi music events and Ramadan nights. Visitors enter through the partially ruined Defense Gate into a spacious courtyard, where interactive panels narrate the citadel’s history through its Byzantine, Ayyubid, and Mamluk periods. The tour also features a weapons museum, the remnants of a Hittite temple, and a walkway along the ramparts, offering visitors a unique panoramic view in which the sun sets over Aleppo behind the Umayyad minaret that has reclaimed its place on the city’s skyline.