Saint George Greek Orthodox Church

The Saint George Church (Mar Jirjis) is one of the oldest churches in Aleppo, located in the historic Jdeideh district, traditionally inhabited by the Syriac Orthodox community. It is believed that it was built in the fifth century, making it one of the oldest churches that work continuously in the Middle East. The church was built after the expansion of the Shahba district in the Suleimaniyah neighborhood. A modern architectural design was chosen, with a 26 -meter-wide concrete dome with triangular openings that allow natural light to be filtered. The front facade is adorned with an Italian mosaic that describes Saint George killing the dragon. St. George’s Church has long served as a spiritual and cultural center of the Syriac community in Aleppo. This was the time when the headquarters of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese was established, before it was later relocated. The building survived the war and even received events from the Red Cross. The lower hall of the church was transformed into a Byzantine Music Education Center, open to all, promoting cultural coexistence in the area.