Damascus Syria

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Umayyad Mosque, Damascus

Umayyad Mosque, Damascus

Umayyad Mosque, Damascus, Syria

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Ommayad 28,200 search results

Omayyad 95,500 search results

Umayyad 1,120,000 search results

The Great Mosque of Damascus

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Umayyad Mosque of Damascus is the first monumental work of architecture in Islamic history; the building served as a central gathering point after Mecca.

It is considered the fourth-holiest place in Islam

Is built on site of an ancient Aramaic temple dedicated to the god Hadad, then in Roman period, circa dedicated to Jupiter . In 4th century was transformed to a church, expanded to the Cathedral of St. John, situated on the western side of the older temple. After the Islamic conquest of Damascus in 661, during the reign of the first Umayyad caliph Mu'awiya Ibn Abi Sufyan, the Muslims shared the church with the Christians. The Muslims prayed in the eastern section of the ancient temple structure and the Christians in the western side. This collective use continued until Walid bin Abdul Malek's reign, when the prayer space became inadequate both in terms of capacity and the need for an architectural monument to represent the new religion. The caliph negotiated with Christian leaders to take over the space, and in return al-Walid promised that all the other churches around the city would be safe, with the addition of a new church dedicated to the Virgin granted to the Christians as compensation.

When the project began all remaining fragments on the site from Roman to Byzantine periods were removed to accommodate a large innovative mosque planned according to Islamic principles.

During his 10-year reign as caliph in the beginning of the eighth century al-Walid bin Abd al-Malik addressed the citizens of Damascus:

'Inhabitants of Damascus, four things give you marked superiority over the rest of the world: your climate, your water, your fruits and your baths. To these I wanted to add a fifth: this mosque.'

Umayyad Mosque, Johanan (John the Baptist, Yahya) Tomb

After the Arab conquest of Damascus in 634, the mosque was built on the site of a Christian basilica dedicated to Johanan, John the Baptist (Yahya) since the time of the Roman emperor Constantine I. The mosque holds a shrine which today may still contain the head of John the Baptist, honored as a prophet by both Christians and Muslims.

Umayyad Mosque, Saladin Tomb

The tomb of Saladin (Selahedin) is located in a small garden adjoining the north wall of the Umayyad Mosque.

The tomb is recognisable by it's distinctive red dome.

Saladin (Selahedin, Salah ad-Din Yusuf) was born in Tikrit in 1137, joined the military at age 15 and became a prominent military leader, famous from the battle at Sde Hitim.

Damascus Umayyad mosaic

other historic sites in Damascus

Damascus Rescuing Moses

National Museum, Damascus

Mother of Moses puts her son in a wooden basket and the wife of the Pharaoh finds him while bathing.

Dura Europos 245 A.D. Synagogue.

Azam Palace Damascus, Syria

all pictures on this page from unknown source

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created 28 April 2011

on Google site since 16 December 2012

updated 16 December 2012