The Citadel of Aleppo is a massive medieval fortress in the centre of the Syrian city of Aleppo, built on a high, partly artificial mound that has been occupied since ancient times. Its present form comes mostly from the Ayyubid period, in particular the rule of al-Zahir Ghazi, son of Saladin, who rebuilt the walls, towers and gatehouse in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The citadel is reached by a long stone bridge leading to a fortified entrance with iron doors. Inside are mosques, palaces, baths and cisterns. It was damaged in the Syrian civil war, particularly in fighting around the old city. The citadel, together with the old city, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986.
Before and after
- 1147Construction of Maulbronn Monastery
- from 1147 to 1149Second Crusade
- 1148Founding of Offenburg
- from 24 July 1148 to 28 July 1148Siege of Damascus
- 12th centuryOrigins of Citadel of Aleppo
- from 1150 to 1971Founding of University of Paris
- 1150Construction of Poblet Monastery
- 1150Construction of Skara Cathedral
- from 1154 to 1242Angevin Empire
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- 8th centuryConstruction of Borobudur Temple
- from 11th century to 18th centuryHouse of Habsburg
- from 1206 to 1368Mongol Empire
- 1239Construction of Alhambra
- 1420Construction of Kremlin
- 1473Construction of Sistine Chapel
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes.