Aleppo

Overview

Aleppo rivals Damascus for the title of oldest continuously inhabited city. For millennia it stood at the western terminus of the Silk Road, where Anatolian, Mesopotamian, and Mediterranean trade converged beneath the limestone bluff crowned by its citadel.

History

Mentioned in Eblaite tablets as early as the third millennium BCE, Aleppo reached its medieval apex under the Ayyubids and Mamluks. The covered Al-Madina Souq — once the longest in the world — and the citadel are UNESCO inscribed.

Highlights

• 01Aleppo Citadel
• 02Great Mosque of Aleppo
• 03Al-Madina Souq
• 04Khan al-Wazir
• 05Christian Quarter of Al-Jdayde
• 06Aleppo Soap workshops

Major Attractions

• 01

  Citadel of Aleppo

  A 50-metre-high fortified tell crowned by Ayyubid walls (12th–13th c.) over Bronze Age temples of the storm god Hadad. The fortified bridge entrance is among the most photographed medieval gateways in the world.

• 02

  Great Mosque of Aleppo

  Founded in 715 CE by Caliph al-Walid I, famous for its free-standing Seljuk minaret (1090) — one of the most important pieces of medieval Islamic architecture.

• 03

  Al-Madina Souq

  12 km of vaulted stone passages that formed the largest covered market in the world, organised by trade: cotton, silk, soap, rope, copper, and spices.

• 04

  Khan al-Wazir

  A grand 17th-century Ottoman caravanserai with a sculpted gateway, traditionally where European consuls and traders lodged.

• 05

  Al-Jdayde Quarter

  The historic Christian neighbourhood of stone mansions, churches, and the laneways behind the now-restored Beit Wakil and Beit Sissi.

• 06

  Aleppo Soap Workshops

  Family workshops that have produced laurel-and-olive-oil ghar soap for over a thousand years — the ancestor of all hard soap.

• 07

  National Museum of Aleppo

  Holdings span Mari, Ebla, Ugarit, and Tell Halaf; the entrance is flanked by reconstructed basalt figures from the Aramean temple of Tell Halaf.

Traveller Tips

• ›Combine the citadel and the Great Mosque on the same morning — both are within the UNESCO core a short walk apart.
• ›Active restoration work is ongoing across the Old City; some lanes may be fenced off.
• ›Aleppo pepper is a perfect lightweight souvenir; buy it whole-flake from a souq spice merchant.
• ›Winters are genuinely cold — pack layers for November–February.

What to Eat

• Kebab Halabi

  Minced lamb kebab grilled over charcoal and served on flatbread with tomato, parsley, and Aleppo pepper.

• Kebab Karaz

  Aleppo's signature dish: lamb meatballs in a tart sour-cherry sauce, served on toasted bread.

• Muhammara

  The original Aleppine version — coarsely ground walnut, red pepper, breadcrumbs, and pomegranate molasses.

• Sujuk

  Spiced dried beef sausage seasoned with garlic, cumin, and red pepper.

• Mabrumeh

  Spiralled pistachio pastry drenched in rosewater syrup — the Aleppine answer to baklava.

Other local flavours: Kebab Halabi · Cherry kebab · Muhammara · Sujuk · Aleppo pepper

Where to Stay

• Beit Wakil

  Boutique heritage hotel

  Restored Jdayde mansion with an Andalusian-style courtyard, traditional iwan, and acclaimed restaurant.

• Mansouriya Palace

  Boutique heritage hotel

  Aleppine mansion in the Christian quarter combining Ottoman painted ceilings with modern comfort.

• Sheraton Aleppo

  International business

  Large international-standard hotel near the new city centre with conference facilities.

• Dar Zamaria

  Guesthouse

  Family-run guesthouse in a converted heritage house near Bab al-Hadid.