Citadel of Aleppo

A vast medieval fortress on an ancient mound in the heart of Aleppo, entered over an arched bridge and great gate.

Many peoples have ruled the hill over time, including Arameans, Assyrians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Ayyubids, Mamluks, and Ottomans. Most of what we see today comes from the Ayyubid period. The citadel is part of the Ancient City of Aleppo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. Visitors enter across an arched bridge and through a great gate.

How old is the hill?

Archaeologists have found the remains of a temple of the storm-god Hadad on the hill, showing it was used in the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. Writings found at the ancient cities of Ebla and Mari mention it. The city became the capital of the kingdom of Yamhad and was known as the City of Hadad. The temple stayed in use from the 24th century BC to at least the 9th century BC.

What has happened to it recently?

In the 2000s the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the Aleppo Archaeological Society carried out major conservation work. During the 2010s the citadel was badly damaged in the long Battle of Aleppo. It reopened to visitors in early 2018 while repairs went on, and some of the damage will deliberately be kept as part of its history. It was damaged again in the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake.

On the globe

The model shows a vast medieval fortress on an ancient mound, entered over an arched bridge and a great gate.