Umayyad Mosque

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The Umayyad Mosque, also called the Great Mosque of Damascus, stands in the old city of Damascus, the capital of Syria. It is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world, and it is thought to be the oldest still in use in something close to its original form.

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At a glance

Country: Syria
Location: Damascus, Syria
Built: 715
Height: 77 m
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is Umayyad Mosque?

Umayyad Mosque is in Damascus, Syria.

When was Umayyad Mosque built?

Umayyad Mosque was built in 715.

How tall is Umayyad Mosque?

Umayyad Mosque is about 77 m tall.

One of the oldest and grandest mosques in the world, with golden mosaics and three distinctive minarets.

It was built between 705 and 715 under the caliph al-Walid I, and it is famous for its golden mosaics and its three minarets. Many medieval Muslim writers called it a wonder of the world.

A holy place for thousands of years

People have worshipped on this site since the Iron Age, when Arameans built a temple to their rain god Hadad. Later, the Romans built a huge temple to Jupiter here, and the mosque's present outer walls were once the inner walls of that Roman temple.

When Syria became Christian, the Emperor Theodosius I turned the temple into a cathedral. After the Muslim conquest of Damascus in 634, Muslims first shared part of the church.

Building the mosque

Al-Walid I took over the rest of the cathedral, giving other property in the city to the Christians, and had it replaced with a grand mosque. Thousands of workers and craftsmen from across the Islamic and Byzantine worlds built it over nine years.

Inside is a shrine said to hold the head of John the Baptist. Its plan, with a courtyard surrounded by covered walkways and a prayer hall, was copied from the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.