The Great Umayyad Mosque of Aleppo: A tour inside the reopened historic mosque | Syria 2026

A tour inside the Great Umayyad Mosque, one of the largest and oldest mosques in the city of Aleppo. The Great Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo officially reopened on Thursday, October 8, 2026, after being closed for over 13 years due to severe damage suffered during the civil war. Restoration Scope: Rehabilitation work—supervised by the Aleppo Directorate of Religious Endowments—included repairing the historic arcades, the Hijaziyah hall, courtyard paving, public drinking fountains, and ablution facilities. The Minaret: Workers completed the reconstruction of the mosque's iconic historic minaret (which collapsed in 2013) by utilizing a large proportion of its salvaged, sorted, and documented original stones. Timeline of Recovery: Following an initial partial opening for Tarawih prayers in Ramadan 2025, final restoration efforts wrapped up to allow full daily prayers and community events to resume.