29 Aleppo Facts: Fascinating Details On One Of The Oldest Cities In Syria

Aleppo, also called Halep in Turkish, and Alab in Arabic, is the capital of northern Syria.

It is located in the country's northwestern corner, around 30 mi (48 km) south of the Turkish border. The city's historical significance stems from its placement on the Silk Road, which ran across Central Asia and Mesopotamia.

When the Suez Canal opened in 1869, most of Aleppo's trade was shifted to the Mediterranean, and the city began to slowly collapse. In 1986, UNESCO named the ancient city of Aleppo a World Heritage Site.

The citadel of Aleppo is regarded as one of the most impressive examples of medieval Islamic architecture that has survived until the 21st century.

During the Syrian Civil War, the Battle of Aleppo took place in the city from 2012-2016 and several portions of the city and city walls were completely destroyed. The parts of the city that were impacted by the Syrian Civil War are presently being rebuilt.

As a result of military actions in the region, the airport has been blocked ever since the beginning of 2013.

Following the conquest of government forces of eastern Aleppo during the Battle of Aleppo, an airplane took off from the airport for the first time in four years. Under the security of the Syrian government, the residences and other possessions of Jewish families that have not been sold after the emigration, remain empty.

The majority of these properties are in the Al-Jamiliyah and Bab Al-Faraj neighborhoods, as well as the neighborhoods around the Central Synagogue of the city of Aleppo.

During hostilities in Aleppo, Syria's northern metropolis, the minaret of the great mosque was demolished. Activists claim, however, that the Syrian government tank fire struck the minaret.

Aleppo is not really a Kurdish city, but it is one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities. Damascus has also been named the oldest city of Aleppo. The Battle of Aleppo was among the longest sieges in recent history, lasting over four years and killing an approximated 31,183 people, over a 10th of all Syrian conflict losses.

Aleppo Location

• The ancient city of Aleppo, often known as Syria's second-largest city and its financial center, was placed strategically at a junction of major 2nd century B.C. trade routes, according to UNESCO.
• Aleppo is located in the country's north west region, around 30 mi (48 km) south of the border area.
• Aleppo is situated at a major economic crossroads, 60 mi (97 km) from both the Mediterranean Sea to the west and the Euphrates River to the east.
• Aleppo is a Syrian city and the seat of the Aleppo Province, Syria's most populated civilian area. Aleppo's population in 2010 was 4.6 million people.
• Aleppo has always been a sought-after destination for individuals seeking money and prosperity. Because of its location relative to the Tigris, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Euphrates, it served as a crossroads for ancient Egyptian and Hittite commerce routes.

History Of Aleppo

• Aleppo's actual history is uncertain, although it is believed to be one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities.
• The area's true defensive features, good agricultural land, and closeness to a water supply, the Quwayq River, are said to have enticed the earliest residents to build homes atop the hill at the heart of the city.
• The Arabic name for the city, Alab, is of old Semitic history. The site of an important temple devoted to the Near Eastern storm deity Hadad was first recorded in the records of the ancient city of Ebla towards the end of the 3rd millennium BC.
• Archaeologists uncovered the buried remnants of this temple near the location of Aleppo's ancient citadel, atop the hill in the city's center, in the late 20th century.
• The city thrived as the capital of the empire of Yamkhad under the reigning Amorite dynasty until it was defeated by the Hittites at the start of the second millennium BC. The Hittite records in central Anatolia and the Mari archives on the Euphrates both record this occurrence.
• The city stayed under Hittite authority until the Assyrians took it in 800 BC, after which it was passed to the Persian Empire. Seleucus Nicator dubbed it Beroea after the Greeks took it in 333 BC. The city continued in Greek or Seleucid hands until the Romans invaded Syria in 64 BC.
• The people of Aleppo are reported to have sought refuge in the citadel during the 7th century.
• Before succumbing to Arabs under Khalid ibn al-Walid in 637, Aleppo remained part of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire.
• It was ruled by Saladin and later the Ayyubid Dynasty from 1183 until it was conquered by the Mongols in 1260. Following a return to local sovereignty in 1317, it was annexed by the Ottoman Empire in 1517. It was believed that there were 50,000 people living there at the time.
• Aleppo lasted the Ottoman period until the empire's demise, but it was sometimes riven by internal feuds as well as plague and, subsequently, cholera outbreaks, beginning in 1823. It had a population of roughly 125,000 people by 1901. When it became a French colony, the city flourished, but it plummeted with the decision to hand Antioch over to southern Turkey from 1938-1939.
• The city of Aleppo was designated as the capital of Islamic culture by the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in 2006, in acknowledgment of its historical, civilizational, and cultural status and in commemoration of its historical and civilizational monuments that bear witness to an age-old past whose roots reach back to prehistoric times and span Arab and Islamic eras.
• When the city was known as Hadad, the great temple of the storm god Hadad was located atop the citadel hill in the city center. At the end of World War I, the United Kingdom and France drew the modern Syria border.
• However, the citadel hill was probably originally used as a fortress in the shape of a Macedonian acropolis during the rule of Seleucus I Nicator in the 4th and 3rd century BC.

Famous Tourist Destinations In Aleppo

• Aleppo is a modest but lovely upcoming tourist location worth visiting. Some of the fascinating things to do and locations to see at this secret getaway in Syria will astound you.
• Palmyra was among the largest towns in the ancient world and it is probably the most well-known of all of Syria's tourist attractions.
• Palmyra has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Following the departure of the ISIS occupation in 2017, reconstruction work began.
• The citadel of Aleppo is a massive fortified castle in the heart of the Old Town. This location has been used as a fortress hill since the third millennium BC. Aleppo Citadel, together with Aleppo Old Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Over the years, the castle has been subjected to a number of occupations and modifications. Most recently, in 2017, it reopened to tourists following the struggle for Aleppo in the Civil War. Unfortunately, the citadel is one of Aleppo's only surviving tourist attractions. Aleppo's Grand Mosque and souk were entirely destroyed.
• Other historic souqs and khans in the Jdeydeh neighborhood (outside the walled city) include: 'Khan al-Quds' or Souq al-Hokedun.
• Because it was created to serve as a stopover for Armenian travelers on their journey to Jerusalem, Hokedun means 'spiritual abode' in Armenian. The Hokedun's older section dates from the late 15th and early 16th centuries, while the newest section was constructed in the 17th century. It has now evolved into a major souq with a considerable number of stores specializing in the clothing industry.
• Souq as-Souf, or the wool market, is located on Salibeh Street and is bordered by the quarter's medieval churches.

Weather And Popular Dishes Of Aleppo

• Summers in Aleppo are hot, dry, and clear, while winters are chilly and partially overcast. The temperature normally ranges from 36 F-97 F (2.2 C-36 C) throughout the year, with temperatures seldom falling below 28 F (-2.2 C) or rising over 104 F (40 C).
• Muhammara is a healthy dip that originated in Aleppo, Syria. Olive oil, fried red peppers, and ground walnuts are used to make this dish. The peppers add a subtle sweetness and smokiness to the meal, while the ground walnuts add texture.
• Ballourieh baklava is made with a pistachio filling sandwiched between two layers of crushed kataifi pastry, similar to kunfah dough. Because it must maintain its traditional white hue, this baklava variant is barely cooked.