Mosque of the week: The Great Mosque of Aleppo

Firstly built in 715 The Great Mosque of Aleppo or the Ummayad Mosque of Aleppo is not only the largest but oldest mosque in the city of Aleppo in northern Syria. The construction at that time was commenced by the Ummayad caliph al-Walid I and was finished by his successor Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik. Carved Kufic inscriptions decorate the entire minaret along with alternate with bands of stylized ornaments. After the Mongols destroyed the mosque in 1260 it was later rebuilt and renovated. The Great Mosque is built around a vast courtyard that connects to different areas of the mosque, positioned behind the colonnaded arcade. The courtyard is well-known for its black and white stone pavement that forms complex geometric patterns. The courtyard holds the two ablutions fountains. It is also said that the shrine of the Prophet Zechariah is located in the main prayer hall of the mosque.