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 Aleppo
is the second capital of Syria 350 km north of
Damascus, and one of the
oldest continuously inhabited cities in history.
Abraham (pbuh) is said to have camped on the
acropolis which, long before his time, served as
the foundation of a fortress where the Aleppo citadel
is standing now. He milked his grey cow there; hence
Aleppo's name "Halab Al-Shahba".
Ever since the 3rd millennium BC, Aleppo
has been a flourishing city, with a unique strategic
position. This position gave the city a distinctive
role from the days of the Akkadians and Amorite
kingdoms until modern times.
It was the meeting point of several important
commercial roads in the north. This enabled
Aleppo to be the link in trade
between Mesopotamia, the Fertile Crescent and
Egypt.
Aleppo was famous for its architecture;
for its attractive churches, mosques, schools, tombs
and baths. As an important center of trade between
the eastern Mediterranean kingdoms and the merchants
of Venice, Aleppo became prosperous and famous in
the centuries preceding the Ottoman era. Many of
its khans (caravanserai) are still in use even today;
one of them is called Banadiqa Khan, Banadiqa in
Arabic being the term for inhabitants of Venice.
In the Ottoman age, Aleppo remained
an important center of trade with Turkey, France,
England and Holland.
Aleppo is most famous for its
ancient citadel with medieval fortress, the great
Umayyad mosque, and the
extraordinary Souqs (bazaars) with every conceivable
kind of article for sale. It was and still is the
far distant trade center when Shakespeare mentioned
it in Macbeth
and Othello. The old city was surrounded
by a wall incorporating defense towers and fortified
gates built during the Islamic period.
Discovering Aleppo will be easy during our Day
Out, Eye on Aleppo Activity, and
tourist site tours!!!!
 Tourist
Attractions
There are multiple Tourist Attractions in
Aleppo which is the second largest city of
Syria. The rich cultural and historical
background along with the dominance of the place
as a religious destination also accounts for the
numerous tourist attractions in Aleppo. The visitors
to the city must not forget to see Aleppo
Citadel, Aleppo and the
Saint Simeon's basilica (Qalaat
Sam'aan), Aleppo which are the two principal tourist
attractions in Aleppo. The different attractions
in Aleppo can be accessed easily by the tourists
coming here because of a well established system
of transportation.
Cuisine
The Syrian cuisine is varied
and rich, in view of the fertility of Syrian lands
and the abundance of their crops which enable the
cook to be a master and to diversify in his choice
and talent in the preparation of fresh meals made
of vegetables, legumes and meats.
The Syrian table is always decorated
with the various delicious pastries famous all over
the world. Travelers do not miss to take with them
on their leaving the country samples of these sweets
to give them as presents to their dear friends and
family members. These desserts are followed by fresh
or dried fruits grown in Syrian fields.
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Restaurant in Aleppo Downtown |
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Mevleviye Traditional Dancers |
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Traditional Handicraft Shop in Aleppo Souk |
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Panoramic View of Aleppo Downtown |
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Panoramic View of Aleppo City |
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Panoramic View of Aleppo City |
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Umayyad Mosque Entrance
Aleppo Downtown |
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Minaret of the Umayyad Mosque
Aleppo Downtown |
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