Physical structure - the atmosphere of the historical city of Aleppo and dealing with Civilizations

Subject Areas : City architect

Reza Hormehr ¹ , Mohammad Ibrahim Zarei ²

1 - Doctoral student of archeology at Boali Sina University
2 - Member of the Faculty of Education Department of Bu Ali Sina University

Received: 2022-08-20 Accepted : 2022-08-20 Published : 2022-07-23

Keywords: Clash of Civilizations, Syria, Aleppo, Aleppo Castle, Umayyad Mosque of Aleppo, Ayyubids,

Abstract :

Aleppo is one of the most important cities in the Near East region with its history of thousands of years. Evidence shows that this city has been located at the intersection of several trade routes since the second millennium BC and was successively ruled by tribes and dynasties such as Hittites, Assyrians, Arabs, Mongols, Mamluks and Ottomans. Elements such as the fort, bazaar, mosque, schools, palaces, caravanserais, and baths are all part of this coherent and unique urban fabric. This ancient city was registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986 despite its special architectural and urban development values and its unique features. Aleppo Citadel is one of the most prominent examples of medieval Islamic architecture that has been preserved until the 21st century. Parts of the old stone walls of the city are still intact, along with several of its gates. During the Syrian war, the city of Aleppo's historical fabric, including the citadel and the Grand Mosque, suffered a lot of damage, so that UNESCO declared it among the world heritage sites at risk, and therefore, efforts are being made to restore this fabric and its structural elements after recapture. The capture of the city is underway. The most visible landmark of Aleppo is the medieval citadel, which is located on a semi-man-made hill in the center of the city at a height of about 40 meters. The old part of the city, which extends outwards from the perimeter of the hill, covers approximately 1.5 square miles (4 km2). To the west of the citadel is one of the largest covered markets in the Middle East, which stretches for kilometers in narrow streets. Vendors are grouped by trade in the market, forming specialized alleys for goods including clothing, textiles, leather, soap, and spices. Many khans, mosques and houses were built with limestone materials and many of them date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. However, this would also be too simple. Despite the occurrence of various religious and ethnic wars and the occupation of this city by various dynasties throughout history and sometimes extensive damage to the physical structure and body of the city, the cohesion of the social structure has still been preserved and perhaps this cultural confrontation has turned into interaction, although The extent of the collapse of this historical city after the incredible invasion of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) will be very extensive and lasting.