Author
Many architects, builders, and craftsmen participated in the construction of the castle, and the work of the master architect Thabit ibn Shaqwaiq during the rule of Nur al-Din was recorded in historical sources. He was the supervising engineer who was killed when the upper part of the entrance collapsed in the year 600 / 3-1204.
Author Original
شارك الكثير من المعماريين، والبنائين، والحرفيين في بناء القلعة، وقد تم تسجيل عمل المعلم المعمار ثابت بن شقويق خلال حكم نور الدين في المصادر التاريخية، وهو المهندس المشرف الذي قتل عندما انهار الجزء العلوي للمدخل عام
Publication Date
Sixth-seventh/twelfth-thirteenth centuries
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Record ID
monument;ISL;sy;Mon01;1;ar
Library Location
The eastern area of the Old City of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
Date
Sixth-seventh/twelfth-thirteenth centuries
Notes
Aleppo Citadel is considered one of the architectural masterpieces among medieval Islamic castles. Its oval shape and massive defenses enclose an area of about seven hectares. The natural hill on which the castle was built had previously been used for a long time as a fortress or stronghold, and it contains evidence of the existence of a Hittite temple dating back to the first millennium BC. During the Hamdanid rule of Aleppo during the period of Sayf al-Dawla in the fourth / tenth century, the construction of an early castle began, and the strategic importance of the castle became apparent with the beginning of the Crusader period. Nur ad-Din rebuilt the interior and fortified the early castle defenses when he ruled Aleppo in the early sixth / twelfth century, and the expansion work he carried out included The building of the Maqam Ibrahim, an important shrine associated with the Prophet Abraham, but the largest part of the sections remaining until today date back to the period of King al-Zahir Ghazi, one of Saladin’s sons, who ruled in the period 582-613 / 1186-1216. He ordered the moat to be dug to a depth of 22 metres, and he built the magnificent bridge, the castle slopes of smooth, impregnable stone, the large towers, and the impressive gate designed to prevent the access of any enemy who might approach the castle. Unlike Damascus, Aleppo was vulnerable to Frankish attacks from nearby Edessa and the western coast, and was also exposed to the threat of the powerful and secret Assassin group, affiliated with the Ismaili sect, a Shiite sect. Al-Zahir rebuilt many of the civil and religious buildings that Nur ad-Din had created, including the beautiful and symmetrical Grand Mosque of the Citadel and the House of Justice facing the Citadel. Some researchers believe that there is a corridor connecting the two. One of Al-Zahir Ghazi’s most important facilities was the royal palace complex and the baths within the citadel, which represents a new development in the history of Islamic architecture. Royal palaces were not usually built behind the walls of military castles, but due to the security requirements of that period, this system arose. Al-Aziz Muhammad renovated the palace in AH 627/AD 1230, but most of it was destroyed during the Mongol invasion. King Al-Zahir’s project radically changed the scale and shape of the castle and the surrounding area, making it the stunning form it is today. Decorative elements appear especially around the gates, the most famous of which are the Lions Gate and the Snakes Gate, which are decorated with relief figurative stone carvings. Lions have long been used as a symbol of power and royalty, and here they represent guardians of the throne, while snakes and dragons coil around to bite themselves, indicating the boundaries of a safe and well-guarded area. Parts of the citadel, especially the entrance and the bridge, were subject to renovation work during the Mamluk period sometime during the 7th / 14th century, and this can be identified by the more extensive decorative techniques used.
Sample Text
Abd al-Razzaq Moaz, Zena Takieddine, Samer Abd al-Ghafour “Aleppo Citadel” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;sy;Mon01;1;ar
