Bab Antakiya
Aleppo’s western gate and the entrance to the souq. Pass through it and the open street ends, the covered market begins. The natural start of the citadel line.
- Opening hours
- Open area, all day
- Entry
- Free
- Duration
- 30 minutes
- Best time
- Morning, as the souq opens
- Period
- Older foundations, Ayyubid and Mamluk layers
- Address
- Western end of the old city, Aleppo
This is the gate you enter Aleppo by from the west. It is named after where the road went: the route out of it ran to Antioch, and for centuries the gate was the city’s mouth on that side. It still does the same job — the moment you pass through, the open street ends and the covered souq begins.
What to see
The gate itself is a deep passage between two towers; the stone is thick and the inside of the passage is noticeably cooler than the street. The upper part was rebuilt in later periods, and the larger blocks in the lower courses are older. Just inside, the road narrows and the first arm of the souq starts.
Where it leads
The gate feeds the souq network from the west. Go in and keep straight and you are on the line that runs to the Great Mosque and up to the citadel — a natural starting point for anyone wanting to walk Aleppo west to east in one line.
Take care
The area was badly damaged in the war; part of the souq has been repaired and part is still closed. Which arm is open changes, and asking before you go in will save you time.
Tips
- If you are walking west to east, start here; the Great Mosque and citadel are on the same line
- The passage is cooler than the street — worth a few minutes on a summer afternoon
- Which arm of the souq is open changes; ask before going in