The Mahmandar Mosque

A small Mamluk mosque a short walk north-west of the citadel. It was built in 1303 by al-Hasan ibn Balaban, one of the senior officers of Aleppo, who was known as Ibn al-Mahmandar; the name passed to the building. Mahmandar is a Persian compound of mihman, guest, and dar, keeper — the officer who received envoys. In Aleppo the mosque is also called the al-Qadi mosque.

Getting there

About 400 metres north-west of the citadel square, on As-Sijn Street in the Bayada quarter. Khan al-Wazir is around 300 metres away, so the two fit into one walk.

How long it takes

Twenty minutes. The courtyard is small; the dome and the minaret can be seen from the same spot.

What to see

Two doors show two different things. The one onto the courtyard rests on slim columns and carries a carved stone lattice above it. Over the other door the half-dome is fluted, rows of muqarnas run around its base, and a round rosette is cut into the wall below. The courtyard is paved in a black-and-white pattern.

Do not miss

Look at the shaft of the minaret. The lower part is ribbed from top to bottom, and above it a thick band zigzags around the stone; that texture is said to carry a Mongol influence. Most visitors cross the courtyard to the door and never look up.

Where things stand

The earthquake of 1822 brought the mosque down. What stands today comes from the rebuilding of 1946; Arabic sources say the minaret survived that earthquake. In 2012, during the fighting in Aleppo, the minaret was reported damaged. Ask about the state of the building before you set out.