Aleppo from the citadel to the mosque
A walk that starts at the citadel, runs west through the souq and ends at the Great Mosque. Three stops, 1.6 kilometres, all of it covered and shaded.
- Duration
- 5 hours
- Distance
- 1.6 km
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Best season
- Spring and autumn
- stops
- 3
- City
- Aleppo
The old city of Aleppo lines up on a single axis: the citadel to the east, the Great Mosque to the west, the Al-Madina souq between them. This route walks that axis. It is a short distance but not a place to move quickly — the souq will stop you.
The route
Start at the citadel, because the climb is the hardest part of the day and better done while it is cool. Coming back down, the east entrance of the souq is on the west side of the citadel square. After that you need no directions: walking west under the vaults brings you out in the mosque courtyard.
Timing
Be at the citadel at nine. The ramp is still in shade and the hill is empty. Come down into the souq at eleven — the shops are open and it is still cool under the vaults. Reaching the mosque in the afternoon is right: the stone pattern in the courtyard reads without shadow.
Take care
Repair work is ongoing in the souq and some lanes may be closed; where one is shut there is always another running west, so ask. On Friday afternoon the souq is quiet and the mosque is busy.
The route on a map
Stops along the route
- 01
- 02
- 03
