A fourth Aleppo walk: from Al-Firdaws to the foot of the citadel

The souq and Jdeideh walks turn inside the middle of Aleppo. This half day steps outside them, south. It takes four buildings in order: the Firdaws Madrasa, built in 1235 by Dayfa Khatun, and the Bahramiyah Mosque of 1583. Then the Saffahiyah, founded in 1425 by the qadi Ibn al-Saffah, and Altun Bogha of 1318 at the foot of the citadel. The walking comes to close to three kilometres.

The route

Al-Firdaws lies south-west of Bab al-Maqam, outside the old city. Take a taxi there and start the day at its gate. The stretch from the madrasa up to the Bahramiyah has neither shade nor anything to see, so cover that by car too. Everything after it is on foot: east from the Bahramiyah into Jallum, to the portal of the Saffahiyah, and from there to the foot of the citadel and Altun Bogha.

Timing

Be at Al-Firdaws by nine. The courtyard is empty in the morning, and the inscription that runs around the wall only reads while the shade is low; an hour is enough. You are under the porticoes of the Bahramiyah by half past ten, and half an hour does it. Move to the Saffahiyah at eleven. Reach Altun Bogha towards one; the muqarnas inside the dome reads best in midday light. You are on the citadel square by half past two.

Watch out

All four are in use for prayer: do not go in at prayer times, women need a head covering, and shoes come off at the door. The whole line is crowded at Friday midday. The stretch between Al-Firdaws and the Bahramiyah is quiet, so do not walk it alone in the evening. War damage is still open in this part of the old city; do not climb rubble piles and do not enter closed lanes. There is no entry fee, only a donation box at the door.