The bridge and gate
A huge stone entrance.
Dosseman — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dosseman — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dosseman — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dosseman — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lazhar Neftien — CC BY 2.0
The Citadel of Aleppo is a large medieval fortified palace at the centre of the Old City of Aleppo, and one of the oldest and largest castles in the world. It is part of the Ancient City of Aleppo on the UNESCO list since 1986. It looks over the whole city from a high hill, and you can see it from many of the streets around it. Use of the hill goes back at least to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. Arameans, Assyrians, Romans, Byzantines, Umayyads, Abbasids, Ayyubids, Mamluks and Ottomans all held it, though most of what stands today is thought to date from the Ayyubid period. Recent reports say it officially reopened after repairs to damage from the February 2023 earthquake. You cross a raised stone bridge to the huge gate, then climb a winding passage guarded by carved stone lions. On top are a palace and a domed bathhouse, a small mosque, an Ottoman mill and broad open spaces. From the walls the minarets and rooftops of Aleppo spread before you. Some parts are still under repair. It is about 500 m in a straight line from the Great Mosque of Aleppo and about 1.2 km from Al-Madina Souq. The climb is easy but fairly long, so wear comfortable shoes, and carry cash for a ticket. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Syria, and British consular help is not available there, so check official guidance before making any plans.
A huge stone entrance.
Guarding the rising passage.
Aleppo's minarets and rooftops.
Centre of the Old City of Aleppo, Syria
Reports say it reopened after earthquake repairs, but confirm before you go and check official guidance.
No, the passage is gradual and easy but fairly long, and the ground is uneven on top.
