Aleppo 
Aleppo (Arabic: Halab; Greek: Berea), in northern Syria about 30 miles south of Turkey, is the second-largest city in Syria after Damascus with a population of over 1.7 million. It competes with Damascus for the title of the oldest continously inhabited city in the world.
The old section of Aleppo is built around a 12th-century-AD citadel that rests on a partly mound dominating the city and contains a small mosque. The old section has the most famous souks in the Middle East, which extend for miles through narrow streets. Its many khans (caravan stops), mosques, and merchants' houses are built of limestone, with many dating from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Aleppo has a significant Armenian Christian population and there are Greek Orthodox and Catholic churches here as well. The main site of religious interest is the Great Mosque (or Zakariyah Mosque), built by the Umayyads and containing the shrine of Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. Parts of the city's old stone walls, along with several of their gates, are still intact, and the National Museum displays ancient artifacts found in northern Syria at several major archaeological sites.
City Guide & Travel Resources
Aleppo Map
Our own detailed, interactive satellite map of Aleppo, plus links to more Aleppo maps. |
Aleppo Photos
Take a virtual tour of Aleppo with our galleries of high quality photos. |
History of Aleppo
A brief overview of Aleppo's long history. |
Aleppo Hotel Reviews
Unbiased reviews, ratings and price comparisons on hotels in Aleppo from fellow travelers. |
Syria Travel Forum
Practical travel advice and insider tips on Syria from those in the know. |
Aleppo Flight Search
Search multiple travel sites and airlines at once to find the lowest price on a flight to Aleppo. |
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Sacred Sites & Religious Places
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Great Mosque
This mosque was founded just 10 years after the more famous mosque in Damascus. Recently restored to gleaming beauty, it is especially notable for its geometric courtyard paving and shrine to Zechariah. |
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Maronite Cathedral
A 19th-century cathedral of the Maronites, a Syriac-speaking Catholic church. |
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Aleppo Churches (Photo Gallery)
Explore Aleppo's many churches, which represent nearly a dozen different denominations, in our exclusive photo gallery. |
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George Langenberg); an Aleppo souk (
