Visiting Aleppo     The Old City The Bazaars The Museum Excursions The Citadel Aleppo is 347 km from Damascus, 190 km from Homs and 143 km from Hama. It is connected to all cities by railway and by regular bus services to Lattakia, 183 km, Deir-Ezzor, 319 km, crossroads of the traffic to the Djezirah (EI-Hassakeh and Kameshli) and Abou-Kemal (no train) 455 km. from Aleppo. Aleppo is a marvelous city, so do not expect to visit it in less than two days, not counting the surroundings which also deserve your attention. Spend the first day visiting the old city, i.e souks and the heart of the walled city starting from the Antioch Gate (Bab Antakia). Crossing this city you will reach the citadel, a medieval fortress that still today exhales an extraordinary impression of strength. This was the political center of the kingdom when Aleppo was the seat of an Emirate. There is evidently a violent rupture between the city of dwellings, prayer places of all kinds, souks, caravanserais and workshops, and this gigantic obstacle-laden stronghold which is the citadel. There prevails, in the surroundings, an almost metaphysical emptiness which seems to put into a distant orbit this symbol of the power of an extinct age. However, an attempt was made to reactivate the political function of this part of the city with rather uncertain results despite its enclaves amidst a very dense city texture of another epoch, by erecting, at the time of the Mandate, the (provincial) government palace, or serai, and more recently, the Palace of Justice and municipal offices. .   Previous - Next
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