Omayyade Mosque
| Umayyad Mosque جامع بني أمية الكبير |
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Damascus, Syria |
| Geographic coordinates | 33°30′43″N 36°18′24″E / 33.511944°N 36.306667°ECoordinates: 33°30′43″N 36°18′24″E / 33.511944°N 36.306667°E |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Region | Levant |
| Country | Syria |
| Status | Active |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Mosque |
| Architectural style | Umayyad |
| Completed | 715 |
| Specifications | |
| Minaret(s) | 3 |
| Minaret height | 253 feet |
| Materials | Stone, marble, tile, mosaic |
The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus (Arabic: جامع بني أمية الكبير, Romanization: Ğāmi' Banī 'Umayya al-Kabīr), located in the old city of Damascus, is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. It is considered by someMuslims to be the fourth-holiest place in Islam.
After the Arab conquest of Damascus in 634, the mosque was built on the site of a Christian basilica dedicated to John the Baptist (Yahya), honored as a prophet by Christians and Muslims. A legend dating to the 6th century holds that the building contains the head of John the Baptist. The mosque is also believed by Muslims to be the place where Jesus (Isa) will return at the End of Days. The mausoleum containing the tomb of Saladin stands in a small garden adjoining the north wall of the mosque.
The site is attested for as a place of worship since the Iron Age. Damascus was the capital of the Aramaean state Aram-Damascus and a large temple dedicated to the cult of Hadad-Ramman, the god of thunderstorms and rain, was erected at the site of the present-day Umayyad Mosque. One stone remains from the Aramaean temple, dated to the rule of King Hazael, and is currently on display in the National Museum of Damascus. The Temple of Hadad-Ramman continued to serve a central role in the city, and when the Romans conquered Damascus in 64 BCE they assimilated Hadad with their own god of thunder, Jupiter. Thus, they engaged in a project to reconfigure and expand the temple under the direction of Damascus-born architect Apollodorus, who created and executed the new design.
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Wikipedia