Aleppo — Halab al-Shahba — is the city its people call “the mother of cities”, one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world and a rival to Damascus for that title. For centuries Aleppo was a principal station on the Silk Road and a trading hub linking East and West, which made it a city of souqs, caravanserais, crafts and a formidable kitchen. This guide covers what Aleppo is famous for, from its landmarks to its food and its music.
The Citadel of Aleppo: the icon of the city
The citadel sits on a natural mound rising some 50 metres in the middle of the Old City, and is one of the largest and oldest fortresses in the world. The mound dates back to the third millennium BC, and the citadel took its present shape in the Ayyubid period under al-Malik al-Zahir Ghazi. Its monumental entrance is famous for the stone bridge and the zigzagging gateways, and inside are the throne hall, the baths, the mosques and the remains of a temple to the storm god Hadad. From the top of the walls you can see the whole of Aleppo.
The covered souqs and khans of Aleppo
The old souqs of Aleppo are the longest covered markets in the world, running to around 13 kilometres in total and branching into specialised markets: Souq al-Zarb, the perfumers’ souq, the soap souq, the women’s souq, the silk souq and the gold souq. Between them stand the great khans — Khan al-Wazir, Khan al-Jumruk and Khan al-Saboun — which once received caravans and foreign merchants. The souqs have undergone extensive restoration in recent years and large sections have reopened.
The Great Umayyad Mosque of Aleppo
The Great Umayyad Mosque of Aleppo was built under Caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik. It is known for its celebrated Seljuk minaret, one of the masterpieces of Islamic architecture, and for the shrine of the Prophet Zakariya. Next to it are the Halawiyya Madrasa and the city souq.
Aleppo laurel soap
Aleppo soap is the city’s most famous product of all and the oldest hard soap in the world — soap-making passed from here to Europe through the Crusaders. It is made from olive oil and laurel oil only, cooked in huge copper vats, then cut, stamped and left to cure for between six months and a year until it takes on its golden-brown colour outside and green inside. Aleppo soap houses such as Al-Jubaili and Al-Zanabili still work by exactly the same traditional method.
Aleppo pistachios
The pistachio carried the name of Aleppo around the world — across the Arab countries it is simply known as the “Aleppo pistachio”, and the Morek area and the southern Aleppo countryside are famous for growing it. Pistachio goes into most Aleppo sweets: baklava, karabij, halawet al-jibn and mabroumeh.
The Aleppo kitchen: the food capital of the East
The Aleppo kitchen is considered the richest in the Levant, shaped by Turkish, Armenian and Arab influences. Aleppo is famous for:
- Aleppo kebab: in many forms — cherry kebab, khashkhash kebab, pistachio kebab and kebab with tomato.
- Kibbeh: Aleppo is the capital of kibbeh, with more than twenty varieties — safarjaliyya, labaniyya, sumaqiyya, grilled and raw.
- Muhammara: a paste of red pepper, walnuts and pomegranate molasses.
- Aleppo pepper and Aleppo za’atar: among the best-known Syrian spices for export.
- Sweets: karabij with natef, mabroumeh, halawet al-jibn, Aleppo baklava and shuaibiyat.
Qudud and muwashshahat: the music of Aleppo
Aleppo is the capital of classical Arab song. The muwashshah and the Aleppine qadd both came from here and are inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. The city is associated with great singers such as Sabah Fakhri, Bakri al-Kurdi and Sabri Moudallal, and tarab evenings are still held in the old Aleppine houses and cafés.
Other quarters and landmarks
Aleppo is known for the Christian quarter of Al-Jdeydeh with its stone houses, churches and the Ajiqbash and Ghazaleh houses; for the Church of the Forty Martyrs; for the Public Garden; and for the National Museum of Aleppo, which holds finds from Ebla, Mari and Tell Halaf. On the outskirts stand the Church of Saint Simeon Stylites and the Dead Cities, inscribed on the World Heritage list.
Tips for visiting Aleppo
- Start at the citadel in the morning, then come down to the souqs and the Umayyad Mosque.
- Try the kebab in the restaurants of Al-Jdeydeh or Al-Aziziyah, and have an Aleppine fuul or eggs with qawrama for breakfast.
- Buy soap directly from the old soap houses to be sure of the quality.
- Catch an evening of qudud in one of the heritage houses.
Frequently asked questions about Aleppo
What is Aleppo famous for?
Aleppo is famous for its historic citadel, the longest covered souqs in the world, laurel soap, Aleppo pistachios, kebab and kibbeh, and the Aleppine qudud music tradition.
Why is Aleppo called Al-Shahba?
The name is said to come from the greyish-white colour of its stone. Popular tradition holds that the Prophet Abraham used to milk his grey (shahba) cow on the citadel mound and distribute the milk to the poor.
What food is Aleppo known for?
Cherry kebab, more than twenty kinds of kibbeh, muhammara, Aleppo pepper, and sweets such as karabij, mabroumeh and halawet al-jibn.
What makes Aleppo soap different?
It is made only from olive oil and laurel oil, cooked in copper vats and cured for six months to a year — which gives it a golden-brown surface and a green interior.
How many days do you need in Aleppo?
Two days cover the citadel, the souqs, the Umayyad Mosque and Al-Jdeydeh, with a third day for Saint Simeon and the Dead Cities.
Plan your visit
Continue with our Aleppo travel guide, find somewhere to stay in the best hotels in Aleppo, and eat your way through 8 Aleppo dishes you should not miss.
