The Great Umayyad Mosque continues to be one of the most remarkable emblems of the illustrious era of Muslim culture and its dignity. It is an outstanding example of architectural creativity that has had a significant impact on the development of mosque design throughout the Muslim World.

Many important features of Muslim architecture, like the horseshoe arch, the square minaret, and the Maqsurah, were invented in the mosque. It remains one of Islam’s greatest and most sacred monuments both historically and culturally.

The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus, is one of the biggest and oldest mosques in the world and is situated in Damascus, Syria. The mosque was and continues to be predominantly used for prayer. It was constructed between 705 and 715 C.E. by the Umayyad Caliph al-Walid I.

However, while the structure was being built, Muslims and Christians each used various parts of the structure as places of prayer. It is a well-known tourist site, but it is also a location where families submerge themselves to break their fasts and spend time with family, particularly during Islamic holy festivals like Ramadan.

The Umayyad Mosque used to get thousands of tourists each year, but since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, it is unclear how many people now go there.

History of the Great Mosque of Damascus

Since the mosque was first constructed on the site of a Roman shrine, it endured several changes before it became a mosque in its own right. When the Romans governed Damascus in the first century, the location served as a temple dedicated to the Roman deity Jupiter. The land where the mosque was finally constructed was later transformed into a Christian church honoring St. John the Baptist. The mosque still has remnants from each era, such as the shrine to St. John’s head is revered by both Muslims and Christians.

Due to several catastrophes over the course of centuries, the mosque has undergone numerous renovations. One significant fire at the mosque happened in 1893 when a worker’s smoking caused the roof and other elements of the mosque to be damaged. The mosque’s general design has not changed despite the multiple catastrophes, and it is regarded as one of the most impressive pieces of global architecture.

The Umayyad Mosque Courtyard

Visitors can congregate in the Umayyad Mosque’s open-air courtyard, which has arches overhead and leads into the magnificent atrium, for conversation with friends and family, iftar (the breaking of the fast during Ramadan), or to simply take in the structure’s impressive design. Despite several mosque renovations, the courtyard’s stone flooring was created to preserve the mosque’s original building era.

The pavilions and arcades, which house some of the longest-preserved mosaics from the Umayyad era, are surrounded by a marble courtyard. In the courtyard, there is also an ablutions fountain where people can wash their hands before praying. The Dome of the Treasury, an octagonal room, is located in the courtyard’s western section. The Dome of the Treasury, which is supported by eight Roman columns, is covered with mosaics from the mosque that was originally colorful and that have since been repaired and refurbished. The mosque’s endowments were kept in this room, which also served to safeguard donations of charity money.

Significance of Damascus Mosque

The mosque, as previously indicated, had a religious significance prior to Islam. This building was converted into a mosque, turning it into the caliphate’s administrative hub, with its light reaching as far as Asia, Africa, and Europe (particularly during the Umayyad period).

The mosque was linked to a number of revered religious personalities according to historical records, which Muslim historians usually credit to them. The first link was made with Prophet Yahya, popularly known as John the Baptist, whose bones were interred within the mosque. Ibn al-Faqih said that Zayd Ibn al-Waqid, who was in charge of overseeing the construction of the mosque, found the Prophet Yahya’s skull in a nearby cave and that Caliph al-Walid instructed it to be reburied in the Amud al-Sakasik pier. Today, it is thought that these artifacts were located in the Mazar, a Maqsura in the sanctuary’s eastern section.

Several people associated with the Mosque are claimed to have connections to the Islamic heritage. To begin with, some accounts believe that the mosque’s architect was the Prophet’s Apostle Abu Ubaida Ibn Al-Jarrah14. Additionally, there are the Mihrabs, which, aside from the center, were first constructed for measures that belonged to prominent individuals. The Mihrab of the Companions belongs to the Maqsura of the Companions, which Caliph Mu’awiya constructed. In the history of Muslim architecture, this was the first of its sort. This school of Islamic thinking employed the Hanafite Maqsurah, which included the Hanafite Mihrab, primarily for instructional reasons.

Minarets

The Great Mosque of Damascus has three minarets, which are tall, slender towers with balconies where Muslims are called to prayer. There are typically two or four minarets in a mosque’s construction, making the presence of three minarets rather unusual. Despite the fact that the Western and Minaret of the Bride’s heights are unknown, minarets may be anywhere from 80 feet to over 800 feet tall.

The Minaret of the Bride, the mosque’s oldest minaret, is situated along its northern side. According to a local tale, this minaret is named for the daughter of the businessmen who provided the lead for its construction. With a height of 253 feet, the Jesus Minaret stands in the southeast corner of the mosque and is the highest of the three. During the Fajr (dawn) prayer, it is renowned for seeing the return of Jesus. After the fire of 1479, Sultan Qatbay is believed to have repaired the Western Minaret, which was constructed in the fifteenth century.

The Great Mosque Of Damascus’s Architecture

The Great Mosque of Damascus, a model structure showing prominent Islamic architecture, was initially greatly inspired by Byzantine architecture, a construction style from Constantinople. This architectural design was influenced by Roman temple elements including domed roofs and sizable areas like the famous courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque.

Particularly the prayer hall, which was a crucial component of mosques constructed in the decades that followed, the mosque served as a very important model of mosque construction around the world. Mosaics on the mosque’s walls and other interior decorations from the Umayyad Mosque had an impact on mosque interior designs all across the world.

Bottom Line

In conclusion, The Great Mosque of Damascus is the most impressive structure ever created. Visitors come from all over the world to this wonderful location.