Umayyad Mosque

De **Umayyad Mosque** (Arabic: ٱلْجَامِع ٱلْأُمَوِي, romanized: *al-Jāmiʿ al-Umawī*), dem sanso know as de **Great Mosque of Damascus** (Arabic: جَامِع بَنِي أُمَيَّة ٱلْكَبِيْر, romanized: *Jāmiʿ Banī Umayyah al-Kabīr*), wey locate insyd de old city of Damascus, de capital of Syria, be one of de largest den oldest mosques insyd de world. Ein religious importance dey stem from de eschatological reports wey dey concern de mosque den historic events wey associate plus am. Christian den Muslim tradition alike dey consider am de burial place of John the Baptist ein head, a tradition wey dey originate insyd de 6th century. Two shrines insyd de premises dey commemorate de Islamic prophet Muhammadein grandson Husayn ibn Ali, wey ein martyrdom be frequently compared to dat of John the Baptist. Dem dey consider am to be de oldest mosque still in use insyd ein original form.

Dem use de site as a house of worship since de Iron Age, wen de Arameans build on am a temple dem dedicate to dema god of rain, Hadad. E later be associated plus de Greek god Zeus during de Hellenistic period. Under Roman rule after 64 CE, dem convert am into de center of de imperial cult of Jupiter, de Roman god of rain, wey e cam be one of de largest temples insyd Syria. De current walls of de mosque be de inner walls of de Temple of Jupiter (dem build insyd de 1st century BC to 4th century AD). Wen de empire insyd Syria transition to Christian Byzantine rule, Emperor Theodosius I (r. 379–395) transform am into a cathedral den de seat of de second-highest-ranking bishop insyd de Patriarchate of Antioch.

After de Muslim conquest of Damascus insyd 634, part of de cathedral be designated as a small prayer house (*musalla*) for de Muslim conquerors. As de Muslim community grow, de Umayyad caliph al-Walid I (r. 705–715) confiscate de rest of de cathedral give Muslim use, returning to de Christians oda properties insyd de city as compensation. Dem largely demolish de structure wey dem build a grand congregational mosque complex insyd ein place. Dem build de new structure over nine years by thousands of laborers den artisans from across de Islamic den Byzantine empires at considerable expense wey na e be funded by de war booty of Umayyad conquests den taxes on de Arab troops of Damascus. Unlike de simpler mosques of de time, de Umayyad Mosque get a large basilical plan plus three parallel aisles den a perpendicular central nave wey dey lead from de mosque ein entrance to de world ein second concave *mihrab* (prayer niche). Dem note de mosque for ein rich compositions of marble paneling den ein extensive gold mosaics of vegetal motifs, wey dey cover sam 4,000 square metres (43,000 ft2), likely de largest insyd de world. 

Under Abbasid rule (750–860), dem add new structures, wey dey include de *Dome of the Treasury* den de *Minaret of the Bride*, while de Mamluks (1260–1516) undertake major restoration efforts wey dem add de Minaret of Qaytbay. De Umayyad Mosque innovate den influence nascent Islamic architecture by introducing a more organized den monumental design dem compare to earlier mosques. E enjoy great prestige thru out ein history wey na e be regarded as a "wonder of the world" by chaw medieval Muslim writers. Although de original structure be altered several times secof fire, war damage, den repairs, e be one of de few mosques to maintain de same form den architectural features of ein 8th-century construction, as well as ein Umayyad character.

## References


## External links

*Christian Sahner, "A Glistening Crossroads," The Wall Street Journal, 17 July 2010 
*For freely downloadable, high-resolution photographs of the Umayyad Mosque (for teaching, research, cultural heritage work, and publication) by archaeologists, visit Manar al-Athar 
*Umayyad Mosque – Discover Islamic Art – Virtual Museum