Tomb of Suleyman Shah Monument

The Tomb of Suleyman Shah is a mausoleum traditionally associated with Suleyman Shah, who is remembered in Ottoman tradition as an ancestor of Osman I. The site is located on the banks of the Euphrates River in Syria’s Aleppo Governorate and has been maintained under special arrangements by Turkish authorities.

The mausoleum itself is a small funerary structure and associated shrine rather than a large monument, and it became symbolically important because of its historical association with early Ottoman genealogy and subsequent diplomatic arrangements.

Historically the tomb was maintained by Turkish custodianship under 20th-century agreements between states. In the 1970s the tomb was moved from its original riverside location because of construction of the Tabqa Dam and the resulting reservoir, Lake Assad.

The site sits along the Euphrates in northern Syria’s Aleppo Governorate, in an area of riverine and agricultural landscape that has been subject to changing control and restricted access in recent decades.

• Restricted access: Access and control of the site have been politically sensitive; visits are generally restricted and the site has been subject to agreements between Turkey and Syrian authorities.