Umayyad Mosque

The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus, is an early 8th-century congregational mosque located in the old city of Damascus. It is one of the oldest and most important surviving monumental mosques in the Islamic world.

The complex includes a large open courtyard, a covered prayer hall with colonnades and multiple minarets, and richly detailed mosaics and stonework from early Islamic periods. A small interior shrine within the mosque is traditionally associated with the head of John the Baptist, venerated by both Muslims and Christians.

The mosque was constructed on the site of earlier religious buildings and was completed under the Umayyad Caliph al-Walid I in the early 700s CE, becoming a major centre of worship and civic life in Damascus. It has been rebuilt and modified at multiple points while retaining core Umayyad-era fabric.

Located at the heart of Damascus’s old city, the mosque sits adjacent to the historic souks and other significant monuments of the Umayyad quarter.

• Date of construction: Construction of the present mosque complex dates to the early 8th century under the Umayyad Caliphate, with many surviving mosaics and architectural elements from that period.
• Visitor guidance: Non-Muslim visitors can often enter outside of main prayer times; dress and respectful behaviour are required inside the complex.

What to See #

• Prayer hall and courtyard: The central courtyard and covered prayer hall host the mosque's main devotional space, with richly decorated arcades and a large roofed area for congregational prayer.
• Shrine of John the Baptist: A small interior shrine area traditionally associated with the head of John the Baptist is located within the complex and is venerated by Muslims and Christians alike.