Umayyad Mosque (Great Mosque of Damascus)

Damascus, Syria

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The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus, is one of the oldest, largest, and most important mosques in the world.

Located in the heart of Damascus, Syria, it was built between 705 and 715 CE by Caliph al-Walid I and stands on a site that has been used for worship for thousands of years, serving successively as an Aramean temple, a Roman temple, and a Byzantine church. The mosque is renowned for its magnificent architecture, vast marble courtyard, soaring minarets, and beautiful mosaics that blend Islamic, Roman, and Byzantine influences.

It is also revered by both Muslims and Christians because it contains a shrine traditionally believed to hold the head of John the Baptist (Prophet Yahya). As one of the most iconic landmarks in the Ancient City of Damascus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Umayyad Mosque remains an active place of worship and a powerful symbol of Syria’s religious, cultural, and architectural heritage.