Attractions / 20.06.2023

Great mosques of the world. The Great Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. Umayyad Mosque in Damascus: description, relics and shrines

The Great Mosque of Damascus, also known as the Umayyad Mosque, is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. Located in one of the most sacred places in the old city of Damascus, it is of great architectural value.

The mosque contains the Treasury, which is said to contain the head of John the Baptist (Yahya), revered as a Prophet by both Christians and Muslims. The head may have been found during excavations during the construction of the mosque. The mosque also houses the tomb of Salah ad-Din, located in a small garden adjacent to the northern wall of the mosque.

The place where the mosque now stands was occupied by the Temple of Hadad during the Aramaic era. The Aramaic presence was attested by the discovery of a basalt stele depicting a sphinx and excavated in the northeast corner of the mosque. Later, in the Roman era, the Temple of Jupiter was located on this site, then, in Byzantine times, a Christian church dedicated to John the Baptist.

Initially, the Arab conquest of Damascus in 636 did not affect the church, as a building revered by both Muslim and Christian parishioners. This preserved the church and worship services, although the Muslims built an adobe brick extension opposite the south wall of the temple. Under the Umayyad caliph al-Walid I, however, the church was purchased from the Christians before it was destroyed. Between 706 and 715 an existing mosque was built on this site. According to the legend, Al-Walid personally started the destruction of the church by introducing a golden thorn. From that moment on, Damascus became the most important point in the Middle East and later became the capital of the Umayyad State.

Architecture

The mosque is separated from the noisy city by powerful walls. The huge courtyard is lined with black and white polished slabs, to the left of the entrance is an impressive wooden cart on hefty wheels. Some say that this is a ramming device left by Tamerlane after the storming of Damascus, others consider the wagon to be a war chariot from the times of Ancient Rome. The floor of the prayer hall is covered with many carpets - there are more than five thousand of them.

Interior plan of the Umayyad Mosque

In the prayer hall there is a tomb with the Head of John the Baptist, cut off by order of King Herod. The tomb is made of white marble, decorated with niches of embossed green glass. Through a special opening, you can throw inside a memorial note, a photograph, donate money to the prophet Yahya (as Muslims call John the Baptist). One of the three minarets of the Umayyad Mosque (the one located on the southeast side) bears the name of Isa ben Mariam, that is, "Jesus, the Son of Mary." According to the prophecy, on the eve of the Last Judgment, Jesus Christ will descend from heaven to earth. Hands"" and the Savior, dressed in white clothes, will lie on the wings of two angels, and the hair will appear wet, even if water has not touched them. That is why the imam of the mosque lays a new carpet on the ground under the minaret, where the foot of the Redeemer should set foot.

Relics of John the Baptist (Yahya)

The story with the relics of the Forerunner has not been fully elucidated. As Archimandrite Alexander Elisov (representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' under the Patriarch of Great Antioch and All the East) says, we can only talk about part of the head of the Baptist. There are three more fragments of the saint's head - one is kept on Mount Athos, the other - in the French Amiens, the third - in Rome, in the church of Pope Sylvester.

In the mosque

Parishioners behave relaxedly - they not only pray, but also read, sit, lie down, some even sleep. Every day, except Friday, representatives of any faith are freely allowed into the mosque, and there is no hostility towards guests here.

The Umayyad Mosque (Damascus, Syria) is one of the most majestic and oldest temple buildings in the world. It also bears the name of the Great Mosque of Damascus. The value of this building for the architectural heritage of the country is simply colossal. Its location is also symbolic. The Umayyad Grand Mosque is located in Damascus, the oldest city in Syria.

Historical background

The Umayyad Mosque is located in the capital of Syria - the city of Damascus. Archaeologists claim that this city is about 10,000 years old. There is only one city in the whole world older than Damascus - Jericho in Palestine. Damascus is the largest religious center of the entire Levant, and its highlight is rightfully the Umayyad Mosque. The Levant is a generalized name for all the countries of the eastern Mediterranean, such as Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, etc.

After a visit to Damascus by the Apostle Paul, a new religious trend appeared in the city - Christianity. And the fact that Damascus is mentioned several times in the Bible is also no coincidence. The end of the 11th century was fateful for the city. He was conquered by the king of the Israeli state David. Gradually, the Aramaic tribes in this territory began the foundation of a new kingdom, which then included Palestine. In 333 BC. Damascus was captured by the army of Alexander the Great, and in 66 by the Roman army, after which it became a province of Syria.

Umayyad Mosque (Damascus). Chronicles

On the site of the construction of the mosque in the Aramaic era (approximately 3 thousand years ago) there was the Temple of Hadad, in which the Arameans held worship services. The chronicles testify that Jesus Christ himself spoke their language. This is evidenced by excavations, thanks to which basalt steles depicting a sphinx were found in the northeastern corner of the Great Mosque. In the subsequent Roman era, the Temple of Jupiter stood on the same site. In the Byzantine era, on the orders of Emperor Theodosius, the pagan temple was destroyed and the Church of St. Zechariah was built in its place, which was later renamed the Church of John the Baptist.

It is noteworthy that this church was a refuge not only for Christians, but also for Muslims. For 70 years, divine services were held in the church for two denominations at the same time. Therefore, when the Arabs conquered Damascus in 636, they did not touch this building. Moreover, the Muslims built a small brick extension to the temple on the south side.

Mosque construction

When the Umayyad caliph Al-Walid I ascended the throne, it was decided to buy the church from the Christians. Then it was destroyed and an existing mosque was built in its place. Caliph Al-Walid I decided to create the main place of worship for Muslims. He wanted the building to be distinguished by its special architectural beauty from all Christian buildings. The fact is that in Syria there were Christian churches that favorably differed in beauty and splendor. The caliph wanted the mosque he built to attract more attention, so it had to become even more beautiful. His ideas were realized by the best architects and craftsmen from the Maghreb, India, Rome and Persia. All the funds that were in the state treasury at that time were spent on the construction of the mosque. The Byzantine emperor, as well as some Muslim rulers, contributed to the construction of the mosque. They provided many mosaics and gems.

Building architecture

The Great Mosque of Damascus or the Umayyad Mosque is hidden from the bustle of the big city behind massive walls. On the left side of the entrance you can see a huge wooden wagon on wheels of impressive size. Rumor has it that it has been preserved since the time of Ancient Rome. Although some believe that this wagon was a device for ramming during the assault on Damascus, left by Tamerlane.

Behind the gates of the mosque opens a spacious courtyard, lined with black and white marble slabs. The walls are made of onyx. From all sides, the courtyard is surrounded by a colonnade in the shape of a rectangle 125 meters long and 50 meters wide. You can enter the Umayyad Mosque from four sides through the gate. The prayer hall occupies one side, along the perimeter the courtyard is surrounded by a painted vaulted gallery, richly decorated with images of the Gardens of Eden and golden mosaics. In the very center of the courtyard there is a pool for ablution and a fountain.

tower prophecy

Of particular value are the minarets, which have been preserved almost in their original form. In 1488, they were partially restored. The minaret, located in the southeast direction, is dedicated to the prophet Isu (Jesus) and bears his name. The minaret looks like a quadrangular tower that looks like a pencil. the Umayyad Mosque is especially famous.

The prophecy of the tower says that before the Last Judgment in the second coming, Jesus Christ will descend on this minaret. When He enters the mosque, He will resurrect the prophet Yahya. Then both of them will go to Jerusalem to establish justice on Earth. That is why every day a new carpet is laid in the place where the Savior's foot supposedly steps. Opposite the minaret of Jesus is the minaret of the Bride or al-Aruq. On the western side is the al-Gharbiya minaret, which was built in the 15th century.

The interior of the mosque

The facade of the courtyard of the mosque is lined with multi-colored marble. Some areas are decorated with mosaics and covered with gilding. For quite a long time, all this beauty was hidden by a dense layer of plaster, and only in 1927, thanks to skilled restorers, did it become available for contemplation.

The interior of the mosque is no less beautiful. The walls are inlaid with marble and the floors are carpeted. In total there are more than five thousand of them. The prayer hall is impressive. It is 136 meters long and 37 meters wide. All of it is covered with wooden flooring, Corinthian columns rise along its perimeter. The center of the hall is occupied by four painted columns supporting a huge dome. Of particular value are the paintings and mosaics on the columns.

Tomb of Yahya

The southern side of the prayer hall is occupied by four mihrabs. One of the main shrines of the mosque - the tomb of Hussein ibn Ali, who, according to legend, was the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is located in the eastern side of the courtyard. The entrance to the relic is hidden behind small doors at the back of the courtyard. The tomb is located in the chapel of Hussein. According to legend, the prophet's grandson was killed at the Battle of Karbala in 681. The severed head of Hussein was presented to the ruler of Syria, who ordered to hang it in the very place where the head of John the Baptist once hung on the orders of King Herod. The legend says that after that the birds began to make sad trills and all the inhabitants wept tirelessly. Then the ruler repented and gave the order to enclose the head in a golden tomb and place it in a crypt, which later turned out to be in a mosque. Muslims claim that the tomb also contains those that he circumcised when he last visited Mecca.

Tomb of John the Baptist

Also in the prayer hall is a tomb with the head of John the Baptist. When the foundation of the mosque was being laid, the builders discovered a grave. According to Syrian Christians, this was the burial place of John the Baptist. Caliph Ibn Walid gave the order to leave the grave in its original place. Thus she found herself in the very center of the prayer hall. The white marble tomb is surrounded by green glass niches through which you can put a note to the prophet Yahya or give him a gift. According to Archimandrite Alexander Elisov, only part of the head of John the Baptist is in the tomb. The remaining parts of the relics are hidden in Athos, Amiens and in the temple of Pope Sylvester in Rome.

A small garden adjoins the northern part of the mosque, in which the tomb of Salah ad-Din is located.

Tests

Like any other shrine, the Umayyad Mosque has gone through many trials. Separate parts of it burned several times. The mosque also suffered from natural disasters. In 1176, 1200 and 1759 the strongest earthquakes hit the city. After the end of the Umayyad dynasty, Syria was repeatedly devastated by the Mongols, Seljuks and Ottomans. Despite all the difficulties, the only building that was quickly restored and delighted its parishioners was the Umayyad Mosque. Syria to this day is proud of the indestructible power of this unique cultural monument.

Rules for visiting the mosque

The Umayyad Mosque (Damascus) is a hospitable place for people of any religion. Parishioners within its walls do not feel disadvantaged, on the contrary, they behave quite relaxedly. Here you can see those who perform namaz, those who read the Holy Scriptures. Here you can just sit and enjoy the holiness of this place, you can even lie down. Sometimes you can even meet sleeping people. The servants of the mosque treat everyone democratically, they don’t expel or condemn anyone. Children are very fond of rolling on the marble floor polished to a shine. Tourists for a small fee can visit the Umayyad Mosque (Syria) on any day except Friday. When entering a mosque, you should take off your shoes. It can be deposited with ministers for an additional fee or carried with you. For women, special clothing in the form of black capes is provided, which is also issued at the entrance. It should be borne in mind that in Syria it is almost always very hot, so sometimes the mosque is heated to the limit. It is almost impossible to walk barefoot on such a surface, so it is better to bring socks with you.

Muslims from all over the world strive to visit the Umayyad Mosque (Syria) at least once. In Damascus, this is the most crowded place.

In the very center of old Damascus rises one of the greatest shrines of the Muslim world - Umayya, or the Umayyad Mosque, the Great Mosque, built at the beginning of the 8th century. caliph al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik.

In ancient times, the Romans built a temple of Jupiter with the surrounding architectural ensemble on this site. In the IV century. The Byzantines came and, destroying the pagan temple, built an Orthodox cathedral from its ruins in the name of the Christian prophet John the Baptist, who was executed by King Herod.

At the beginning of the 7th century Muslim Arabs, having captured Syria with its churches and monasteries, were amazed at their luxury and splendor of the religious rituals of the conquered Byzantines. The commander Khaled bin Walid, to whose troops the garrison of Damascus surrendered in 636, guaranteed in writing "the inviolability of the inhabitants of the city, their property, churches and city walls." The main cathedral of the city became a place of prayer for Muslim soldiers, and Christians were allowed here for their prayers. In a word, there was enough space for everyone. Thus, for several decades, an atmosphere of religious tolerance and mutual respect between the Christian and Muslim communities was preserved; the ringing of bells over the gigantic basilica dedicated to John the Baptist alternated with the prayerful singing of the muezzin.

But time passed, and Damascus from an ordinary city of the times of the Prophet Muhammad and his first successors turned into the capital of a huge caliphate founded by the Umayyad dynasty (661-750). The number of adherents of Islam increased so much that the grandiose St. John's Basilica with its three 140-meter spans-naves could not accommodate everyone, and Christians were completely superfluous here. In addition, the new capital grew rich, flourished, and the Umayyad caliphs rightly decided that it should have its own sanctuary, similar to the first mosques in Mecca, Medina, Kufa, Basra ... And the sixth caliph from the Umayyad family, al Walid ibn Abd al-Malik ( 705-715), whose possessions stretched from the east to the Pyrenees and the Atlantic in the west, began negotiations with representatives of the Christian community of Damascus, offering them to cede the territory of the basilica to the Muslims in exchange for permission to freely use the five temples in the city. The Christians were stubborn. Then the caliph threatened that he would order the destruction of the church of St. Thomas, which was even larger in size than the church of St. John. The Christian elders had to submit. By the way, subsequently all Christian churches were destroyed or turned into mosques, except for the Church of St. Mary, which today is the main cathedral of the Patriarch of Antioch.

Al-Walid ordered the destruction of the basilica, the removal of the remains of the Roman structures on the site of which it was erected, and began the construction of a mosque, "which was not and will not be more beautiful." According to the Arab historian Abd ar-Rashid al-Bakuvi, the construction continued throughout the ten years of the caliph's reign with the participation of 12,000 workers. The ruler spent seven years of kharaj (income) of the state on him. When papers with invoices were delivered to him on eighteen camels, he did not even look at them and said: "This is what we spent for the sake of Allah, so let's not regret it."

The creation "for the sake of Allah" was truly grandiose. What Arab architects created at the beginning of the 8th century served as a model for the entire Muslim world for centuries. During the construction of the Umayyad Mosque, technical and artistic techniques of Sasanian and Byzantine architecture were used, many elements of ancient temples were even preserved, on the site of which the construction was going on. However, the plan of the mosque and the internal structure received a completely different interpretation. And its decor was famous for its incomparable perfection.

The ensemble of the mosque is a rectangle 156x97 meters in plan. The prayer hall is freely visible in all directions - the ancient columns, preserved from the Romans and Byzantines, are separated from each other by five or more meters. Two-tiered arches rest on them, emphasizing the height of the hall, crowned in the center with a dome on four pillars, which is called "kubbat an-nasr" - "the dome of victory."

The hall of the mosque is illuminated by massive European-type crystal chandeliers. In the 19th century the prayer hall has changed its appearance somewhat. In particular, the windows and openings of the arches of the north wall were decorated with bright colorful stained-glass windows.
A steep staircase behind carved high doors leads to a high pulpit (minbar) made of white marble. From here, spiritual sermons are currently being broadcast on radio throughout the country.

The Grand Mosque has three minarets, and each one stands on Roman-Byzantine foundations. All of them have names: the minaret of the Bride (a quadrangular tower, since the ancient base is square), the minaret of Isa, that is, Jesus Christ (rises above the southwestern corner of the mosque), and the minaret of Mohammed - western (erected in 1184).

Muslims believe that on the eve of the Last Judgment, Isa (Jesus Christ) will descend to earth near "his" minaret to fight the Antichrist. And when this happens, a girl from the Ghassanid tribe will come out of the minaret of the Bride: she was the bride of Jesus, but the beauty was walled up in the walls of the tower that once stood on this place.

There are many mysterious and mysterious places in this huge mosque. In the depths of her courtyard, among the columns of the gallery, there is a small door leading to the so-called Mashhad Hussein - the chapel of Hussein: everyone in Damascus knows that here, in a capsule under a veil embroidered with Koranic inscriptions, lies the head of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad - Hussein, a martyr of Islam, who was killed at the Battle of Karbala in 681. His head was cut off, delivered to Damascus to the ruler of Syria, Muawiyah, and hung on the city gates - in the very place where King Herod once ordered the head of John the Baptist to be displayed. Nightingales, the legend tells, sang in the gardens of the city so sadly that all its inhabitants wept. Then Muawiyah, full of remorse, ordered that the head be placed in a golden sarcophagus and installed in a crypt, which later turned out to be inside the Umayyad mosque. They say that Muhammad's hair, which he cut off before his last pilgrimage to Mecca, is also kept there. Near the crypt, day and night, the mullah reads the Koran.
Umayyad Mosque in Damascus
And the capsule with the head of John the Baptist, known in Rus' as John the Baptist (in the Koran he is called Yuhann), is also located here, in the Umayyad mosque. It is kept in the center of the temple, in a small, elegant pavilion with a dome that repeats the shape of the arch thrown over it, and behind the lattice windows. How did she get here? She has always been here, but they found her, as they say, several centuries ago, during restoration work.

Through the famous aivan (colonnade) of the Umayyads, the courtyard of the mosque is clearly visible. In the center of the courtyard is a fountain for ablution, for the temple is a place of purification.
Perhaps nowhere else in the world can you find such a mosaic as in the Umayyad Mosque. Panels with a total area of 35x7.5 meters are made by hammering glass or gilded smalt cubes into a binder mass - this is how mosaics were created in the Roman Empire. According to legend, this panel was made by masters commissioned by al-Walid from Constantinople. Whatever is depicted here: rural landscapes, and flowering corners of Damascus, and the Barad River with castles on its banks. The heirs of al-Walid, fearing the wrath of Allah, ordered to cover these images with lime mortar - examples of the culture of the early Islamic period, combining ornament and image, symbol and realistic reproduction of the earthly world. Now they have been restored.

When the envoys of Byzantium first saw the Great Mosque, they could not restrain their admiration, while uttering the historical phrase: "The beautiful mosque made us convinced that the Arabs had finally entrenched themselves in this country and we could never return here."

Unfortunately, misfortunes and disasters did not bypass this masterpiece of architecture - between 1068 and 1893, the mosque and its individual parts burned countless times. Three times - in 1157, 1200 and 1759 - earthquakes caused great damage to it. Since Damascus ceased to be the capital of the caliphate, Syria has been subjected to devastating raids by the Seljuks, the Mongols, or the Ottomans. But every time the mosque rose up and again delighted the Muslim world with its magnificence.

Muslims from all over the world flock to the Umayyad Mosque today. In Damascus, it is the most visited. Muslims come here to purify themselves and pray, to hear and see the Word of Allah there, to partake of beauty, because, as the prophet said: “Allah loves beautiful things,” only with His help, with His blessing, such a miracle of harmony could appear on earth - temple in the center of the Muslim world, open to all believers.

The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus, is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. It is located in the historical center of the Syrian city of Damascus and is of great historical and architectural value.

The Umayyad Mosque was built at the beginning of the eighth century on the site of the former Christian temple of John the Baptist. The mosque is named after Caliph Walid I of the Umayyad dynasty, who ordered the construction. The best architects from Rome, Constantinople, Persia and India were invited to build the building. In architectural terms, the mosque resembles a Byzantine palace. It was built for more than ten years, gold, pearls, mother-of-pearl and marble were widely used in decoration. The courtyard of the mosque is surrounded on all sides by an arched gallery, and the floor is paved with polished slabs.

For Muslims, the Umayyad Mosque has the status of a cult shrine; religious pilgrimages are made to it. The mosque houses the head and relics of John the Baptist, who is revered as a great prophet both in Islam and in Christianity. Also on the territory of the mosque is the tomb of Salah ad-Din, the famous Muslim sultan and religious leader.

The Umayyad Mosque is an amazing and sublime place where representatives of any religion are allowed. The beauty and scale of the building is breathtaking, and the mosque is a huge hit with tourists.

This is one of the most famous mosques in the world. It was built on the site of previous more ancient temples. Three thousand years ago, the Aramaic temple of the god Hadad stood here. At the beginning of our era, the "palm" was taken over by the Romans. They erected the temple of Jupiter, which was destroyed by the Byzantine emperor Theodosius at the end of the 4th century. Many colonnades around the mosque remained from the ancient temple, apparently Theodosius did not try very hard. He built a huge basilica of St. John. The Muslims who captured Damascus used this cathedral for a long time along with the Christians. Christians prayed in the eastern part of the basilica, and Muslims in the western.

In 708, Caliph Walid confiscated the building of the Cathedral of St. John, providing Christians with other churches. He began to build a mosque worthy of his huge caliphate. The Umayyad Mosque was built over 10 years. It must be said that the builders largely preserved the ancient walls of the cathedral and the three main gates. The three minarets of the mosque also have ancient foundations.

The western wall of the mosque and the minaret of the Prophet Muhammad.

The minaret was restored after a fire by the Mamluk Sultan Kait Bey in 1488. Therefore, it is often called the minaret of Kait-bey.

Here is the main entrance to the mosque - the Bab al-Barid gate. On the square in front of this gate is the entrance to the famous market - Souq al-Hamidia, so it is always very crowded here.
Gate of Bab al-Barid (view from the courtyard)

I entered the mosque through the northern gate - Bab al-Faradis. The entrance to the mosque is paid, but here they did not demand a ticket from me, although it costs some pennies - a little more than a dollar. Probably, the gatekeepers were too lazy to bother with me, the only thing they follow very strictly is that women wear special capes, which are immediately distributed or sold, I did not specify ...
Gateway to Paradise...Bab al-Faradis

The northern minaret or minaret of the Bride dates back to the beginning of the 8th century.

Minaret of the Bride and azan in the Umayyad Mosque

In the center of the courtyard there is a fountain for ablutions - Kubbat an-Nofara

At the western portal there is an interesting building - the treasury of Kubbat al-Khazna (787). There is no access to it directly from the ground; there are similar treasuries in many Islamic mosques.

Numerous mosaics of the western portal brought fame to the courtyard of the mosque. The panel depicting the Gardens of Eden stands out in particular.
Paradise garden and palaces in it.

The mosaics were made by Byzantine masters back in the days of Caliph Walid, and then they were plastered over by some very pious successor. This is what has served to ensure that they have come down to us in good condition.

Mosaic on the facade of the prayer hall.

Southeast minaret of the prophet Isa - Jesus Christ. According to local legend, he will descend to earth along this minaret on the eve of the Last Judgment ...

Details of the ancient basilica - the predecessor of the current mosque.

Central mihrab and minbar of the Umayyad Mosque
Chapel of St. John the Baptist (aka the prophet Yahya in the Koran). Here is the head of the saint, as if found in 705 during the reconstruction of the basilica into a mosque.