Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque

The mosque of Khalid ibn al-Walid holds the tomb of the commander who led the early Muslim conquests and died in Homs around 642, and the building itself is Ottoman-era in a Levantine-Turkish style: black-and-white banded stone, a courtyard, and the nine silver-toned domes and twin minarets that made it the emblem of the city. Damaged in the 2010s, it has been restored and reopened, its domes again the skyline of al-Khalidiya. The tomb chamber, with its draped cenotaph, draws visitors from across the Muslim world.

What you actually see

• The tomb of Khalid - the shrine of the celebrated commander.
• The nine domes - the silvered roofline over the prayer hall.
• The banded stonework - the black-and-white Ottoman facades.
• The courtyard - the arcaded approach to the hall.

When to go

March to May and October to November are mild. Outside prayer times is best for visits. Friday middays are for worship, not tourism.

Honest expectations

This is an active mosque with a dress code and prayer-time closures; non-Muslim visitors should follow custodians' guidance. Restoration means some finishes are new. The district around continues to rebuild.

Nearby

Um al-Zunnar is in the old centre, and Hama is north.