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.

Background

The mosque stands in a park beside Hama Street in Homs, about 300 metres from the souk. A small mosque is said to have stood next to the mausoleum as early as the 7th century, and the inner shrine holding the tomb dates to the 11th century. Several sources say a larger mosque was raised around the mausoleum under the Mamluk sultan al-Zahir Baybars in 1265, with a restoration under al-Ashraf Khalil in 1291. The present building replaced that one, and its renovation was completed in 1912. The domed mausoleum occupies one corner of the prayer hall, and the two minarets at the northwestern and northeastern corners carry narrow galleries banded in white and black stone.

Source: Wikipedia, "Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque"

What to look for

• 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.

Things to know

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.

Key facts