The Old City of Aleppo

Aleppo, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, was for millennia a great metropolis and Silk Road crossroads, and its historic Old City is a UNESCO World Heritage site of tremendous grandeur. It is crowned by the mighty Citadel of Aleppo, a colossal medieval fortress rising on a great mound at the city's heart, one of the largest and most impressive castles anywhere. Around and below it once spread a vast labyrinth of ancient covered souks, caravanserais, mosques, madrasas and stone khans, the medieval commercial heart of the East. Steeped in history and monumental in scale, old Aleppo is a place of legendary importance.

What you actually see

• The Citadel - the colossal medieval fortress on its great mound.
• The covered souks - the ancient labyrinth of market streets.
• The khans - the historic stone caravanserais and courtyards.
• The Great Mosque - the ancient congregational mosque of the old city.

When to go

Spring and autumn, roughly March to May and September to November, are the most comfortable for exploring the citadel and old quarters in mild weather; summers are hot and winters can be cold. The clear light of these seasons best reveals the honey-coloured stone of the citadel and souks.

Honest expectations

Aleppo's Old City suffered serious damage during recent years, and while its mighty citadel endures and restoration continues, parts of the historic souks and quarters bear the marks of those years, so a guide and realistic expectations help. As one of the oldest cities on earth, crowned by a colossal citadel and a UNESCO World Heritage site of legendary Silk Road grandeur, though, old Aleppo remains deeply impressive.

Nearby

The surrounding old quarters and the countryside's Dead Cities lie around Aleppo.