What is the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus?
The Umayyad Mosque is the Great Mosque of Damascus, Syria, one of the oldest and most famous mosques in the world. It was built in the early 700s CE by the Umayyad caliph al-Walid I and is known for its golden mosaics, its huge courtyard and a shrine linked to the Prophet John the Baptist (Yahya).
A short history
The site has been a place of worship for thousands of years. It held an ancient temple, later a Roman temple of Jupiter, and then a Christian church dedicated to John the Baptist. After Muslims entered Damascus in the 630s, historians report that the site was used by both communities for some decades.
Around 705 CE, Caliph al-Walid I ibn Abd al-Malik had the church taken down and a grand mosque built in its place, finishing around 715 CE. Damascus was then the capital of the Umayyad caliphate, so the mosque was meant to show the strength of the young Muslim state. Its design, with a long prayer hall and a wide open courtyard, influenced mosques across the Muslim world for centuries.
What you'll see inside
- Golden mosaics showing rivers, trees and buildings, with no people or animals. Many see them as images of Paradise.
- A vast marble courtyard surrounded by arcades, with a small domed treasury building raised on columns.
- Three minarets, including the Minaret of the Bride and the Minaret of Jesus.
- The shrine of John the Baptist inside the prayer hall, where, according to tradition, his head is buried.
The mosque was damaged by fires several times, most heavily in 1893, and restored each time. The tomb of Salah ad-Din (Saladin) stands in a small garden just outside its northern wall.
John the Baptist and Jesus
Muslims honor John (Yahya) as a prophet. The Quran says about him:
See Do Muslims believe in John the Baptist? The Minaret of Jesus is named after a hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ said that Jesus will descend near the white minaret in the east of Damascus (Sahih Muslim 2937). Many Muslims connect this tradition with the mosque. See Do Muslims believe Jesus will come back?
A place shared with history
Because of John the Baptist's shrine, Christians have long visited the mosque too. In 2001, Pope John Paul II visited it, the first pope known to enter a mosque. The mosque is still used for daily prayers, and visitors are welcome outside prayer times, with robes provided for women. If you plan to travel, check your government's latest travel advice first. For the basics of what a mosque is, see What is a mosque?
- Built around 705–715 CE by Umayyad caliph al-Walid I.
- The site was earlier a Roman temple and then a church.
- It holds a shrine linked to John the Baptist (Yahya).
- Its Minaret of Jesus is tied to a hadith about his return.
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