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The Great Mosque of Aleppo is also identified by the appellation Great Umayyad Mosque of Aleppo.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Great Mosque of Aleppo is indeed also known as the Great Umayyad Mosque of Aleppo, reflecting its historical association with the Umayyad Caliphate.
The Great Mosque of Aleppo is situated within the al-Jalloum district of the Ancient City of Aleppo, Syria.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Great Mosque of Aleppo is located in the al-Jalloum district, which is part of the Ancient City of Aleppo, Syria.
Prior to the construction of the Great Mosque, the site historically functioned as a marketplace during the Hellenistic period and subsequently as a garden associated with a Christian cathedral.
Answer: True
Explanation: Historical records indicate that the site of the Great Mosque of Aleppo previously served as the agora (marketplace and public assembly area) during the Hellenistic period and later as the garden for the Cathedral of Saint Helena.
The initial mosque construction on the site commenced in 715 CE under the Umayyad caliph Al-Walid I and was completed by his successor, Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik.
Answer: True
Explanation: The initial construction phase of the mosque on this site began in 715 CE under Umayyad caliph Al-Walid I and was finalized in 717 CE by his successor, Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik.
The mosque's proximity to Al-Madina Souq situates it within a historically significant commercial district.
Answer: True
Explanation: Its location proximate to Al-Madina Souq, a historic marketplace, positions the mosque within a pivotal commercial and cultural zone of Aleppo's Ancient City.
The Great Mosque of Aleppo was razed by the Mongols in 1260 and subsequently re-burned by them in 1281.
Answer: True
Explanation: The mosque was indeed razed by the Mongols in 1260 and subsequently re-burned by them in 1281.
The mosque was constructed on land that was formerly a bustling marketplace.
Answer: True
Explanation: The site historically served as the agora, a marketplace and public assembly area, during the Hellenistic period before the mosque's construction.
The Umayyad Caliphate governed from the 8th to the 10th centuries CE.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Umayyad Caliphate reigned from 661 to 750 CE, primarily the 7th and early 8th centuries.
An agora in ancient Greek city-states served as a public assembly and marketplace.
Answer: True
Explanation: An agora was a public open space utilized for assemblies and markets in ancient Greek city-states, indicating the site's extensive history as a central public area.
What is an alternative appellation for the Great Mosque of Aleppo?
Answer: The Great Umayyad Mosque of Aleppo
Explanation: The Great Mosque of Aleppo is also identified by the appellation Great Umayyad Mosque of Aleppo.
In which district of Aleppo is the Great Mosque situated?
Answer: Al-Jalloum
Explanation: The Great Mosque of Aleppo is situated within the al-Jalloum district of the Ancient City of Aleppo, Syria.
What was the function of the site of the Great Mosque during the Hellenistic period?
Answer: A public assembly area (agora)
Explanation: During the Hellenistic period, the site served as the agora, functioning as a marketplace and public assembly area.
Who initiated the construction of the earliest mosque on the site in 715 CE?
Answer: Umayyad caliph Al-Walid I
Explanation: The initial mosque construction on the site commenced in 715 CE under the Umayyad caliph Al-Walid I.
What historical event precipitated the mosque's razing in 1260 and its subsequent burning in 1281?
Answer: The Mongol invasions
Explanation: The mosque was razed by the Mongols in 1260 and subsequently re-burned by them in 1281.
What does the term 'agora' signify in the context of the mosque's pre-Islamic history?
Answer: A marketplace and public assembly space
Explanation: An agora was a public open space utilized for assemblies and markets in ancient Greek city-states, indicating the site's extensive history as a central public area.
Architectural historian K. A. C. Creswell attributed the mosque's construction solely to Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik.
Answer: False
Explanation: While K. A. C. Creswell attributed the construction solely to Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik, Jere L. Bacharach suggests Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik was the more probable patron.
The architectural influences on the Great Mosque of Aleppo are exclusively limited to the Umayyad and Mamluk periods.
Answer: False
Explanation: The mosque's architectural composition reflects influences from Pre-Islamic, North Syrian, Umayyad, Seljuk, and Mamluk periods.
Both the Great Mosque of Aleppo and the Great Mosque of Damascus are characterized by a hypostyle plan and a substantial, marbled courtyard enclosed by porticoes.
Answer: True
Explanation: Both the Great Mosque of Aleppo and the Great Mosque of Damascus exhibit a hypostyle plan and a large, marbled courtyard encircled by porticoes.
The eastern and northern prayer halls of the mosque each comprise two naves, whereas the western hall contains only a single nave.
Answer: True
Explanation: The eastern and northern halls each contain two naves, while the western hall possesses only one nave and is largely a modern reconstruction.
Archaeologist Ernst Herzfeld described the minaret's style as reflective of purely local Syrian craftsmanship.
Answer: False
Explanation: Herzfeld characterized the minaret's style as a product of Mediterranean civilization, noting the presence of elements analogous to Gothic architecture on its facades.
Yasser Tabaa suggested the mosque represented a departure from ancient North Syrian church traditions.
Answer: False
Explanation: Tabaa posited that the mosque represented a continuation of ancient North Syrian church traditions and constituted a distinctly localized architectural phenomenon prevalent in the region between Aleppo and Edessa.
Which architectural historian posited that Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik was the most probable patron of the mosque?
Answer: Jere L. Bacharach
Explanation: Jere L. Bacharach suggested that Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik, the regional governor, was the more probable patron of the mosque.
Which of the following is not enumerated as an architectural influence on the Great Mosque of Aleppo?
Answer: Roman
Explanation: The architectural influences cited include Pre-Islamic, North Syrian, Umayyad, Seljuk, and Mamluk periods; Roman influence is not explicitly mentioned.
Which architectural characteristic is common to both the Great Mosque of Aleppo and the Great Mosque of Damascus?
Answer: A hypostyle plan and large marbled courtyard
Explanation: Both mosques exhibit a hypostyle plan and a large, marbled courtyard encircled by porticoes.
Which of the following elements is situated within the courtyard of the Great Mosque of Aleppo?
Answer: A sundial
Explanation: The courtyard contains two roofed ablutions fountains, an open prayer estrade, and a sundial.
According to Ernst Herzfeld, what civilization's influence was discernible in the minaret's architectural style?
Answer: Mediterranean
Explanation: Herzfeld characterized the minaret's style as a product of Mediterranean civilization, noting the presence of elements analogous to Gothic architecture on its facades.
The 45-meter high minaret was constructed in 1090 by Abu'l Hasan Muhammad, the Shia Muslim qadi of Aleppo.
Answer: True
Explanation: The 45-meter high minaret was constructed in 1090 by Abu'l Hasan Muhammad, who served as the Shia Muslim qadi of Aleppo.
The principal prayer hall contains the shrine of Zechariah, a minbar dating from the 15th century, and a mihrab.
Answer: True
Explanation: The main prayer hall contains the shrine of Zechariah, a minbar dating from the 15th century, and an elaborately carved mihrab, which indicates the direction of prayer.
The minaret was adorned with carved Kufic and Naskh inscriptions, along with stylized ornaments and muqarnas.
Answer: True
Explanation: The minaret was adorned with carved Kufic and Naskh inscriptions, alongside stylized ornaments and muqarnas.
The tomb of Prophet Zechariah was decorated with verses from the chapter of Al-Baqarah in the Quran.
Answer: False
Explanation: The tomb of Prophet Zechariah was adorned with Quranic verses from the chapter of Mariyam.
The minaret's decoration included elements described as similar to Gothic architecture.
Answer: True
Explanation: The minaret's decoration incorporated elements described as analogous to Gothic architecture, alongside Mediterranean influences.
Who is identified as the architect of the Great Mosque of Aleppo's minaret, constructed between 1090 and 1094?
Answer: Hasan ibn Mufarraj al-Sarmini
Explanation: The architect identified for the 45-meter high minaret, constructed between 1090 and 1094, is Hasan ibn Mufarraj al-Sarmini.
What is situated within the main prayer hall (haram) of the mosque?
Answer: The shrine of Zechariah and a 15th-century minbar
Explanation: The main prayer hall contains the shrine of Zechariah, a minbar dating from the 15th century, and an elaborately carved mihrab, which indicates the direction of prayer.
Tradition posits that the remains of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, are interred within the Great Mosque of Aleppo.
Answer: True
Explanation: According to tradition, the mosque is believed to house the tomb of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, figures revered in both Islamic and Christian traditions.
The mihrab functions as an architectural element indicating the direction of prayer towards Mecca.
Answer: True
Explanation: The mihrab is a niche situated in the mosque's wall that denotes the qibla, the direction towards Mecca that Muslims orient themselves towards during prayer.
A minbar is a structure utilized for delivering sermons and reciting religious texts during congregational prayers.
Answer: True
Explanation: A minbar serves as a pulpit from which the imam delivers sermons, typically on Fridays and during religious festivals.
The term 'haram' designates the principal prayer hall of a mosque.
Answer: True
Explanation: The principal prayer hall of a mosque is designated as the haram.
A qubbah is the Arabic term for a dome.
Answer: True
Explanation: A qubbah is the Arabic term for a dome, a common architectural element in mosques.
A maqsurah is a type of decorative tile work commonly found in mosque courtyards.
Answer: False
Explanation: A maqsurah typically refers to a screened-off or enclosed area within a mosque, frequently a domed chamber, which may contain tombs or significant relics.
The term 'hypostyle plan' denotes a mosque design characterized by a roof supported by a multitude of columns.
Answer: True
Explanation: A hypostyle plan refers to a building, typically a mosque, featuring a roof supported by a forest of columns, thereby creating a hall densely populated with pillars.
Ablution fountains in mosques are primarily utilized for decorative water features.
Answer: False
Explanation: Ablution fountains are provided for worshippers to perform ritual cleansing, termed wudu, prior to offering prayers.
The term 'qibla' refers to the direction of prayer towards Mecca.
Answer: True
Explanation: The qibla denotes the direction Muslims must face when praying, which is towards the Kaaba in Mecca.
The main prayer hall of a mosque is known as the haram.
Answer: True
Explanation: The principal prayer hall of a mosque is designated as the haram.
The term 'qadi' refers to an Islamic legal or religious judge.
Answer: True
Explanation: The term 'qadi' denotes an Islamic legal or religious judge.
Which religious figure is traditionally believed to be interred within the Great Mosque of Aleppo?
Answer: Zechariah, father of John the Baptist
Explanation: Tradition holds that the tomb of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, is located within the Great Mosque of Aleppo.
What is the function of a minbar within a mosque?
Answer: A pulpit used for delivering sermons
Explanation: The minbar serves as a pulpit from which the imam delivers sermons, typically on Fridays and during religious festivals.
What does the term 'haram' signify in mosque architecture?
Answer: The main prayer hall
Explanation: The principal prayer hall of a mosque is designated as the haram.
What does 'qibla' signify in the context of Islamic prayer?
Answer: The direction of prayer towards Mecca
Explanation: The qibla denotes the direction Muslims must face when praying, which is towards the Kaaba in Mecca.
The original roofing structure of the prayer hall featured a simple flat roof with a central dome, which was later replaced by a more complex cross-vaulted system during the Mamluk period.
Answer: True
Explanation: The prayer hall originally featured a simple flat roof surmounted by a central dome, subsequently supplanted by a more intricate cross-vaulted system incorporating arches and a smaller dome during Mamluk governance.
The Mamluk Sultan Qalawun replaced the mihrab, which had been damaged by fire, in the Great Mosque of Aleppo in 1285.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Mamluk Sultan Qalawun commissioned the replacement of the mihrab in 1285, following damage it sustained.
The current structural fabric of the Great Mosque of Aleppo predominantly dates from the 11th through the 14th centuries, incorporating subsequent Mamluk and Ottoman modifications.
Answer: True
Explanation: While the earliest mosque dates to the 8th century, the current building's structure largely originates from the 11th through the 14th centuries, featuring later Mamluk and Ottoman alterations.
The Mamluks governed Egypt and Syria from the 13th to the 16th centuries.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Mamluks constituted a medieval dynasty of Turkic and Circassian origin that governed Egypt and Syria from the 13th to the 16th centuries, undertaking significant repairs and alterations to the mosque.
What architectural modification transpired during the Mamluk period concerning the prayer hall's roof?
Answer: A complex cross-vaulted system replaced the original flat roof with a central dome.
Explanation: The prayer hall originally featured a simple flat roof surmounted by a central dome, subsequently supplanted by a more intricate cross-vaulted system incorporating arches and a smaller dome during Mamluk governance.
Which Mamluk sultan commissioned the new minbar for the mosque?
Answer: Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad
Explanation: The Mamluks constructed a new minbar during the tenure of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad.
Which dynasty governed Egypt and Syria from the 13th to the 16th centuries and contributed additions to the mosque?
Answer: Mamluk
Explanation: The Mamluks constituted a medieval dynasty of Turkic and Circassian origin that governed Egypt and Syria from the 13th to the 16th centuries, undertaking significant repairs and alterations to the mosque.
The minaret of the Great Mosque of Aleppo was destroyed in April 2013 amidst the Syrian Civil War.
Answer: True
Explanation: The minaret was destroyed in April 2013 during combat operations within the Syrian Civil War.
Between 2012 and 2016, the Great Mosque of Aleppo sustained minor damage, including cracked plaster.
Answer: False
Explanation: Between 2012 and 2016, the mosque sustained substantial damage, encompassing the collapse of structural elements, the conflagration of its prayer hall, and the loss of significant historical artifacts.
State media reported that Syrian Army tank fire was the cause of the minaret's destruction in April 2013.
Answer: False
Explanation: State media (SANA) reported that Jabhat al-Nusra detonated explosives, while opposition activists stated that Syrian Army tank fire was responsible.
The Syrian National Coalition (SNC) lauded the destruction of the minaret as a significant architectural achievement.
Answer: False
Explanation: The SNC condemned the act, characterizing it as 'an indelible disgrace' and 'a crime against human civilization'.
What was the cause of the minaret's destruction in April 2013?
Answer: Fighting during the Syrian Civil War
Explanation: The minaret was destroyed in April 2013 during combat operations within the Syrian Civil War, with divergent accounts attributing the destruction to explosives or tank fire.
What category of damage did the Great Mosque sustain between 2012 and 2016?
Answer: Substantial damage including collapsed walls and a burned prayer hall
Explanation: Between 2012 and 2016, the mosque sustained substantial damage, encompassing the collapse of structural elements, the conflagration of its prayer hall, and the loss of significant historical artifacts.
What was the Syrian National Coalition's (SNC) reaction to the minaret's destruction?
Answer: They condemned it as a crime against civilization.
Explanation: The SNC condemned the act, characterizing it as 'an indelible disgrace' and 'a crime against human civilization'.
The designation of the Ancient City of Aleppo as a 'UNESCO World Heritage Site' signifies its recognition for bearing unique testimony to a cultural tradition.
Answer: True
Explanation: This designation acknowledges the Ancient City of Aleppo, encompassing the Great Mosque, as a site of outstanding universal value necessitating protection and preservation.
The Ancient City of Aleppo was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Ancient City of Aleppo was inscribed in 1986, not 2013.
When did restoration initiatives for the Great Mosque of Aleppo commence?
Answer: Around 2017
Explanation: Restoration work commenced circa 2017.
The Ancient City of Aleppo was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site based upon which cultural criteria?
Answer: (iii) and (iv)
Explanation: The site was inscribed based on cultural criteria (iii), pertaining to bearing unique testimony to a cultural tradition or civilization, and (iv), relating to being an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble, or landscape illustrating significant stages in human history.
What is the significance of the mosque's location within the Ancient City of Aleppo, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Answer: It highlights its immense historical and cultural value recognized globally.
Explanation: This designation acknowledges the Ancient City of Aleppo, encompassing the Great Mosque, as a site of outstanding universal value necessitating protection and preservation.