UAE adopts initiative to restore the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has adopted the initiative to restore the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, as one of the most prominent historical landmarks in the Islamic world, as part of an integrated humanitarian and cultural vision.
Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, "Mother of the Nation", stressed that the UAE's announcement of the restoration of this mosque reflects the status of our common heritage and one culture, and the UAE's firm stand with the brotherly Syrian people in all circumstances and times.
UAE Minister of State Noura bint Mohammed Al-Kaabi visited Damascus yesterday, where she said in a statement during the visit: Syria occupies a unique position in the heart of Arab and Islamic civilization.
Al Kaabi stressed the UAE's keenness to take care of history and heritage, which is reflected in the launch of cultural initiatives aimed at preserving Arab and Islamic heritage on the one hand, and rehabilitating cultural heritage in the Arab region on the other hand, within the framework of the UAE's leading global role and distinguished record in the field of cultural diplomacy and humanitarian work.
The Emirati minister explained that the initiative to restore the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus will include the structural and architectural rehabilitation of the mosque, and the revitalization of the historical area surrounding it on a larger scale, in line with the Syrian specificity and the economic, cultural and social fabric of the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic.
History of the Umayyad Mosque
The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus is one of the greatest achievements of Islamic architecture, as the Caliph Al-Waleed bin Abdul Malik ordered it to be a unique edifice and the most skilled craftsmen and artists from various civilizations participated in its construction, making it an artistic painting that combines gold, mosaics, and stained glass.
The mosque was built in 705 AD according to an architectural plan similar to the plan of the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, so it was divided into a roofed prayer house, topped by a dome and surrounded by archways and rows of columns, an open courtyard called the mosque courtyard and arcades surrounding the courtyard, and 3 minarets, and the final form of the building was completed in 715 AD, then a cabin in front of the mihrab was added in the same year by the order of the Caliph Suleiman bin Abd al-Malik.
The mosque was not just a place of worship, but a scientific, cultural and spiritual center, and a witness to the succession of civilizations in the city of Damascus, the oldest inhabited capital in history.
The Umayyad Mosque holds a special place in Islamic and historical memory, due to its religious and architectural value, and its association with the image of ancient Damascus and its civilizational identity over the centuries.
The project is not limited to restoration work within the mosque, but also includes the surrounding area, as part of a plan aimed at reviving the historical fabric of the Old City of Damascus and preserving its urban and heritage character.
The Umayyad Mosque restoration project is expected to contribute to promoting religious and cultural tourism, and re-highlighting Damascus as a global historical destination that combines authenticity and spirituality.