The Citadel of Aleppo, which rises above the ancient city of Aleppo, is one of the foremost monuments of the Islamic world. Inside the walls, a long history of bombardments, pillaging and earthquakes had taken its toll. Our restoration efforts focused on areas with spatial or historic coherence: the Ayyubid Palace complex, the western section of the Citadel crown and the main surrounding walls.

Completed in 2006, the project included significant investment in landscaping around the Citadel, creation of a pedestrian zone at its entrance, traffic planning and conservation of key buildings. The objective was to enhance the Citadel’s place in the city and realise its potential as a significant contributor to economic development in the Old City.

The Aleppo Souk is the largest medieval souk in the Middle East and was badly damaged during the conflict. We have completed the restoration of eight key sections since 2018. We have returned 277 shops to their owners and rehabilitated over 500 metres of passageways covering a 5,480 m² area. Meet the residents and restorers of the Aleppo Souk in these videos.

In the souk area, we have also implemented emergency stabilisation of six historic monuments following the 2023 earthquakes, with the generous support of the ALIPH Foundation.

Since 2008, AKTC has been doing conservation and maintenance works on three Ottoman era palaces in Damascus, Beits Sibaie, Nizam and Quwatli. Each site has been carefully documented, using state-of-the-art technical and engineering techniques to survey the walls, ceilings and floors. Once the documentation and planning were completed, a team of experts began the process of restoring the worst damaged parts of the buildings, starting with those areas that were in danger of collapsing.

The Citadel of Salah al Din is located in the coastal mountain range, close to the coastal town of Latakia. Resting high on a ridge between two deep ravines and surrounded by forest, this site spans a history from the Franks, the crusaders, Salah al Din, Ayyubid and Mamluk periods and additions.

It is these Ayyubid and Mamluk sections of the Citadel that AKTC selected for its conservation efforts. Conservation work began in 2000 with the restoration of the mosque and its minaret and the adjacent madrasa. This included work on the partially collapsed minaret, and detailed archaeological surveys of the ruins carried out by a team from the Sorbonne University in Paris. Conservation work was completed at the end of 2003.

Masyaf Citadel is smaller in scale than Aleppo or Salah ad-Din and is situated on the edge of a provincial town. A fighting castle rather than a royal seat, and more rugged in character, the Citadel was one of the most complete medieval fortresses surviving in Syria. Most of what remains standing dates from the period of Ismaili occupation in the 12th and 13th centuries.

The project included conservation of the entire structure, preserving the ruined character of the monument while adding support and strength where required. Conservation work on the Citadel began in 2000 and was completed in 2004.

Simultaneously, a small townscape improvement project in Masyaf focused on upgrading the central market complex, Souk al Saghir, enhancing its commercial function whilst preserving its historical fabric.

Conservation Standards

While imaginative reconstructions of missing parts may increase the appeal of the buildings to visitors, they threaten the authenticity of historic sites. Where insufficient evidence is available, we therefore replace them with proper documentation, consolidation and conservation of existing features; and create virtual reconstruction using three-dimensional models or computer simulations. We aim to create examples of conservation work carried out to modern international standards, providing a reference for future work by Syrian authorities and other agencies.

Developing Local Capacity

Community participation, training of local professionals and local institution building are essential. In Syria, we have trained local artisans and building professionals in modern conservation practice, as well as members of the Directorate of Antiquities, so that high standards can be replicated at other sites.