Although the Umayyads only ruled Damascus for 90 years, their great mosque remained unchanged for the next 1,300 years, with later dynasties only making minor alterations to it.

The Great Mosque of Bani Umayyah in Damascus is considered the fourth most famous Islamic mosque, one of the most luxurious Islamic mosques, and one of the seven wonders of Islam in the world.

Borrowing the model of the palimpsest, George’s The Umayyad Mosque of Damascus: Art, Faith and Empire in Early Islam takes the reader on a vivid tour of the renowned mosque’s history, meaning ...

In Damascus, A View Of Syria's War Turned Inside Out. May 28, 2013 12:45 AM ET. Heard on Morning Edition. ... The Ummayyid Mosque in Damascus has been a mosque for around 1,400 years.

Inside the Syrian capital's Great Umayyad Mosque, six muezzins sit before a loudspeaker, collectively reciting the call to prayer that can be heard across the ancient quarters of Damascus. They ...

However, the magnificent Umayyad mosque still stands, revealing more about the city's history and its rulers. We went to Damascus, to trace Ibn Jubayr’s journey, and explore the areas he documented.