CityBuddy
Umayyad Mosque
Best time to visit
Visit in the late afternoon, when the golden light hits the mosaics and the courtyard empties out. Friday mornings are packed with worshippers for the weekly sermon.
Budget tips
Admission is free, but donations are welcome in the box near the main entrance. Bring your own water and snacks, as vendors inside the complex charge inflated prices for tourists.
Recommended for
Amateur historians and archaeologists, Religious travelers, Art and mosaic enthusiasts, Photographers
Plan your visit
2 hours
About
Quick facts: You feel the scale instantly as a marble courtyard opens beneath shadowed arcades, while slender minarets rise into the sky as crisp geometric silhouettes. A dazzling program of Byzantine-style mosaics uses thousands of tiny tesserae, the gold and glass catching daylight so the river and city scenes seem to shimmer.
Highlights: A small octagonal shrine houses a relic revered as the head of John the Baptist, set behind carved wooden screens and an emerald lamp that casts a cool green glow. Visitors note three named minarets, the Minaret of the Bride, the Minaret of Jesus, and the Minaret of the Eagle, and climbing one of their tight stone staircases rewards you with a dizzying view over layered courtyards and glittering mosaics.
Insider tips
- Wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees, and bring an extra scarf for your head, required for women at the entrance.
- The best angle for mosaic photos is standing near the ablution fountain, waiting for the late afternoon sun.
- You can skip the main entrance line by going in through the southeast gate, which is almost always less crowded.
- Hold on to your ticket from the neighboring museum, it grants access to a terrace with a panoramic view of the entire complex.
Practical info
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