Architecture·Umayyad
Umayyad Mosque in Damascus Completed
- Date
- 715 CE96 AH1,311 years ago
- Place
- Damascus, Umayyad Caliphate
- People
- Al-Walid I
The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus was completed in 715, during the reign of the caliph al-Walid I. It was built on the site of a former church. The complex has a large courtyard, a prayer hall and gold-ground mosaics. Its plan influenced later mosques across the Levant and beyond.
Why it matters
Its mosaics and courtyard plan are among the earliest surviving large-scale Islamic monuments.