Al-Jdayde

Al-Jdayde (Arabic: جديدة‎‎, also transliterated as al-Jdeideh, al-Judayda, al-Jdeïdé or al-Jdeydeh) is a historic neighbourhood in the Syrian city of Aleppo. It is noted for its winding narrow alleys, richly decorated mansions and churches and has become an area of significant cultural and historical interest.

At the end of the Mamluk period, al-Jdayde was a small suburb benefiting from a few shops located outside of city’s northern walls and near the cemeteries and storage areas. The development of the city along the roads connecting the Bab al-Nasr gate with neighbouring villages to the North and northeast progressively integrated Jdayde into the city of Aleppo.

By the late 14th century, these quarters were equipped with khutba mosques and fountains made possible by a network of water works. A new water duct, opened in 1490–91, facilitated the further extension of the Jdayde neighbourhood and the creation of its hammams. Christian cemeteries and probably also the remains of ancient churches of the Byzantine period are to be found in the West side of the al-Jdayde suburb. The earlier settlement of Salibeh in this ancient Christian sector, followed by the development of Jdayde, reflects the growth of the Christian population and its desire to reside together in specific areas.

Most churches, newly built or enlarged, are found around a square next to the Salibeh intersection, notably, the Armenian Gregorian Church which was enlarged in 1490, the Greek Orthodox, the Maronite and the Syriac churches. The neighbourhood was gradually settled by notables as well as less affluent residents.

The Armenians, who specialized in trade with Persia and India, were the predominant inhabitants. During the 16th and 17th centuries, following the Ottoman conquest, the neighbourhood was subdivided into rectangular land parcels. Two large Muslim waqfs (religious trusts), founded in 1583-90 and in 1653, have been for centuries the heart of the area. These two architectural ensembles, with richly decorated facades and regular layout, hosted the majority of the commercial and social services for the neighbourhood, where Muslim and Christian, rich and poor, lived side by side. They included a fountain in front of the Christian quarter, a café, a large hammam, a small mosque and a school for Muslim pupils, a cloth market, four large textile workshops, a vast cereal warehouse, and various souks for food and local services.