Citadel of Aleppo

Citadel of Aleppo قلعة حلب
Aleppo, Syria
The Citadel of Aleppo in 2010
Citadel of Aleppo قلعة حلب
Coordinates	36°11′57″N 37°09′45″E / 36.19917°N 37.16250°E / 36.19917; 37.16250
Type	Castle
Site information
Controlled by	Syrian Arab Republic
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Partially ruined
Site history
Built	3rd millennium BC – 12th century AD
In use	Until 21st century
Materials	Limestone
Battles/wars	Syrian Civil War

The Citadel of Aleppo (Arabic: قلعة حلب‎‎) is a large medieval fortified palace in the centre of the old city of Aleppo, northern Syria. It is considered to be one of the oldest and largest castles in the world. Usage of the Citadel hill dates back at least to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. Subsequently occupied by many civilizations including the Greeks, Byzantines, Ayyubids and Mamluks, the majority of the construction as it stands today is thought to originate from the Ayyubid period. An extensive conservation work took place in the 2000s by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in collaboration with Aleppo Archeological Society. Dominating the city, the Citadel is part of the Ancient City of Aleppo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. The Citadel has received significant damage in the ongoing Syrian Civil War.

The recently discovered temple of the ancient storm-god Hadad dates use of the hill to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC, as referenced in cuneiform texts from Ebla and Mari. The city became the capital of Yamhad and was known as the "City of Hadad". The temple remained in use from the 24th century BC to at least the 9th century BC, as evidenced by reliefs discovered at it during excavations by German archaeologist Kay Kohlmeyer.

The prophet Abraham is said to have milked his sheep on the citadel hill. After the decline of the Neo-Hittite state centred in Aleppo, the Assyrians dominated the area (8th–4th century BC), followed by the Neo-Babylonians and the Persians (539–333).