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1171–1260 CE
Ayyubid
The Ayyubid era rebuilt Syria's citadels into some of the finest military architecture in the world, in a landscape shared with Crusader states.
Period: Medieval · 1171–1516 CE
Crusader, Zengid and Ayyubid building phases overlap; attribution of individual walls is often debated.
Major historical events
- 12th–13th centuryVerified historical fact
Aleppo and Damascus citadels are substantially rebuilt.
Architecture
Citadel glacis, bent entrances, machicolations, stone-vaulted halls and madrasas.
Religion, culture and daily life
Religious endowments, madrasas and hospitals in the walled cities.
Trade
Fortified caravan routes and urban khans.
Important rulers and figures
- SaladinVerified historical fact
Ayyubid founder whose campaigns are widely documented.
Archaeological discoveries
- Aleppo citadel fortifications
- Damascus citadel towers
Key places in Syria (16)