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661–750 CE
Umayyad
With Damascus as its capital, the Umayyad caliphate produced some of the defining monuments of early Islamic art, above all the Great Mosque of Damascus.
Period: Early Islamic · 636–1171 CE
Major historical events
- 705–715 CEVerified historical fact
Construction of the Great Mosque of Damascus.
Architecture
Hypostyle mosques, golden mosaics, desert palaces and courtyard planning.
Religion, culture and daily life
Arabic becomes the imperial language; a court culture of poetry and patronage.
Trade
Damascus sits at the hub of routes linking Egypt, Iraq, Arabia and Anatolia.
Important rulers and figures
- Al-Walid IVerified historical fact
Credited by historical sources with the building of the Damascus Great Mosque.
Archaeological discoveries
- Damascus mosque mosaics
- Umayyad desert palace complexes
Key places in Syria (6)