Raqqa, Feb. 5 (SANA) The historic al-Mansour Mosque, also known as the Old Mosque, stands at the center of Raqqa on the banks of the Euphrates River in northeast Syria, offering an example of Abbasid-era mosque architecture.
Founded in 771 AD by the Abbasid caliph Abu Jaafar al-Mansour, the mosque is one of the most significant surviving archaeological landmarks in Raqqa province. Alongside the remains of Abbasid palaces and sections of the city’s outer wall and gates, it forms part of the area’s core historical heritage, according to historical resources.
The mosque covers an area of about 100 by 90 meters and features a central courtyard surrounded by arcades constructed of brick coated with plaster. During the Ayyubid period, additions included a square minaret and basalt capitals reused from earlier structures.
Historical sources indicate that the mosque’s outer walls were originally built of mudbrick. Brick sections were later added during restoration work carried out under Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid, as part of a broader project to expand the city to the northeast and integrate older urban areas. Harun al-Rashid made the expanded city his permanent residence in 796 AD.
The mosque’s exterior walls, measuring about 1.7 meters thick, are reinforced with large three-quarter circular towers at each corner, as well as smaller semicircular towers along the façades. Their design closely resembles nearby defensive structures, including the historic walls of Raqqa.
A circular brick minaret remains standing at the northeastern corner of the courtyard, tapering slightly toward the top and ending with wide vertical window openings.
The mosque sustained heavy damage during the war in 2017, particularly to its arcades and roof. While an emergency roof has since been installed over the courtyard, the arcades remain in need of restoration. A project known as the “Revival of Al-Mansour Mosque” aims to restore the minaret using original materials and reopen the courtyard to worshippers.
