Editing Aleppo (section)

===Architecture===
[[File:Citadel of Aleppo.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.25|[[Citadel of Aleppo|Aleppo Citadel]]]]
Aleppo is characterized with mixed architectural styles, having been ruled by, among others, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuqs, Mamluks and Ottomans.<ref>{{cite news |last=Yacoub |first=Khaled |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE66F1ED20100716 |title=Travel Postcard: 48 hours in Aleppo, Syria |work=Reuters |date=16 July 2010 |access-date=11 March 2012 |archive-date=30 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211230154929/https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE66F1ED20100716 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Villa Rose, Aleppo.jpg|thumb|right|[[Villa Rose]], built in 1928 during the period of the French mandate]]
Various types of 13th and 14th centuries constructions, such as caravanserais, caeserias, Quranic schools, hammams and religious buildings are found in the [[Old City of Aleppo|old city]]. The quarters of [[al-Jdayde]] district are home to numerous 16th and 17th-century houses of the Aleppine bourgeoisie, featuring stone engravings. [[Baroque architecture]] of the 19th and early 20th centuries is common in al-Azizyah district, including the [[Villa Rose]]. The new Shahbaa district is a mixture of several styles, such as [[Neo-classical architecture|Neo-classic]], [[Norman Architecture|Norman]], Oriental and even [[Chinese architecture]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.middleeast.com/aleppo.htm |title=Aleppo |publisher=Middleeast.com |access-date=11 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316160211/http://www.middleeast.com/aleppo.htm |archive-date=16 March 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Since the old city is characterized with its large mansions, narrow alleys and covered souqs, the modern city's architecture has replenished the town with wide roads and large squares such as the [[Saadallah Al-Jabiri Square]], the [[Liberty Square (Aleppo)|Liberty Square]], the President's Square and [[Sabaa Bahrat Square (Aleppo)|Sabaa Bahrat Square]]
[[File:Aleppo throne hall.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Throne hall of the citadel]]
[[File:Aleppo Cittadella - GAR - 9-22.JPG|thumb|[[Citadel of Aleppo|Aleppo Citadel]], roof of the baths, with the mosque and minaret in the background]]
There is a relatively clear division between old and new Aleppo. The older portions of the city, with an approximate area of {{cvt|160|ha|sqmi|1}} are contained within a wall, {{cvt|5|km}} in circuit with nine gates. The huge medieval [[castle]] in the city — known as the [[Citadel of Aleppo]] — occupies the center of the ancient part, in the shape of an [[acropolis]].

Being subjected to constant invasions and political instability, the inhabitants of the city were forced to build cell-like quarters and districts that were socially and economically independent. Each district was characterized by the religious and ethnic characteristics of its inhabitants.

The mainly white-stoned old town was built within the historical walls of the city, pierced by the nine historical gates, while the newer quarters of the old city were first built by the Christians during the early 15th century in the northern suburbs of the ancient city, after the Mongol withdrawal from Aleppo. The new quarter known as [[al-Jdayde]] is one of the finest examples of a cell-like quarter in Aleppo. After [[Timur|Tamerlane]] invaded Aleppo in 1400 and destroyed it, the Christians migrated out of the city walls and established their own cell in 1420, at the northwestern suburbs of the city, thus founding the quarters of al-Jdayde. The inhabitants of the new quarters were mainly brokers who facilitated trade between foreign traders and local merchants. As a result of the economic development, many other quarters were established outside the walls of the ancient city during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Thus, the [[Old City of Aleppo]] — composed of the ancient city within the walls and the old cell-like quarters outside the walls — has an approximate area of {{cvt|350|ha|sqmi}} housing more than 120,000 residents.<ref>{{cite web |author=bleeker |url=http://www.historische-aleppo-seife.de/engl_history.html |title=Alepposeife: Aleppo history |publisher=Historische-aleppo-seife.de |access-date=11 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180326040544/http://www.historische-aleppo-seife.de/engl_history.html |archive-date=26 March 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>