Al-Qaiqan Mosque

Al-Qaiqan Mosque (Arabic: جَامِع الْقَيْقَان, romanized: Jāmiʿ al-Qayqān, lit. 'Mosque of the Crows') is one of the oldest surviving mosques in Aleppo, Syria. It is located in the western part of the Ancient City of Aleppo, within the historic walls of the city, to the north of the Gate of Antioch.

al-Qaiqan Mosque جَامِع الْقَيْقَان
Al-Qaiqan Mosque in 2011
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Region	Levant
Status	Active
Location
Location	Al-Aqabah district, Aleppo, Syria
Location within Ancient City of Aleppo
Geographic coordinates	36.201020°N 37.152500°E / 36.201020; 37.152500
Architecture
Type	Mosque
Completed	12th century
Materials	Stone

History

In ancient times, the building was a Hittite pagan temple. It was turned into a mosque during the 12th century. Old carved stones with Hittite inscriptions were used in the construction of the mosque. Two old basalt columns are at the main entrance of the building. On the southern wall of the mosque is a stone block inscribed with Anatolian hieroglyphs.^[1] Both Telipinu and Talmi-Šarruma, descendants of Šuppiluliuma I, are mentioned in the inscription on the south wall of the building.

The mosque was enlarged in 1965 and entirely renovated in 1996.^{[citation needed]}