Restoration works in the earthquake-damaged “Imam Ismail Mosque” in Salamiyah start

Hama (ST) – Restoration works have begun in the Imam Ismail Mosque in Salamiyah city in the eastern countryside of Hama, which was damaged in some of its sections by the earthquake that hit parts of Syria last February.

The restoration and rehabilitation works included a number of sections of this historical mosque such as the minaret, the ceiling and the dome.

The Antiquities Directorte’s section in Salamiyah area, in coordination with the Awqaf section, alongside specialized engineers, carried out these restoration works in order to preserve the architectural fabric and the historical character of this mosque.

The director of the Antiquities Division, Rania Al-Khatib, stated that the earthquake resulted in the collapse of part of the mosque’ ceiling, the fall of a part of the minaret, in addition to large cracks in a number of the walls of the mosque and the dome.

In parallel, several ancient paintings on the walls are being examined, in order to restore the damaged ones.

The mosque has always been a destination for visitors and tourists as it is one of the oldest archaeological mosques in the city of Salamiyah, and is called the Seven Mihrabs Mosque.

Najla Khoury