Restoration and maintenance work began at the historic Umayyad Mosque in Damascus on February 21, 2025, in preparation for the upcoming month of Ramadan, following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government, as reported by Daily Sabah.
اضافة اعلان
The process of laying down deep red woolen carpets began in the mosque, which were personally selected by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The carpets were shipped from Gaziantep, Turkey.
Saeed Al-Muqt, director of the HAND Foundation, confirmed that the new carpets arrived the day before, with the participation of the Turkish ambassador. "We will perform the first Taraweeh prayer on these carpets," he said.
Adnan Musleh, a representative from the Turkish company Asalet Hali, which is responsible for installing the carpets, explained that "the designs and colors were chosen in Turkey, and we brought these carpets to Syria. The journey was smooth and easy." He added that the carpets are made from high-quality natural wool, each square meter weighing five kilograms, covering a total area of 5,000 square meters.
The installation is expected to be completed before the start of Ramadan, which is anticipated to begin in early March. Al-Muqt stated, "The mosque will open its doors on the first day of Ramadan with the new carpets, and we will perform Taraweeh prayers on them."
Amid speculations that the carpets were a donation from Turkey, the director clarified that the new Syrian government purchased them from Turkey. He further mentioned that the HAND Foundation, in cooperation with the Damascus Department of Endowments, would oversee the installation of the new carpets and the removal of the old ones.
Previous reports had indicated that carpet craftsmen in Gaziantep started working on renewing the carpets for the Umayyad Mosque last month.
This step, however, holds more significance than just new carpets, as it symbolizes the deepening of relations between Turkey and the new Syrian leadership. During Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara’s visit to Ankara on February 4, the two leaders pledged to strengthen ties between their countries, a move described as the beginning of "enduring friendship and cooperation," according to Middle East Monitor.
