Aleppo Is Already Reviving - Restoration of the Ancient City is in Full Swing
Meanwhile, Syria is recovering from the war with terrorists licking its wounds, figuratively speaking. It's trying to get its life back in order. Remember what terrorists had done to Aleppo Syria's second city and its economic capital? The city's already beginning to change.
Mikhail Fedotov with the details.
Instead of praying the parishioners of the largest mosque in Aleppo have taken up hammers and angle grinders. They are working three shifts to restore the gem of the Middle East the temple listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. The VIII century Umayyad Mosque, as it is also called survived earthquakes and fires but could not resist the attack of barbaric terrorists. The prayer hall, riddled with bullets and shell fragments, is housing a workshop.
Ahmed Khatob — one of the best antiquers in Syria is decorating the new door. Such delicate workmanship.
Ahmed Khatob, antiquer: The militants wrecked and burned all doors in the mosque. They couldn't be restored. So we decided to make new ones. Afterward, we will start restoring other elements of decoration".
The militants, who had been entrenched in the mosque or several years defiled its relics. They burned the Qur’an, stole Muhammad's hair and cloak And desecrated the grave of another Prophet — Zakaria who's revered in Islam and Christianity according to the legend of John the Baptist.
Ahmed Veisi, imam: "We probably know where the hair and cloak have been taken. I hope that after the negotiations we'll be able to retrieve the relics ...if they haven't been added to some private collection".
From the mosque, Islamists stole an ancient rostrum and medieval writings destroying everything they couldn't smuggle.
This pile rocks is all that's left of the minaret of the great mosque. The militants blew it up upon leaving the temple. For several years, the residents of Aleppo haven’t heard the azan — a call to prayer that was echoing from here across the city. The renovators did a great job. The lead engineer told us that they marked every stone according to the blueprints.
Sakhar Uliami, engineer: "Thankfully we had all the blueprints of the mosque — here they are. We've almost repaired the eastern part according to these blueprints. Now we're clearing up the place for the minaret. We'll rebuild it in the near future." The restoration of the Muslim temple was funded by Russia. The greatest mosque of Aleppo is expected to be restored in its former glory within 5 years.
Ziyad Sabsabi, Chechen representative: "It's been 8 months since the project was funded. During the restoration, we've employed all specialists not just from Syria but from Russia and other Arab countries to restore the old mosque as it was build 1200 years ago".
The whole city is being renovated, especially it's historic part. It suffered the most from the hands of the terrorists. A year ago, our crew was working in Aleppo. The old city was all barricaded by the militants. Now, there's no litter on the streets the roads have new surfacing and pavements are being built.
Roads — the bloodstream of economy — were the first thing to be repaired after the war. Asphalt is being brought from Lattakia. In order to get it they crush and stove the ore.
Syrian textile industry is also on the rise. The local weekend clothes market is a revel of styles and colors. It's got national clothes — burkas, hijabs, and niqabs as well as the European — dresses, jeans, and sneakers.
Yahia Kanau, shop owner: When the militants captured the city I was forced to close my shop. I reopened it after Aleppo had been liberated a year ago. My trade is rather brisk, you know".
People started having money and they enjoy buying something rather than just food clothes, for instance. The weekend trade is also brisk next to the main symbol of Aleppo. Even tourists come to look at the ancient X century Citadel.
The amphitheater, minaret, and castle: It takes more than a day to inspect the whole territory. The Citadel is full of ancient artifacts. This hamam is probably a bathing room. Here are the remains of the medieval pipeline in the wall.
The impregnable Citadel that remembers the Crusades and Tamerlane's siege was seriously damaged during the terrorists' bombings. They were right at the walls but still couldn't seize the castle. The Citadels is also listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. Without a doubt, sooner or later it will be restored.
Mikhail Fedotov, Azat Atagonov, and Igor Volodin Vesti News of the Week, Syria.