Editing Aleppo (section)

==Geography==
[[File:تلال جبل حلب.JPG|thumb|left|The nearby [[Kurd Mountains]] at the northwest of Aleppo]]
Aleppo lies about {{cvt|120|km|0}} inland from the [[Mediterranean Sea]], on a [[Aleppo plateau|plateau]] {{cvt|380|m}} above sea level, {{cvt|45|km}} east of the Syrian-Turkish border [[Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing|checkpoint of Bab al-Hawa]]. The city is surrounded by farmlands from the north and the west, widely cultivated with olive and [[pistachio]] trees. To the east, Aleppo approaches the dry areas of the [[Syrian Desert]].
[[File:Downtown Aleppo, Queik river at night.jpg|thumb|[[Queiq River]]]]
The city was founded a few kilometres south of the location of the current old city, on the right bank of [[Queiq River]] which arises from the [[Aintab plateau]] in the north and runs through Aleppo southward to the fertile country of [[Qinnasrin]]. The old city of Aleppo lies on the left bank of the Queiq. It was surrounded by a circle of eight hills surrounding a prominent central hill on which the castle (originally a temple dating to the 2nd millennium BC) was erected. The radius of the circle is about {{cvt|10|km}}. The hills are Tell as-Sawda, Tell ʕāysha, Tell as-Sett, Tell al-Yāsmīn (Al-ʕaqaba), Tell al-Ansāri (Yārūqiyya), ʕan at-Tall, al-Jallūm, Baḥsīta.<ref name="Duden6">{{cite book |editor=Alexander Russell |title=The Natural History of Aleppo |edition=1st |year=1856 |publisher=Unknown |location=London |page=266}}</ref> The old city was enclosed within an ancient wall that was last rebuilt by the [[Mamluk]]s. The wall has since disappeared. It had nine gates and was surrounded by a broad deep ditch.<ref name="Duden6"/>

Occupying an area of more than {{cvt|190|km²}}, Aleppo is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Middle East. According to the new major plan of the city adopted in 2001, it is envisaged to increase the total area of Aleppo up to {{cvt|420|km²}} by the end of 2015.<ref name="Syr-news1">Syria News [http://www.syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=99523 statement by Syrian Minister of Local Administration, Syria (Arabic, August 2009)] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304055701/http://www.syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=99523 |date=4 March 2012 }}</ref><ref name="Aleppo plan"/>

===Climate===
Aleppo has a [[cold semi-arid climate|cool steppe climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''BSk''). The mountain series that run along the Mediterranean coast, namely the [[Syrian Coastal Mountain Range|Alawiyin Mountains]] and the [[Nur Mountains]], largely block the effects of the Mediterranean on climate ([[rain shadow effect]]). The average high and low temperature throughout the year is {{cvt|23.8|and|11.1|°C|°F}}. The average precipitation is {{cvt|329.4|mm|2}}. More than 80% of precipitation occurs between October and March. It snows once or twice every winter. Average humidity is 55.7%.<ref name=klimatafel>{{cite web |url=http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_400070_kt.pdf |title=Klimatafel von Aleppo (Halab) / Syrien |publisher=Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure |access-date=13 December 2016 |archive-date=19 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819004952/https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_400070_kt.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Weather box
|width=auto
|location=Aleppo ([[Aleppo International Airport]]), {{cvt|393|m|abbr=off}} above sea level, 1991–2020 normals
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|Jan record high C=20.5
|Feb record high C=25.4
|Mar record high C=29.8
|Apr record high C=38.6
|May record high C=41.0
|Jun record high C=44.0
|Jul record high C=45.7
|Aug record high C=44.3
|Sep record high C=44.0
|Oct record high C=39.0
|Nov record high C=29.7
|Dec record high C=24.5
|year record high C=45.7
|Jan high C=10.7
|Feb high C=12.9
|Mar high C=17.6
|Apr high C=23.1
|May high C=29.4
|Jun high C=34.2
|Jul high C=36.8
|Aug high C=36.8
|Sep high C=33.5
|Oct high C=27.6
|Nov high C=18.8
|Dec high C=12.2
|year high C=
|Jan mean C = 6.6
|Feb mean C = 8.1
|Mar mean C = 11.9
|Apr mean C = 16.6
|May mean C = 22.2
|Jun mean C = 27.0
|Jul mean C = 29.8
|Aug mean C = 29.8
|Sep mean C = 26.5
|Oct mean C = 20.9
|Nov mean C = 13.1
|Dec mean C = 8.0
| year mean C = 
|Jan low C=2.4
|Feb low C=3.2
|Mar low C=6.1
|Apr low C=10.0
|May low C=15.0
|Jun low C=19.8
|Jul low C=22.8
|Aug low C=22.8
|Sep low C=19.4
|Oct low C=14.2
|Nov low C=7.3
|Dec low C=3.7
|year low C=
|Jan record low C=-11.3
|Feb record low C=-8.3
|Mar record low C=-5.5
|Apr record low C=-4.0
|May record low C=5.0
|Jun record low C=10.0
|Jul record low C=12.0
|Aug record low C=12.1
|Sep record low C=6.0
|Oct record low C=-2.0
|Nov record low C=-12.0
|Dec record low C=-10.8
|year record low C=-12.0
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm=57.5
|Feb precipitation mm=47.8
|Mar precipitation mm=42.4
|Apr precipitation mm=27.8
|May precipitation mm=16.0
|Jun precipitation mm=1.7
|Jul precipitation mm=0.0
|Aug precipitation mm=0.1
|Sep precipitation mm=3.5
|Oct precipitation mm=23.0
|Nov precipitation mm=35.6
|Dec precipitation mm=58.3
|year precipitation mm=
|unit precipitation days=1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days=9.0
|Feb precipitation days=7.6
|Mar precipitation days=6.8
|Apr precipitation days=4.3
|May precipitation days=2.7
|Jun precipitation days=0.3
|Jul precipitation days=0.0
|Aug precipitation days=0.0
|Sep precipitation days=0.5
|Oct precipitation days=3.4
|Nov precipitation days=4.9
|Dec precipitation days=8.0
|year precipitation days=
|Jan humidity=84
|Feb humidity=79
|Mar humidity=68
|Apr humidity=65
|May humidity=50
|Jun humidity=42
|Jul humidity=42
|Aug humidity=45
|Sep humidity=46
|Oct humidity=55
|Nov humidity=66
|Dec humidity=80
|year humidity=
|Jan sun=120.9
|Feb sun=140.0
|Mar sun=198.4
|Apr sun=243.0
|May sun=319.3
|Jun sun=366.0
|Jul sun=387.5
|Aug sun=365.8
|Sep sun=303.0
|Oct sun=244.9
|Nov sun=186.0
|Dec sun=127.1
|year sun=3001.9
|Jand sun=3.9
|Febd sun=5.0
|Mard sun=6.4
|Aprd sun=8.1
|Mayd sun=10.3
|Jund sun=12.2
|Juld sun=12.5
|Augd sun=11.8
|Sepd sun=10.1
|Octd sun=7.9
|Novd sun=6.2
|Decd sun=4.1
|yeard sun=8.2
|source 1=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]] (sun 1961–1990)<ref name=WMOCLINO>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230902174644/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Syria/CSV/AleppointAeroport_40007.csv
| archive-date = 2 September 2023
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Syria/CSV/AleppointAeroport_40007.csv
| title = Aleppo International Airport Climate Normals 1991–2020
| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = 2 September 2023}}</ref><ref name=NOAA>{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_VI/SY/40007.TXT |title=Aleppo Climate Normals 1961–1990 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009222936/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_VI/SY/40007.TXT |archive-date=2017-10-09 |url-status=dead |access-date=26 April 2017 }}</ref>
|source 2=[[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (humidity 1960–1967, extremes 1951–1978)<ref name=klimatafel/>
}}

===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>