The historic Citadel of Aleppo in Syria reopened its doors to visitors on Saturday, September 27, marking a symbolic moment of recovery in a country ravaged by war.

A drone captured panoramic views of the ancient citadel, perched on a high hill in the heart of Aleppo, as crowds gathered to celebrate the occasion

The director of the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums in Aleppo, Munir al-Qasqas, described the reopening of the archaeological site as a positive step forward.

“Today, we are reopening the Citadel of Aleppo after a long period of closure and neglect. The Citadel of Aleppo, like the people of Aleppo, suffered a great deal of damage during the war and the revolution. The Citadel still stands firm today, as proud as the people of Aleppo,” he said

Restoration efforts continued for months and focused on repairing infrastructure, including water and electricity lines, and stabilizing damaged columns and walls.

Al-Qassas said, “The maintenance process included all infrastructure work, including main water lines and power lines, in addition to the entire infrastructure work.”

The citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, suffered extensive damage during a protracted battle between former Syrian government forces and opposition forces before it was reopened in 2018

In 2023, it suffered further damage from an earthquake that struck southern Türkiye and northern Syria. The citadel was closed again in December 2024 when opposition forces launched a campaign that ousted then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

American tourist Andy Lee said, “I visited the citadel today specifically because it is a very special place in Aleppo. I have never visited it before