al Fardaws Madrassa

The school of Paradise is one of the loveliest and most moving religious buildings in Aleppo. A dark twisting passageway brings us to a light and beautifully proportioned courtyard. It is a wonderfully peaceful spot; all harmony, sobriety and purity. The high pointed arches are supported on small columns with palm-leaf capitals. There is a great iwan on the north side. The sky is reflected in a pool in the center. In a double domed chamber Mamluks lie buried under the floor in unmarked graves. The bustle of the city seems miles away...