The Ummayad Mosque

The Ummayad Mosque

Syria
Damascus
The Ummayad Mosque

The Ummayad Mosque built around 710 AD and located in the old city of Damascus is one of the oldest in the world and considered the fourth holiest site in the islamic world. Damascus with Jerusalem stand as the most ancient sites of civilization with their origin extending back to the 7th millenium BC although the first large scale settlement within Damascus is reported arounf the 3rd millenium BC.
After the conquest of Damascus in 634, the mosque was built at the beginning of 8th century by the Ummayad caliphs on the site of a preexisting Roman Temple (Temple of Jupiter) and later Byzantine Orthodox basilica housing the head and relics of St John the Baptist and is still considered by the Muslims to be the place where Jesus the Prophet will return at the End of Days. The Ummayad Mosque underwent major restoration in 1929 when Syria was under the French Mandate and later in 1954-63 when Syria was declared Independent state. In 2001 Pope John Paul II visited the mosque to pay respect to the relics of St John the Baptist being kept there.

In the photo a lateral view of the yard where the Dome of the Treasury and the Minaret of the Bride can be seen.
For the photo I've used a very fast film (Ilford 120 HP5) in order to keep diaphragm as much closed as possible and bring detail on the columns and walls because the stone releives and arabesques of tendrils, palmettes and half-palmettes is a world famous craftmanship.Grain is quite visible though....