The most populated city in Syria is Aleppo

Archaeologists suggest that people settled in this area around 4300 BC. Today, Aleppo — Syria’s most populated city. The number of residents of Aleppo is close to four million. City of Aleppo was formerly known under the names Halibon or Halpy. For a long time, Aleppo was the third largest city in the old Ottoman Empire. His outpaced Cairo and Constantinople.

Origin of the name of the city and have not found. However, suggest that the «Aleppo» meant copper or iron. In ancient times, here it was located one of the largest centers for the production of these metals. Another theory of the origin of the city name associated with the word «Halabi», which means «white.» In this case it is the color of the soil and an abundance of marble rocks.

The current name of the Aleppo city was the Italians who frequented here since the Crusades. On the amazing ancient Aleppo city may indicate Hittite inscriptions and inscriptions in the Euphrates basin in the city of Ebla in central Anatolia. These texts indicate that the city was an important commercial and military center. Aleppo for the Hittites had a special significance, since in those days was the center of worship of the god of nature.

From an economic point of view, the city was no less important place. Here was the famous Silk Road, Aleppo and the city has always attracted invaders — at different times it belonged to the Persians, Greeks, Assyrians, Turks, Romans and even the Mongols. It is believed that this is where Tamerlane ordered a tower of 20,000 skulls.

After the Suez Canal was opened, the role of the city of Aleppo considerably decreased, but it is currently experiencing a revival and it is one of the most beautiful places in the Middle East.