Sayyida Zaynab Shrine
مقام السيدة زينب
Shrine attributed to Zaynab bint Ali, south of Damascus: a major pilgrimage site crowned by a golden dome.
In the town that bears her name south of Damascus stands the shrine attributed to Zaynab bint Ali, granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad, known for her role after the Battle of Karbala in 680. It is one of Syria's most important pilgrimage sites.
The shrine was rebuilt and restored many times; its present form largely results from major expansion works from the second half of the 20th century onward: a tomb chamber under a gold-clad dome flanked by two minarets, set in a large open courtyard with arcades.
Inside, mirror mosaics cover walls and ceilings, with blue and turquoise tilework, Qur'anic inscriptions and a silver grille around the tomb. A whole town of markets and hotels has grown around it. Historical traditions differ on Zaynab's burial place — a shrine in Cairo is also attributed to her — but the Damascus shrine is the most visited in the Levant.
Note: photos may not reflect the site's current condition.
For the visitor
Location: 33.4444, 36.3408 · Open on the map
Photos
Photos: Amir Hesaminejad — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY) · JeagerEren — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA) · Wikimedia Commons — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY) · Wikimedia Commons — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
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