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ALEPPO

Halab (ancient Beroea), city in northern Syria, capital of Halab Governorate. It lies on a plateau 427 m (1400 ft) high, midway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates River. The second largest city of Syria, Halab is an agricultural trading center and has factories producing carpets; silk, cotton, and wool textiles; silverware and gold ware; leather goods; and embroidery. Halab consists of an old and a new town; the former is enclosed within a wall dating from medieval times. Among the most important buildings are the modern citadel, surrounded by a moat and standing on a hill 61 m (200 ft) high, and the Mosque of Zacharias, said to contain the tomb of Saint John the Baptist's father. Also in Halab are a number of European schools and Christian churches and missions. The University of Halab was founded in 1960. The city is connected by rail with Damascus, and with Beirut (Bayrut), Lebanon, and by caravan route with Iraq and parts of Kurdistan. In the 3rd century AD, Halab became the greatest center of trade between Europe and lands farther east. The history of the city, which was settled by the Hittites before 1000 BC, parallels that of Syria. Population 1,582,930 (1994).