- CountrySyria
- Town:Damascus
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Year of creation:1993
- Rider(s):Saladin
(c.1137–1193) was the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. A Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladin led the Muslim opposition to the European Crusaders in the Levant. At the height of his power, his sultanate included Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Hejaz, Yemen and other parts of North Africa.Saladin is most known because he recovered Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1188. Thereafter Richard I Lionheart organized the third crusade, which army fought several battles with Saladin. They finally agreed on an armistice in 1192. In the Arab world Saladin is the ideal ruler, because he united many Arab countries.
- Sculptor(s):al-Sayed, Abdallah
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This statue was ordered and erected to commemorate the 800th anniversary of Saladin’s death (1138-1193). Saladin’s mausoleum is in the nearby Umayyad Mosque.
The statue of Saladin is escorted by several foot soldiers and a sufi. Behind the statue two crusaders are kneeling, they are Guy of Lusignan (Lord of Jerusalem, spared by Saladin) and Raynald of Châtillon (Lord of Kerak, killed by Saladin). The horse has a characteristic Arabian head, at least according to 20th century standards.
Own pictures taken in 2007, when the statue was being restored. Photographers other pictures unknown
