The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has announced the completion of restoration work at the Mausoleum of Saladin in Damascus, located beside the Umayyad Mosque and closely associated with the city’s history and cultural heritage.

In a post on its official account, the agency said restoration and rehabilitation work at the mausoleum had been completed, helping preserve its historical character and safeguard its legacy for future generations.

The mausoleum houses the tomb of Saladin, founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, who recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187 following his victory at the Battle of Hattin. He died in Damascus in 1193. The mausoleum lies within the historic fabric of the Syrian capital, near the Umayyad Mosque.

In a separate initiative to preserve Damascus’s religious and historical heritage, TİKA announced on 11 August 2026 that restoration and rehabilitation work at the mausoleum of Bilal Al-Habashi, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad, had been completed.

According to the agency’s official website, the project included restoring the interior and exterior facades, cleaning historic stone surfaces and marble tombstones, renewing the roof insulation, replacing carpets and installing lighting suited to the site’s historic character. Work was also carried out on sections damaged by the passage of time.

The project aims to preserve historic landmarks and protect religious and cultural heritage for future generations.

Restoration of the Sulaymaniyah Tekkiye

Cooperation on heritage preservation was also extended to Damascus’s historic Sulaymaniyah Tekkiye complex. In December 2025, Syria’s Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums announced an agreement with TİKA to cooperate on completing the rehabilitation of the historic site.

The directorate estimated the cost of completing the project at between $6 million and $8 million. The work forms part of efforts to address technical issues and complete restoration and rehabilitation in coordination with the relevant authorities.

Built in the 16th century under Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the Sulaymaniyah Tekkiye is one of Damascus’s most prominent historic architectural landmarks. Over the centuries, the complex has served religious, social, and charitable functions. It includes a mosque and facilities that historically provided accommodation and food for travellers, as well as educational and commercial spaces.

Media reports in October 2026 said restoration of the complex was nearing completion, with progress exceeding 95%. However, the remaining work cannot be attributed entirely to TİKA without further documentation of the agency’s direct role in implementation. The distinction between the cooperation agreement and the body carrying out the work on the ground remains important.

Preserving historic heritage

TİKA is a Turkish government agency responsible for development cooperation and coordination. It carries out projects in a range of fields, including the restoration of historic sites and the preservation of cultural heritage in countries where it operates.

Its work in this area includes restoring mausoleums and historic buildings, as well as rehabilitating major architectural complexes, with the aim of safeguarding their historical and cultural significance.