Al-Omari Grand Mosque

One of the most significant religious sites in the city, the Al-Omari Grand Mosque is also one of the most ancient. It was built in 635 BCE during the reign of Islam's second Caliph Omar Bin El Khattab. It was converted into a church during the 12th Century however the Mamluks transformed it into a mosque again by the 13th Century. Reflecting traces of Byzantine architecture of the former church, the Mamluk style entrance and minarets are very striking. Renovated in 2004, the mosque is a treasure of Beirut.