The site on which the mosque was built has always been vulnerable to destruction by earthquake, fire, and poor workmanship. After each episode of destruction, the mosque was restored, sometimes significantly altering the original Umayyad structure.
Earthquake-prone region
The terrace on which the city of Damascus stands is a site of high seismic potential due to its location close to the Levant Rift system, on the edge of tectonic plates. It has been hit by multiple earthquakes, as attested by written sources dating from at least the second millennium BCE.
While the mosque has been more or less spared over the last two centuries, on several occasions seismic activity has destroyed significant portions of the building, as revealed by textual sources and studies of the building. As early as 749, less than 50 years after its foundation, an earthquake caused the roof and dome of the prayer hall to collapse. In 848, a quarter of the building, including the minaret built by al-Walid - the Minaret of the Bride - collapsed. In 1157, some of the mosaics were permanently damaged. In 1201 and 1202, two more earthquakes led to the partial collapse of the three minarets. Lastly, in 1759, a violent earthquake once again damaged the minarets, the dome of the prayer hall, and the north portico.
Devastating fires
The mosque’s location at the centre of a densely populated city has also left it exposed to several devastating fires. In 1069, a first fire caused extensive damage to the prayer hall, especially the dome and roof, as well as the courtyard porticoes. In 1174, the Minaret of Qaitbay to the west, and the Minaret of the Bride to the north collapsed in a blaze. In 1401, Tamerlan burned the mosque, once again damaging the western minaret. Lastly, in 1893, a fierce blaze was captured by a photographer. The ceilings of the prayer hall were engulfed in flames, and several pillars in the eastern part of the hall collapsed. Many of the mosaics were also damaged.
