Photo Stories: Statue of Saladin

A magnificent bronze monument of Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, also known as Saladin, can be found in the center of Damascus, just outside the historic Citadel. Saladin, a highly regarded statesman and military leader, is most known for bringing Muslim armies together and taking Jerusalem back from the Crusaders in 1187. His legacy lives on in the streets of Damascus, where he was born and eventually laid to rest, as well as in history books.

Syrian artist Abdullah al-Sayed created the statue, which was commissioned in 1993. It shows Saladin riding his armored warhorse with a determined expression.