▁The ▁m ound ▁is ▁surrounded ▁by ▁a ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁mo at , ▁d ating ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁century . ▁Notable ▁is ▁the ▁fort ified ▁gateway , ▁accessible ▁though ▁an ▁arch ed ▁bridge . ▁This ▁feature ▁was ▁an ▁addition ▁from ▁the ▁M aml uk ▁government ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century . ▁A ▁succession ▁of ▁five ▁right - angle ▁turns ▁and ▁three ▁large ▁gates ▁( with ▁car ved ▁figures ) ▁leads ▁to ▁the ▁main ▁inner ▁castle ▁entrance . ▁Part icular ly ▁interesting ▁in ▁the ▁interior ▁are ▁the ▁We ap ons ' ▁Hall , ▁the ▁By z antine ▁Hall ▁and ▁the ▁Th r one ▁Hall , ▁with ▁a ▁restored ▁decor ated ▁ce iling . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁civil ▁war , ▁the ▁cit adel ▁was ▁a ▁tour ist ▁att raction ▁and ▁a ▁site ▁of ▁arch ae ological ▁dig s ▁and ▁studies . ▁The ▁am ph it he ater ▁was ▁often ▁used ▁for ▁musical ▁concert s ▁or ▁cultural ▁events . ▁ ▁Sy rian ▁Civil ▁War ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ale ppo ▁of ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Civil ▁War , ▁the ▁external ▁gate ▁of ▁the ▁cit adel ▁was ▁dam aged ▁after ▁being ▁sh elled ▁during ▁a ▁cl ash ▁between ▁the ▁Free ▁Sy rian ▁Army ▁and ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Army ▁to ▁gain ▁control ▁over ▁the ▁cit adel . ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁a ▁bomb ▁was ▁reported ly ▁set ▁off ▁in ▁a ▁tunnel ▁under ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁outer ▁walls ▁causing ▁further