▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁oldest ▁and ▁largest ▁cast les ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁Us age ▁of ▁the ▁Cit adel ▁hill ▁dates ▁back ▁at ▁least ▁to ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁mill en ni um ▁BC . ▁Occ up ied ▁by ▁many ▁civil izations ▁over ▁time including ▁the ▁Gree ks , ▁By z ant ines , ▁A yy ub ids ▁and ▁M aml uk st he ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁construction ▁as ▁it ▁stands ▁today ▁is ▁thought ▁to ▁origin ate ▁from ▁the ▁A yy ub id ▁period . ▁An ▁extensive ▁conservation ▁work ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁by ▁the ▁A ga ▁Khan ▁Trust ▁for ▁Culture , ▁in ▁collaboration ▁with ▁Ale ppo ▁Ar che ological ▁Society . ▁Domin ating ▁the ▁city , ▁the ▁Cit adel ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁An cient ▁City ▁of ▁Ale ppo , ▁a ▁UN ES CO ▁World ▁Heritage ▁Site ▁since ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 s , ▁the ▁Cit adel ▁received ▁significant ▁damage ▁during ▁the ▁length y ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ale ppo . ▁It ▁was ▁re open ed ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁with ▁rep airs ▁to ▁dam aged ▁parts ▁under way . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁recently ▁discovered ▁temple ▁of ▁the ▁ancient ▁storm - god ▁Had ad ▁dates ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁hill ▁to ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁mill en ni um ▁BC , ▁as ▁referenced ▁in ▁c une iform ▁texts ▁from ▁E bla ▁and ▁Mari . ▁The ▁city ▁became