Damascus, June 15 (SANA)More than 800 years after its founding, theMadrasa al-Shamiyya(Al-Shamiyya al-Barraniyya School) inDamascusremains a testament to the city’s prominence as a center of learning during theAyyubid eraand to the role women played in supporting education and scholarship..

The institution was established by Fatima Khatun, known as Sitt al-Sham, the sister of Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi (Saladin). Historians describe her as one of the most influential women of the Ayyubid dynasty, known for financing schools, charitable endowments and scholarly activities in Damascus.

Founded during a period of rapid intellectual and urban development, the school became one of the city’s leading centers for the study of Islamic jurisprudence and religious sciences. It attracted prominent scholars, including the renowned jurist and hadith scholar Ibn al-Salah.

Researchers say the school’s architecture reflects the sophistication of Ayyubid-era Damascus, featuring a central courtyard, arched colonnades, decorative plasterwork and a distinctive stone minaret that remains one of its most recognizable features.

Historical accounts describe Damascus as one of the foremost centers of learning in the medieval Islamic world, with travelers and scholars praising its schools, charitable endowments and educational institutions.

Today, Al-Shamiyya al-Barraniyya stands as one of the capital’s most significant Ayyubid landmarks, preserving the legacy of a period marked by educational growth, architectural development and the contribution of women to the city’s intellectual life.