reconstruction

The Syrian government claims credit for what it says is the ongoing reconstruction of the city, which until the war was Syria’s commercial hub.

Its replacement, which burned down five years ago, was put up decades later as part of a neo-Gothic reconstruction conducted by architect Eugène Viollet-Le-Duc.

In the face of opposition from experts and the public, all were abandoned and the reconstruction is essentially true to the original - though with some concessions to modern materials and safety requirements.

Despite insisting on three conditions - an Israeli withdrawal, a permanent ceasefire and the reconstruction of Gaza - Hamas has indicated to mediators on many occasions its willingness to make substantial concessions.

The team’s reconstruction is still in its early stages.