Damascus, Walking Tour Inside Al-Azm Palace | دمشق, قصر العظم

Al-Azm Palace is a palace Located north of the Al-Buzuriya market in the ancient city of Damascus, the palace was built in 1749 as a residence of Damascus Governor Asad Pasha Al-Azm during Ottoman rule.
After being purchased by the Syrian government from the Al-Azm family and undergoing several reconstruction works, the palace now houses the Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions.

Architecture:
The palace covers an area of ​​6,400 square meters and its architecture is a fine example of a traditional Damascene house. The structure consists of several buildings and his three wings: Harlem, Selamlek and Harlemlek. Harlem is a private residence of the family and a family wing that includes a bathhouse that is a scaled-down reproduction of a public bathhouse in the city. The Selamlek was the guest wing, consisting of a formal hall, a reception area and a large courtyard with a traditional waterfall fountain, while the servants quarters and the center of domestic activities were located on the north side of the palace. One of the most interesting parts of the palace is the hammam, or bathhouse. It consists of a series of small rooms and narrow corridors leading to the main steam room in the center of the building. Near the hammam is the main marble-floored reception hall, behind which is a second, smaller courtyard with several rooms, now showcasing various traditional crafts such as glass, copper and textiles is used to Several ornaments were used in the building of this palace. Stone types such as limestone, sandstone, basalt and marble selected to provide a natural decoration. The ceiling is covered with painted wooden panels that represent the natural landscape. Dr Andrew Petersen, Head of Islamic Archeology Studies at Lampeter University, University of Wales, said the building's use of abrak (alternating layers of white limestone and black basalt) is "a hallmark of Damascus' monumental masonry". said.

History:
The palace was built on the site of a Mamluk palace during the reign of Sultan Mahmud I during the Ottoman Empire as the residence of Asad Pasha Al-Azm, governor of Damascus. The palace serves as a communal residence and guest house. It was a monument of 18th century Arab architecture. This palace was built by his 800 workers during his three years, and the building was decorated with highly refined and expensive decorative elements. A local damascene barber, Shaikh Ahmad Al-Bidili Al-Halaq, wrote in his diary, "Every time he (Al-Azem) heard about old or rare pieces of marble or porcelain, he would ask someone, with or without and came to fetch it.” Owner Consent. After Al-Azm's death, the palace continued to house his descendants for generations to come. German Kaiser Wilhelm II visited the palace during his trip to Damascus in 1898. This palace was the property of the Asm family until he sold it to France in 1920. The central court or harlemlek was bought for his 4000 gold pounds (since 1958 the English currency unit name changed from 'lire' to 'pound'). During the Great Syrian Revolution, the French government shelled Damascus to put down a rebellion, and the old city of Damascus was bombarded, and the main reception room, private baths, and roof were all set on fire, causing extensive damage to the palace. . while the wall is destroyed. After the revolution ended, the French government began rebuilding the building. Restoration work began immediately and was undertaken by architects Lucien Cavallo and Michel Ecochard. The architects carried out a simplified, minimalist reconstruction of the palace. After its reconstruction, the French government used the palace as the seat of the newly established French Institute, and Michel Ecochard, who was involved in the reconstruction of the site, was commissioned to design a new residence for the palace. Director of the Institute. Though fairly modern, the new building blended perfectly with the walls of his 18th-century palace. When Syria gained independence in 1946, the French Institute was dissolved and the building was evacuated, and the house was returned to the Azum family, which he built six years later in 1951. It was purchased by the Syrian government for £100,000 ($30,000) and turned into a museum of arts and folk traditions. Shafiq Imam was appointed director of the museum when it opened in 1954. The crowd at the opening of the museum greatly exceeded expectations, so Shafiq Imam designed a new staircase in the main hall to allow visitors to enter from one side and exit from the other. This palace won him the Aga Khan Architecture Award in 1983.