Traditional Damascene Houses July 22nd, 2010
Within the walls of the old city of Damascus you can find peppered here and there examples of beautiful Damascene houses.
A typical Damascene house is built on two storeys, with all rooms looking out onto a spacious courtyard. Trees are generally planted there and a water basin or fountain usually adorns the center. Often, a reception area (called an Ewaan) opens out onto the courtyard. These typically consist of a U-shaped hall and seating area with
decorated
high ceilings.
During my half-day visit to Damascus, I had the chance to visit a number of these houses. Their proprietors were generous enough to allow us to visit them. Below are a selection of pictures from three of them.
One has been converted into a small boutique hotel (we got a guided tour of the place – wonderful!), another was unfortunately in ruin (but the owners are in the process of trying to restore it – the caretaker invited us in to visit it), and the third, Kasr Na’asan (Na’asan Palace), was the biggest surprise.
We’d spoken to a number of people who told us of it, so when we eventually came across it and found the door open, we entered. We met a number of people going to and fro across the courtyard, who hailed us in a friendly manner and then carried on their business. I wandered about taking in the extraordinary beauty of the place, and snapping the occasional picture. Finally, we ventured into one of the rooms to speak to a young man who was at desk working on his computer.
Turns out it wasn’t a museum or a hotel, as we’d been speculating: it was still being used as a residence by it’s owners. Oops. In testament to the extraordinary hospitality of the residents of Damascus, t
he owners had no problems with us coming in unannounced to wander about their home. They chatted with us pleasantly for a while and even offered us coffee.
Gotta love Arab hospitality.
I didn’t unfortunately get to visit one of the biggest, and perhaps best known of these small palaces – the Azm Palace. But I look forward to revisiting Damascus at some point again soon and will hope to correct that oversight then.
More coming soon!
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Tags: courtyard, damascene, damascus, house, old city, palace, syria
Posted in Travel/Urban | Comments (3)
July 23rd, 2010 at 6:58 am
Wow Z! What exquisite spaces – lovely to catch a glimpse of them thanks to your photographic eye.
July 29th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Tyrell! How you been?
Thx! Am glad you enjoyed the shots.Will have to get you to come do a tour of the Middle East at some point. So much to see! 
August 15th, 2010 at 5:31 am
based on mouth feel alone, just saying the word ‘Damascus’ had always seemed reason enough to have it on the ‘to visit’ places … and to think that was without even an inkling of such enticing ice cream history. Love the glimpses here. much cheer