Ottoman palace transformed into museum

In the heart of the Old Sidon city in south Lebanon, a few Westerners trickled into a narrow doorway and climbed the eroding stairs to end up in a massive hall adorned with a small empty pool in the middle and a large aviary near its ceiling.

The visitors looked surprised as they stared at the old Ottoman pots and musical instruments dotting every corner in the hall and its surroundings before shifting their eyes towards the ancient aviary and the few birds jumping and singing inside.

“This place was an Ottoman palace which was bought by the local Debbane family more than 200 years ago...it was designated an historic monument in 1968 and was turned into a museum 15 years ago,” said Ghassan Dimasi, the palace’s supervisor.

The palace, a small, shabby old stone structure, is located in the central western part of Old Sidon, a Mamluk-era city dating back to more than 1,000 years.

The city of around two square metres extends between the Sea Castle and the St. Louis Castle. Located on a promontory jutting into the sea, this walled city is very well preserved and is still inhabited with around 30,000 people.

The old City resembles a vaulted maze with narrow alleyways and winding streets. Arched pathways connect the different neighborhoods of the city.

On street level, numerous souvenir shops and mini-markets can be found with old-fashioned bakeries making crunchy whole wheat bread, called "Kaak".

A lot of the alleys take the name of their residents' occupations like the "Carpenters' Alley", the “Confectioners Alley, the “Perfumes Alley, and the "Tailors' Alley".

Several mosques dating back to the Umayyad Era are still preserved and are open to the public.. Being of great historical and architectural significance, the Old City went through a lot of renovations and more restoration work is in the pipeline.

“We have just completed a major restoration and renovation project for the old city involving cleaning the alleys, rebuilding and maintenance…there are plans for more work in the future as we aim to attract more tourists to this city, which we believe is a real historical treasure,” Sidon’s mayor Mohammed Al Seoudi told Emirates 24/7.

Around the year 1800, the Debbane family acquired the 3-storey Ottoman palace, which was later enlarged by Raphael Joseph Debbane. The Ottoman-style Sabil, the water tank used for household tasks, is still to be found under the aviary in the central hall.

According to a brochure provided by the museum to Emirates 24/7, the aviary had housed some 100 canaries and that it was a present from Rapahel to his wife Angele Portalis, who was particularly fond of canaries.

“The whole of Sidon knew this so that any one finding a canary, even at the other end of town, would return it to Angele, being convinced that it must have escaped from her aviary...the aviary is still intact and houses some canaries,” it says.

Visitors to the Palace will have to pass through narrow alleys and shops before reaching the tiny stone entrance, on top of which there is a small signboard carrying its name.

“You will probably have come in through the souks (old markets) and will no doubt be astonished to see such a narrow doorway and such an awkward flight of stairs leading into the residence of a notable,” the brochure says.

“In fact many Ottoman residences of the period have discreet entrances most probably to protect the private character of the family’s living place...in the classical Arab city, the inside—often as well a kind of semi public space with reception units—had more importance than the outside.”

Dimasi said the Palace was built during 1721-1722 by Ali Agha Hammoud, a notable from Sidon. He said Hammoud was in the Ottoman administration in charge of taxes and financial affairs of the town, and that Hammoud built that house as a private residence for himself in connection with several other buildings in the neighbourhood.

“The Arab inscriptions engraved on the walls have helped us trace the history of the first occupant of the house—the Hammoud family,” he said.

“The inscription says that it was here where the Agha, one of the most influential personalities in the city at the time, was sitting and receiving guests and discussing business, for example, with French consul who was his friend and living not far away.”

Visitors to the palace were later taken to the third floor, which was used as a bed room by its dwellers. The guests noticed that there were windows on all sides and were told that the design was intended to ease the hot weather during summer.

“Openings on all four sides make this a very airy room and thus much appreciated on hot summer evenings…from there, you can admire the view of the sea castle, the town of Sidon and the surrounding mountains,” Dimasi said, adding that the architectural history of the building is currently being researched.

Contents at the museum include Ottoman lutes, drums and other musical instruments, rifles, pots, glasses, vases, chairs, tables, a massive bird cage and other items.

All pictures by Nadim Kawach

 

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