Middle East - Anthony Ham [398]
Starting from the northeastern corner of the Old City, Dar al-Yasmin (Click here), Old Damascus Hotel (Click here) and Beit al-Mamlouka (Click here) are three old homes converted into hotels, where the beautiful courtyards are wonderful places to peek into and even better places to stay. South of here, close to Bab Sharqi, is Na’san Palace (Map; Sharia Hanania; 8am-2pm Sun-Thu), which has a narrow courtyard in sombre tones offset by the extravagantly decorated iwan (arched alcove serving as a summer retreat).
West along Straight St, turn south from the Roman arch and follow the signs to Dahdah Palace (Map; 9 Sharia ash-Shalla; admission free; 9am-1pm & 4-6pm Mon-Sat), a 17th-century residence owned by the Dahdah family. Ring the bell for an informal guided tour by the charming Mrs Dahdah and her daughter of the lovely courtyard, fragrant with jasmine and lemon trees, the iwan, and the reception room with its exquisite niche. They also sell antiques (Click here).
Further west, Beit Nizam (Map; Sharia Nasif Pasha; 8am-2pm Sun-Thu) is another breathtakingly beautiful 18th-century house, executed on a grand scale with two large courtyards; the one to the rear is adorned with orange trees and rose bushes. In the mid-19th century, it served as the French consulate and it’s often used these days as a set for film and TV productions. Just around the corner, Beit as-Sibai (Map; Sharia al-Qabbani; 8am-2pm Sun-Thu), built between 1769 and 1774, was being restored at the time of writing.
Head north towards Straight St, pausing en route at Al-Khawali (Click here), one of Damascus’ best restaurants, then head west to Beit al-Aqqad (Map; 223 8038; 8-10 Souq as-Souf; 9am-3pm Sun-Wed, to 1pm Thu). Formerly the home of a wealthy family of textile merchants, it now houses the Danish Institute in Damascus. Visitors are welcome to wander in and look at the courtyard, which lies beyond the entrance patio and is graced by an expanse of gorgeous inlaid-stone decoration and one of the highest iwans in the city.
After visiting the grandest old Damascus home of all, the Azem Palace (below), a number of courtyard restaurants are fine places to finish, among them Beit Jabri (Click here; don’t miss the beautifully restored qa’a (reception room) up the stairs at the far end of the courtyard), Bab al-Hara (Click here), and Narcissus Palace (Click here).
* * *
SOUTH & EAST OF THE MOSQUE
The largest and arguably the most beautiful of the Damascene courtyard homes, the Azem Palace (Map; adult/student S£150/10; 9am-3.30pm Wed-Mon winter, to 5.30pm Wed-Mon rest of year, closed Fri noon-2pm summer & 11am-1pm winter) was built in 1749 by the governor of Damascus, As’ad Pasha al-Azem. It’s fashioned in the typical Damascene style of striped stonework, which is achieved by alternating layers of black basalt and limestone. The rooms of the palace are magnificent, decorated with inlaid tile work and exquisite painted ceilings. The expansive courtyard, too, is lovely and often filled with local families seeking refuge from the Damascus heat.
Just around the corner from the palace is Souq al-Bzouriyya (literally the Seed Bazaar, but in reality the Spice Souq), heavily scented with cumin, coffee and perfumes. Halfway along, on the left, is Hammam Nureddin (opposite), the most elegant of Damascus’ old bathhouses.
Just beyond the hammam is the towering entrance to Khan As’ad Pasha (admission S£75; 9am-3pm Sat-Thu), arguably the finest and most ambitious piece of architecture in the Old City – a cathedral among khans. Built in 1752 under the patronage of As’ad Pasha al-Azem, it’s a supremely elegant arrangement of eight small domes around a larger circular aperture, allowing light to stream in above a circular pool. The domes are supported on four colossal grey-and-white piers that splay into graceful arches, with a backdrop of more horizontal grey-and-white magnificence. Don’t fail to climb up to