Azm Palace

The edifice is located south of the Omayyad Mosque. It was constructed on the space formerly occupied by Dar al-Zahab (the House of Gold), the palace of the Mameluke Governor of Damascus, Emir Tengiz built in the first half of the 14th century of the Common Era. It is tthought that this space roughly corresponds to the location of al-Khadraa, the residence of Muwayia the first Omayyad Caliph (7th century C.E.) and -prior to that- the palace of the Byzantine Governor of Damascus.

The construction of the Azm Palace started in the year 1749 and lasted 2+ years. Asaad Pasha al-Azm, then Governor of Damascus was subsequently deposed and strangulated as ordered by the sultan in the year 1758,. His possessions were confiscated. The fortunes of the Azm Dynasty, however, were to recover few short years later. To make a long story short, the palace was to remain in the family until it was purchased by the French Government from 68 descendants of Asaad Pasha in the year 1922 to be converted into the French Institute of Archeology and Islamic Art. The Palace had served as as residence for General Sarail, the French High Commissioner when it was attacked by an angry mob in October 1925 during the Great Syrian Revolution. The rebels burnt the edifice, looted its furtniture, and destroyed priceless collections of old photographs of Damascus, Aleppo, Hama, etc.

The palace was eventually restored under the supervision of the French architect and urbanist Michel Ecochard, relying on the images which the illustrious French photographer Bonfils had taken around the year 1885.

Photo circa 1950 taken from the window of a hall on the first floor. Seen in front is the courtyard of the Haramlik (women and family quarters) and in the background the Omayyad Mosque with the Eagle Dome (Qubbat al-Nisr).

Aspects de l'ancienne Damas Abdul Hak, Sélim

Directeur Général des antiquités et des musées Planches de Khaled Moaz