Ghazaleh House

Beit Ghazaleh, located in the al-Jdeideh neighborhood of Aleppo, stands as one of the most prominent historical mansions exemplifying Ottoman-era civil architecture. The palace was built by Ghazaleh, a Christian Orthodox merchant, who commissioned Persian artists to adorn the house with a distinctive decorative style known as qassiyeh—vivid frescoes painted with oxide pigments that have remarkably retained their brilliance and luster to this day.

The house consists of several courtyards surrounded by finely ornamented rooms. Among its most notable spaces is the Reception Hall (Qā‘at al-Khutbah), renowned for its poetic inscriptions in Arabic, Turkish, and Persian that celebrate the virtues of hospitality and generosity. Excavations of the building’s foundations also uncovered a Hebrew inscription, offering powerful testimony to the spirit of religious tolerance and coexistence among the diverse communities of the al-Jdeideh district.

Between 2007 and 2011, Syria’s Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums launched a comprehensive restoration campaign. This included the meticulous renewal of decorative panels by master artisans from Damascus, as well as high-resolution digital surveys conducted in collaboration with UNESCO—efforts aimed at preserving, studying, and safeguarding the palace from future threats.

Although Beit Ghazaleh sustained damage during the Syrian conflict and in the earthquakes that struck the region in February 2023, continuous restoration efforts have been undertaken to reinforce and conserve this historic site.

Today, Beit Ghazaleh serves as a vibrant cultural center that showcases Aleppo’s rich cultural and historical heritage. Plans are underway to transform it into a museum that embodies the spirit of coexistence and tolerance among the city’s diverse communities—making it a lasting symbol of unity and the authentic identity of Aleppo.