Damascus
This large Ottoman-era house in the Saruja quarter, just outside the north-western walls of the old city, belonged to the al-Azm family, one of the leading…
This large Ottoman-era house in the Saruja quarter, just outside the north-western walls of the old city, belonged to the al-Azm family, one of the leading families of Ottoman Damascus. Its best-known owner was the statesman Khalid al-Azm (1903–1965), who was born in Saruja and lived here, and the house still carries his name. Covering more than 3,000 square metres, it is one of the largest historic houses in Damascus, built around a grand central courtyard with a fountain and reception halls. The Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums acquired it in 1969 and restored it in the 1970s, and it has served as the Damascus Historical Museum, with rooms of painted woodwork, mother-of-pearl inlaid furniture and brocade. It stands on Saruja's main street, a short walk from the Citadel and Souq al-Hamidiyya.