Azem Palace (Hama)
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The Azm Palace (, ''Bayt al-ʿAẓm'') is an 18th-century Ottoman-era palace in
Hama Hama ( ', ) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located north of Damascus and north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. With a population of 996,000 (2023 census), Hama is one o ...
,
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
at the center of the city on the banks of the
Orontes River The Orontes (; from Ancient Greek , ) or Nahr al-ʿĀṣī, or simply Asi (, ; ) is a long river in Western Asia that begins in Lebanon, flowing northwards through Syria before entering the Mediterranean Sea near Samandağ in Hatay Province, Turk ...
, about south of the Hama Citadel.Beatti (1996), p. 318. Ross Burns, author of ''Monuments of Syria'' (1999), reportedly considers the Azm Palace to be "one of the loveliest Ottoman residential buildings in Syria."Carter, Dunston, and Thomas (2008), p. 163. The palace has been used as a regional archaeology museum since 1956.Nilsson and Fugmann (2002), p. 62.


History

The Azm Palace at Hama was built in 1742 by the Ottoman governor,
As'ad Pasha al-Azm As'ad Pasha al-Azm ( ; 1706 – March 1758) was the governor of Damascus under Ottoman rule from 1743 to his deposition in 1757. He was responsible for the construction of several architectural works in the city and other places in Syria. Backg ...
, as his residence. It served the continuing line of Azm governors in Hama until the end of family rule in the 19th century.Ragette (2003), p. 162. A larger palace with the same basic plan, also known as the
Azm Palace Al-Azm Palace ( ) is a palace in Damascus, Syria, built in 1749. Located north of Al-Buzuriyah Souq in the Ancient City of Damascus, the palace was built in 1749 to be the private residence for As'ad Pasha al-Azm, the governor of Damascus; during ...
, was built in
Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
by As'ad Pasha when he became governor of that city in 1743.Mannheim (2001), pp. 216-217. The palace has been used as a museum since 1956. Extensively damaged during the 1982 Hama uprising, the palace has since been largely restored.


Architecture

Unlike al-Azm's palace in Damascus, the Azm Palace in Hama has courtyards on each of its two floors. The courtyard on the ground floor has a fountain in the middle and is decorated with trees planted to provide shade. A ''
liwan Liwan (, , from Persian ) is a long narrow-fronted hall or vaulted portal in ancient and modern Levantine homes that is often open to the outside.Abercrombie, 1910, p. 266.Davey, 1993, p. 29. An Arabic loanword to English, it is ultimately der ...
'' with three sides is located at one end, to provide seating for residents. The purpose of the courtyard on the second floor is to make use of breezes and the cool air.''Beit Al-Azem, The Azem Palace Museum''
at Syria Gate.
Stairs lead to the upper courtyard, where there is a grand reception room; protecting the facade is an arched portico, while every surface inside the building is decorated with painted woodwork, banded stonework, and patterned marble. A large dome is built above the central area. The other rooms inside are also decorated with both fountains and painted panels of birds and trees. In addition, the rooms that open into the upper courtyard contain "popular tradition" displays, with costumed mannequins depicting everyday scenes of Syrian life. Close to the entrance area is the Azm Palace's private '' hamaam'' ("bath"). However, the ''hamaam'' seems to have been available for use by the public. The smaller courtyard at the lower floor served as the ''
haram ''Haram'' (; ) is an Arabic term meaning 'taboo'. This may refer to either something sacred to which access is not allowed to the people who are not in a state of purity or who are not initiated into the sacred knowledge; or, in direct cont ...
lek'', or family and women's quarters. Burns says that the ''haramlek'' is particularly noteworthy. The palace has a single-floor guest wing on the western side, vaulted service quarters on the eastern side, and the second floor was the family residence. There is a direct entrance to the '' madafa'' and the southern ''liwan'', which also gives passage to the service wing and the Azm family tomb.


Museum

Since 1956, the palace has been housing a museum displaying archaeological finds from sites in and around Hama, including the citadel. A noteworthy exhibit is that of a late fourth century Roman mosaic depicting female musicians playing the
organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...
, double
aulos An ''aulos'' (plural ''auloi''; , plural ) or ''tibia'' (Latin) was a wind instrument in ancient Greece, often depicted in art and also attested by archaeology. Though the word ''aulos'' is often translated as "flute" or as " double flute", ...
, forked and regular palm-held
cymbals A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sou ...
,
kithara The kithara (), Latinized as cithara, was an ancient Greek musical instrument in the yoke lutes family. It was a seven-stringed professional version of the lyre, which was regarded as a rustic, or folk instrument, appropriate for teaching mu ...
(a type of
lyre The lyre () (from Greek λύρα and Latin ''lyra)'' is a string instrument, stringed musical instrument that is classified by Hornbostel–Sachs as a member of the History of lute-family instruments, lute family of instruments. In organology, a ...
), and an ''oxyvaphi'' (here consisting of eight yellow-coloured metal bowls played with two sticks).


Gallery

File:Al Azam Palace, in Hama, Syria10.JPG, Grand reception room File:Al Azam Palace, Hama, fountain.jpg, Lower courtyard of the palace, leading up to the upper courtyard File:Al Azam Palace, in Hama, Syria.8.JPG, Mannequin display depicting traditional scene


References


Bibliography

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External links

{{commons category, Al Azam Palace, Hama Palaces in Syria Museums in Syria Houses completed in 1742 Buildings and structures in Hama 1742 establishments in the Ottoman Empire 1982 Hama massacre