From Historic Forts To 19th Century Mansions: A Regional Look At Palestinian Architecture
Palestine is a land that was visited by many faces, religions and cultures and that is why the nation is known for its rich and unique architecture influenced by everything from the Ottomans to the British. Knowing how it was influenced by many nations and civilizations, we wanted to see how other nations across the region were inspired by rich Palestinian architecture.
The Beit Sitti Cultural Center (Amman)
Known as a restored 1920s Palestinian home, the Beit Sitti Cultural Center is an architectural gem located in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Amman. It is a building that lives and breathes the Palestinian identity. Just looking at its exterior facade, you will easily notice the traditional charming stone house style popular in Palestine.
Even the name of the center exudes rich Palestinian heritage as it translates to “grandma’s house”, who is known as an essential member of any Palestinian family and the person known for home cooked meals made with love. That is why the Beit Sitti Cultural Center is actually a cooking school were people are invited to learn how to make traditional Palestinian dishes.
Al Khazneh (Petra)
Massive and colossal, Al Khazneh (The Treasury) is known as an architectural gem carved from the red cliffs of Petra. Almost 40 meters high, some believe it to be a temple while others say it is a place to store documents. At the very top of the treasury is a funerary urn and legend says that it conceals a pharaoh’s treasure. Along with its embedded stories, Al Khazneh is considered to boast architectural elements like carved facades that are influenced by Palestinian as well as Roman architecture.
Qasr Al Hosn Palace (Abu Dhabi)
Standing tall in the heart of Abu Dhabi is Qasr Al Hosn Palace, one of the oldest stone buildings in the city whose many sources of inspiration are the old stone houses of Palestine. It is known to exhibit many Palestinian motifs and even its forts have a similar style to the ones in some cities in Palestine. Beyond its architectural style, the palace holds a special place among Emirati residents as it was once home to the ruling family and later got converted into a museum.
Dar Al-Tifel Al-Arabi Museum (Amman)
Palestine’s rich history and heritage is one that deserves to be recognized and protected and that is why across the region, some museums opened up that house Palestinian artifacts. Along with them is one in Amman called the Dar al-Tifel al-Arabi Museum. Not only is it a museum but it is also a restored 19th-century Palestinian mansion that boasts traditional Palestinian architecture, especially the classic stone houses.
Houses Of Douma
Unlike the other architectural buildings in this list, for Lebanon, we are going to include an entire village, that of the village of Douma. Throughout this picturesque and quaint town are brick and stone houses that are inspired by the old houses of Palestine and even include a classic red tiled roof. It is known Palestinian architecture had a major influence on its neighboring countries of Lebanon and Syria and that can be seen with buildings like that of the houses of Douma.
Knowing how Palestinian architecture made its way to countries like Lebanon, Jordan and the UAE, it acts as a small victory for the nation wherein remnants of its history and culture are able to survive outside its land.
