Beit Junblatt

Beit Junblatt
بيت جنبلاط
Beit Junblatt
Location within Ancient City of Aleppo
Alternative names	Qasr Junblatt
General information
Type	Palace, Museum
Location	Aleppo, Syria
Address	Al-Bandarah area, al-Farafira district Ancient Aleppo
Completed	16th century
Cost	One thousand Ottoman gold lira
Client	Janpolad bek ibn Qasim
Technical details
Floor count	2

Beit Junblatt (Arabic: بيت جنبلاط) is a historic mansion that resides in Aleppo, Syria, built in the 16th century by a Kurdish emir of the Janbulad family.

Background

Beit Junblatt (Arabic: بيت جنبلاط); originally Janpolad Palace (Arabic: قصر جان بولاد), is a historic mansion in Aleppo, Syria, built during the 2nd half of the 16th century by a Kurdish emir of the Janbulad family, Janbulad ibn Qasim.^[1] In 1604–1605, it briefly served as a residence for the Ottoman wāli of Aleppo Hussein Pasha Janpolad.^[2]

The mansion is located at al-Bandarah area of al-Farafira district, within the walls of the Ancient City of Aleppo.^[3] According to the Aleppine historian sheikh Kamel al-Ghazzi, emir Janpolad spent 1,000 Ottoman gold lira to build the palace. Since 1766, the palace became the property of al-Kawakibi family. In 1814, it then served as the residence of the mufti of Aleppo sheikh Hasan Afandi al-Kawakibi.

Beit Junblatt is believed to have the largest iwan in Aleppo, decorated with fine qashani ceramic-tiled mosaic wall, depicting several Persian-type inscriptions.^[4] Like the vast majority of Arabic traditional houses, the square-shaped courtyard of the palace has a large water fountain in the centre mainly used for wudu. It has been described as one of the most beautiful palaces built in the city.^[5]

However, many associated external buildings around the palace—including a military barrack and stables—were said to have been ruined during the 1960s. It was subsequently restored by the Kuwait-Syria-Arab Fund to serve as a cultural center and library.^[6]

War damage

Beit Junblatt (Dar Janpolad) suffered material damage from fighting and looting during the Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016).^[7][8] Numerous tiles were removed from the building's iwan allegedly to be shown as samples to international antiquities dealers.^[9][10] Similar tiles were sold at a Western auction house in 2015.^[11][2]

Gallery

• 
  Beit Junblatt Iwan (2001)
• 
  Beit Junblatt (2001)
• 
  Beit Junblatt (2001)
• 
  Beit Junblatt (2001)
• 
  Beit Junblatt (2001)
• 
  Beit Junblatt (2018) missing decorative elements
• 
  Beit Junblatt Iwan (2018) Aleppo

References

1. Kurds in Lebanon
2. Burns, Ross (2017). Aleppo: A History. New York: Routledge. pp. 229–231. ISBN 9781134844081.
3. Mansel, Philip (2016). Aleppo: The Rise and Fall of Syria's Great Merchant City. I.B.Tauris. p. 128. ISBN 9781784534615.
4. "موقع حلب - "قصر جنبلاط".. وأكبر إيوان في "حلب" Qasr Junblatt has the largest iwan in Aleppo". www.esyria.sy. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
5. Darke, Diana (2006). Syria. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 9781841621623.
6. Burns, Ross (2009-06-30). Monuments of Syria: A Guide. I.B.Tauris. p. 54. ISBN 9780857714893.
7. "In Photos: Damages of Dar Janpolad_Beit Junblatt in old Aleppo المديرية العامة للآثار والمتاحف". www.dgam.gov.sy. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
8. Ross Burns (17 May 2017). "Monuments and sites reported damaged in the Syrian conflict since 2011".
9. Shabi, Rachel (2015-07-03). "Looted in Syria – and sold in London: the British antiques shops dealing in artefacts smuggled by Isis". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
10. "Robert Fisk: Syria's ancient treasures pulverised". The Independent. 2012-08-05. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
11. "Four 'dome of the rock' tiles | Olympia Auctions". www.olympiaauctions.com. Retrieved 2020-07-10.

External links

• "Bayt Junblat Aleppo, Syria". Archnet Digital Archive. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
• Stock images folder of Beit Jamblatt decorated with coloured and patterned tiles (2008)
• Image of the Iwan of Beit Jumblat in black and white
• No Strike List for Aleppo | Heritage for Peace

36°12′13″N 37°09′31″E