Nizam House perfect example of mixing Levantine architecture with its global counterparts

Damascus – SANA – Any visitor to the old Damascene neighborhoods finds themselves in front of narrow alleys overlooked by doors that lead to spacious buildings with pools of water in the middle, surrounded by wide rooms and halls, and tall trees and pergolas.This scene fulls visitors with feelings of love and nostalgia for these houses likened by poet Nizar Qabbani to bottles of perfume with scent of civilizations and history .

Among these houses, Beit Nizam (Nizam House), which is located in al-Shaghour neighborhood, is unique in its intermingling of Damascene architecture with other architectural arts from various parts of the world, which gave it a distinctive character, and reflected the ability of the craftsmen of this city to integrate different schools of architecture with the distinctive style of Damascene one, especially in the walls, floors, decorations, and interlacing on carved wood.

Beit Nizam preserved everything that distinguishes Damascene houses, such as atrium, Iwan and Bahra (water pool), the method of construction with the use of cracked marble in a beautiful engineering and structural manner on the floors, according to historical researcher Elham Mahfoud.

What distinguishes Nizam House is its richness in the arts of Damascene architecture, such as Mamluk decorations, carved walls, and mirrors that reflect the light entering from the windows onto the shiny, gold-plated surfaces, in addition to the world-famous Grape Room, whose decorations were rich and varied, including carved and gold-plated leaves and grapevines that added more beauty to the hall, Mahfoud noted.

Aga Khan Foundation has been working to restore the house to its former state by using the original layers and colors to preserve the antiquities and decorations and to show the original part of the building relying on a team of chemists specialized in applying the appropriate materials for the work, which helps in the restoration in accordance with international standards, said  the site engineer Bisher al-Bari.

Al-Bari added that after completing the restoration, it will take on the status of a culture hotel, and it will be opened to provide the opportunity for visitors, researchers, and those interested in architecture to obtain historical information about the arts and techniques of architecture.

Damascus Governorate supervises the restoration process ,ensuring that it conforms to the basic specifications of construction. Constructing Nizam House dates back to 1760 AD, and its name goes back to the last family that lived in the house and restored it.