Abd al-Hadi Palace
Encyclopedia
The Abd al-Hadi Palace or Qasr Abd al-Hadi is a large palace located in the Qaryun quarter of the Old City of Nablus
. It was built in the 19th century as a residence for the dominant Abd al-Hadi clan of the District of Nablus
. It consists of three floors, arches, winding staircases, hidden courtyards, gardens, balconies, and built mainly of white limestone
.
The building was designed by Mahmud ´Abd al-Hadi himself, who was the governor at the time. To Mary Rogers, the sister of the British vice-consul in Haifa
, it seemed at the start of 1860's as
Today, it is still inhabited by some Abd al-Hadi families. In 2002 the Abd al-Hadi Palace was hit by mortar fire and damaged by explosions during the Israeli incursion into Nablus.
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
. It was built in the 19th century as a residence for the dominant Abd al-Hadi clan of the District of Nablus
District of Nablus
The District of Nablus also known as Sanjak Nablus is a historical administrative area that existed throughout Ottoman rule of Palestine and to a lesser extent during British rule. It exists today as the Nablus Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority...
. It consists of three floors, arches, winding staircases, hidden courtyards, gardens, balconies, and built mainly of white limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
.
The building was designed by Mahmud ´Abd al-Hadi himself, who was the governor at the time. To Mary Rogers, the sister of the British vice-consul in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, it seemed at the start of 1860's as
"the handsomest dwelling-house I had seen in PalestineOttoman SyriaOttoman Syria is a European reference to the area that during European Renaissance from the late 15th to early 18th century was called the Levant within the early period of the Ottoman Empire, the Orient until the early 19th century, and Greater Syria until 1918...
. It is built of well-hewn fine limestone, and enriched with marble pavements, columns, and arches."
Today, it is still inhabited by some Abd al-Hadi families. In 2002 the Abd al-Hadi Palace was hit by mortar fire and damaged by explosions during the Israeli incursion into Nablus.