Presidential Palace, Damascus
| Presidential Palace | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Alternative names | New Shaab Palace, Qasr ash-Shaab, People's Palace |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Structuralistic |
| Address | 7th April Street, Damascus |
| Town or city | Damascus |
| Country | Syria |
| Current tenants | Ahmed al-Sharaa President of Syria |
| Construction started | 1985 |
| Completed | 1990 |
| Cost | LS 13 billion ($1 billion)[2] |
| Owner | Syrian transitional government |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Kenzo Tange,[1] Wojciech Zabłocki |
| Engineer | Oger Liban |
The Presidential Palace (Arabic: قصر الشعب, lit. 'the People's Palace') is the official residence of the President of Syria. It is located in the western part of Damascus, on Mount Mezzeh, north of Mezzeh neighborhood, next to Mount Qasioun, and overlooks the city. The main building covers 31,500 square metres (340,000 square feet). The entire plateau of Mount Mezzeh is part of the palace compound and is surrounded by a security wall and guard watchtowers. In front of the building is a large fountain and the palace itself largely consists of empty rooms clad in Carrara marble.[3][4]
History
[edit]Ba'athist Syria (1985–2024)
[edit]Japanese architect Kenzo Tange is credited with the design. He reputedly resigned from the project before construction of the palace began.[5] The brass front gates were created by the noted Syrian metalwork artist Maurice Nseiri.[6]
The palace premises cover about 510,000 square metres (5,500,000 square feet) and also includes a private presidential hospital and the headquarters of the Republican Guard. Hafez al-Assad commissioned the plans for the building in 1979.[7] Udo Kultermann has characterised the building as "feudalistic architecture".[8]
The palace was frequently used for hosting government delegations and foreign government visitors.[9][10] On 27 October 1994, Bill Clinton met Hafez al-Assad at the palace to negotiate a peace plan between Syria and Israel.[11][12][13]
Post-Ba'athist Syria (2024–present)
[edit]On 8 December 2024, during Syrian opposition offensives, anti-Assad forces entered the palace.[14][15] Bashar al-Assad fled Syria, seeking asylum in Russia, resulting in the fall of his regime.[16][17]
As of April 2025 the palace is used for diplomatic functions by the Syrian transitional government.[18] On 29 January 2025, the palace hosted the Syrian Revolution Victory Conference, attended by commanders of various armed revolutionary factions who fought for the Syrian opposition coalition against the deposed regime of Bashar al-Assad.[19] Between 24–25 February 2025, the palace hosted the Syrian National Dialogue Conference as part of the Syrian caretaker government to pave the way for national unity following the fall of the Assad regime.[20] On 29 March 2025, the Syrian transitional government was announced by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at a ceremony at the palace,[21] in which the new ministers were sworn in and delivered speeches outlining their agendas.[22]
On 2 May 2025, after the Syrian transitional government clashed with Druze militias south of Damascus, the Israeli Air Force[23] fired missiles at parts of Mount Mezzeh and areas near the presidential palace. The airstrike was a "message" to al-Sharaa to halt his offensive against the Druze.[24]
References
[edit]- ^ Tange, Kenzo. "New Shaab Palace". Aga Khan Visual Archive, Aga Khan University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ Anderson, Jack; Dale Van Atta (11 July 1989). "New Syrian palace under wraps". Washington Merry-Go-Round (syndicated column). Daily Record. p. 4. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ Talbot, Stephen (2004). "Syria/Lebanon: The Occupier and the Occupied". PBS. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ Morello, Carol (8 May 1990). "Only Mystery Lives In Syria's Presidential Palace". Philadelphia Media Network. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ Wainwright, Oliver (11 September 2013). "Assad's palace: an empty, echoing monument to dictator decor". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
- ^ Moubayed, Sami (August 13, 2015). "A Long, Hard Look at 'Zionism in Damascus'". The Huffington Post.
- ^ Richardson, Gari Gold (2024-12-22). "Mrs. Assad would like to go back to London now please, and thank you". One Small Voice. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
- ^ Kultermann, Udo (1 July 1999). Contemporary Architecture in the Arab States: Renaissance of a Region. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780070368316.
a feudalistic architecture [that] makes little or no attempt to be in harmony with the traditional Islamic way of life.
- ^ "House Speaker Pelosi Says Syria Willing to Resume Peace Talks With Israel". Fox News, Associated Press. 3 April 2007. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ Turgut, Pelin (30 April 2011). "How Syria and Libya Got to Be Turkey's Headaches". Time. Archived from the original on May 1, 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ McNamee, Wally (27 October 1994). "Presidents Bill Clinton and Hafez al Assad". Damascus.
- ^ Walker, Diana (27 October 1994). "Hafez Al Assad;William J. Clinton". Damascus.
- ^ "Yes, Clinton should visit Assad". The Milwaukee Journal. 26 October 1994. p. A16. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ "Opposition fighters declare Syria's Damascus 'liberated', Assad ousted". Al Jazeera. 2024-12-08. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ Iskandarani, Aya (2024-12-08). "Rebels declare end of Assad rule in Syria". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ "Assad is in Moscow after fleeing Syria and will be given asylum, Russian state media report". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
- ^ "Syrian rebels enter Damascus: everything we know so far". The Guardian. 2024-12-08. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ "French and German foreign ministers 'want new relationship with Syria'". The Guardian. 2025-01-03. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
- ^ "Syria's 'Victory Conference', its Timing and Implications". Jusoor For Studies. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
- ^ "Key Syrian political groups boycott National Dialogue Conference, criticise lack of inclusivity". Medya News. 25 February 2025. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- ^ "نص الإعلان الدستوري لسوريا 2025". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-03-29.
- ^ "وزراء الحكومة السورية يقدمون خططهم ويؤدون القسم الدستوري". Syria TV (Fadaat Media) (in Arabic). 2025-03-29. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ^ "Israeli military strikes near Syria's presidential palace after warning over sectarian attacks". CTV News. 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Israel strikes close to Syria's presidential palace in 'message' to new leader Sharaa". Reuters. 2 May 2025.
33°31′3″N 36°15′6″E / 33.51750°N 36.25167°E
