Architectural, Cultural sights in Aleppo
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Khan al-Nahaseen
Next to Al-Jumruk (but entered from the east side) is the much smaller Khan al-Nahaseen, dating from the first half of the 16th century. Until the 19th century, rooms on the 1st floor housed the Venetian consul, and during the 20th century they were the residence of the Belgian consul, Adolphe Poche, and his family. Madam Jenny Poche, descended from the last of the Venetian consuls, maintains the property, which may well qualify as the oldest continuously inhabited house in Aleppo.
Its rooms are filled with a beguiling variety of collections gathered by family members over the centuries, including archaeological finds, antiquities, mosaics and precious early photography, …
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A
Bimaristan Arghan
The splendid Bimaristan Arghan, is one of the most enchanting buildings in the whole of Aleppo. Dating from the 14th century, it was converted from a house into an asylum, a role it continued to perform until the 20th century. The main entrance gives access to a beautifully kept courtyard with a central pool overhung by greenery. Diagonally across, a doorway leads through to a series of tight passages, one of which terminates in a small, octagonal, domed courtyard.
Off this are 11 small cells; these are where the dangerous patients were confined.
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B
Khan al-Sabun
Away from the shopping temptations in the souq, there are some other khans well worth your time. In the block east of the Great Mosque is the early-16th-century Khan al-Sabun, largely obscured by a clutter of shops but with a distinctive, richly decorated Mamluk façade, considered to be one of the best examples of Mamluk architecture in the city. Internally it's one of the prettiest of khans, with vine-hung trelliswork and the brightly hued wares of carpet sellers draped over the balconies.
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C
Beit Ghazzali
Backtrack across Saahat al-Hatab and make a beeline south along Sharia al-Kayyali. On the right is a door with a plaque announcing Beit GhazzaliNew. This is the largest house in the quarter. It was built in the 17th century and served as an Armenian school for much of the 20th century. It's now owned by the city council and is undergoing restoration until its fate is decided. Some of the walls have fine painted decoration and there's a splendid private hammam.
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D
Khan al-Tutun Sughayyer
Beyond Al-Kamiliyya mosque, a corrugated-iron roof blots out the sunlight and the souq proper starts. To the left are entranceways to two adjacent khans, or travellers' inns, Khan al-Tutun Sughayyer and Khan al-Tutun Kebir, the little and big khans of Tutun, although in fact they're both fairly modest in scale.
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E
Khan al-Wazir
The 17th-century Khan al-Wazir, has a beautifully decorated gateway. It's one of the grandest such structures in Aleppo and largely unaltered by modern development.
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