Architecture In Palestine

ARCHITECTURALENGINEERINGDEPARTMENT

ARCHITECTUREINPALESTINE

INSTRUCTOR:ALESSANDRAGOLA

ASSISTANT:SHAHEDALNATSHEH BY: MANARASSAF1190144

AREENNABALI1191388

Contents :

● Introduction

● Literature review & References

● Case Study Posters

● Al-JIB , ASSAF’S FAMILY HOUSE

- Location

- Economical & political Situation

- Surrounding

- Building

● ABWEIN, SEHWEIL PALACE

- Location

- The Area: Abwein

- The Site: Sehweil Palace

Introduction

Thisreportistalkingaboutthearchitecturein palestinebyanalysingtwocasestudiesofapublicanda privatebuildingsinthelateottomanperiod.

ThelateOttomanperiodinPalestinewitnesseda convergenceofcultures,ideologies,andarchitecturalstyles, culminatingintheconstructionofremarkablestructures thatservedastangiblereflectionsofthesocio-political climateandhistoricalcrossroadsoftheregion.This researchdelvesintotheenthrallingstoriesoftwoiconic buildings,standingastimelesswitnessestotherichtapestry ofPalestinianhistoryduringthelateOttomanera.

Duringthisperiod,Palestineexperiencedsignificant transformations,shapedbyimperialambitions,trade routes,andburgeoningnationalism.Againstthisbackdrop, thearchitecturallandscapeofPalestineflourished, showcasingablendoftraditionallocalcraftsmanshipand influencesfromthediversecivilizationsthathavetraversed itsland.Ourstudyfocusesontwodistinctarchitectural gemsthatepitomizethedynamicculturalinteractionsand theevolvingsocio-economicfabricofthelateOttoman Palestine.

Literature review & References

Literature Review

ThelateOttomanperiodinPalestinewitnessedaconfluenceofmultipleinfluencesthat shapedbothsocietyandarchitecture.Politicaldynamics,urbanisation,EuropeanandIslamic architecturalinfluences,andthepreservationoftraditionalvillagearchitectureallplayed significantroles.Thelegacyofthiseraisstillvisibletoday,witharchitecturallandmarks standingasatestamenttotherichhistoryanddiverseculturalheritageofPalestine. UnderstandingtheseinfluencesallowsustoappreciatethecomplexitiesofthelateOttoman periodanditslastingimpactonPalestiniansocietyandarchitecture.

ThelateOttomanperiodinPalestinewasmarkedbyacomplexpoliticallandscape.The YoungTurkRevolutionof1908broughtaboutaconstitutionalregime,leadingtoincreased politicalawarenessandactivismamongPalestinians.Politicalsocietiesemerged,promoting nationalisticsentimentsanddemandinggreaterautonomy.Theriseofnationalistmovements, suchastheArabClubandtheYoungArabSociety,reflectedthegrowingdesireforgreater autonomyandself-governance.TheOttomancentralgovernment'spolicies,includingland reformsandadministrativechanges,hadaprofoundimpactonPalestiniansocietyandshaped thearchitecturallandscape.Atthesametime,thelateOttomanperiodsawanincreasein Europeaninfluenceintheregion.Europeanpowers,particularlyBritainandFrance,exerted politicalandeconomicinfluenceintheOttomanEmpire,includingPalestine.Thisinfluence hadimplicationsforthearchitectureofPalestineasEuropeanarchitecturalstylesandurban planningconceptswereintroducedandadopted.

ThelateOttomanperiodwitnessedsignificanturbanisationandmodernizationin Palestine.Thedevelopmentoftransportationinfrastructure,suchasrailwaysandimproved roads,facilitatedthegrowthofcitiesandtowns.Growingeconomicopportunitiesresultedin increasedurbanmigration.CitiessuchasJerusalem,Jaffa,andNablusexperiencedrapid expansionandtheemergenceofnewneighbourhoods,leadingtotheemergenceofnew neighbourhoodsandthetransformationofexistingones.Thisurbangrowthnecessitatedthe constructionofmodernbuildingsandinfrastructure,blendinglocalarchitecturaltraditions withEuropeaninfluences.Intermsofmodernization,Doumaniexaminestheimpactof externalforces,suchasEuropeancolonialismandglobaltrade,onPalestineduringthelate Ottomanperiod.Heinvestigateshowtheseinfluencesshapedtheeconomy,infrastructure,and socialstructuresoftheregion.Theauthoralsoexplorestheresponsesandadaptationsofthe local population to these transformations.

ThelateOttomanperiodwitnessedsocio-culturaltransformationsinPalestiniansociety. EducationalreformsandtheestablishmentofmodernschoolssuchastheArabCollegein Jerusalemfacilitatedashifttowardsliteracyandthespreadofnewideas.Thepressplayeda crucialroleindisseminatingknowledgeandfosteringintellectualdiscourse.Literarysocietiesand culturalclubsemerged,promotingArabiclanguageandliterature.Thesedevelopmentshada profoundimpactontheculturalidentityofPalestiniansfosteringintellectualdiscourseanda senseofculturalidentityandinfluencedarchitecturalstylesthatincorporatedelementsof Arab-Islamicheritage.Theintroductionofprintingpressesandtheproliferationofnewspapers, journals,andotherprintmediaplayedacrucialroleindisseminatingnewideas,political ideologies,andculturalexpressions.ThisfacilitatedtheemergenceofArabintellectual movementsandcontributedtotheformationofacollectiveArabidentity.

EuropeanarchitecturalstylesgreatlyinfluencedthelateOttomanarchitectureinPalestine. TheincreasedcontactwiththeWest,particularlyduringthelate19thcentury,broughtaboutthe introductionofnewconstructiontechniques,materials,anddesignprinciples.European-inspired buildings,characterisedbyeclecticstylessuchasNeoclassical,RenaissanceRevival,andArt Nouveau,begantoappearinurbancentres.NotableexamplesincludetheiconicRussian CompoundinJerusalemandtheManshiyyaneighbourhoodinJaffa.TheEuropeaninfluencecan beseeninvariousaspectsofarchitecturaldesign,includingtheuseofnewbuildingmaterials, constructiontechniques,anddecorativeelements.Forexample,Europeanarchitectsintroduced theuseofironandglassinconstruction,whichallowedforthecreationoflargerwindowsand moreintricatedesigns.Europeandecorativemotifs,suchasarches,columns,andornamental detailing,werealsoincorporatedintoPalestinianarchitectureduringthisperiod.Itisimportantto notethatthespecificdetailsandextentofEuropeanarchitecturalinfluencesinPalestineduring thelateOttomanperiodcanvarydependingontheregion,localpreferences,andthearchitects involved

ParalleltoEuropeaninfluences,asignificantrevivalofIslamicarchitectureoccurredduring thelateOttomanperiodinPalestine.InspiredbyarenewedinterestinIslamicheritage,architects incorporatedtraditionalelementsintotheirdesigns,seekingtocreatebuildingsthatreflectedan Islamicidentity.Mosques,religiousschools(madrasas),andpublicbuildingsoftenfeatured distinctOttomanarchitecturalcharacteristics,suchasdomes,minarets,andintricategeometric patterns.Duringthisperiod,architectsandbuildersdrewinspirationfromhistoricalIslamic architecturalstyles,suchastheUmayyad,Abbasid,andMamlukperiods.Traditionalelements suchasdomes,arches,minarets,anddecorativemotifswerereintroducedandreinterpretedin theconstructionofmosques,palaces,andpublicbuildings.

Literature Review

Whileurbancentresexperiencedprofoundtransformations,traditionalPalestinianvillage architecturelargelyretaineditsuniquecharacteristicsduringthelateOttomanperiod. Palestinianvillagesmaintainedacloserelationshipwiththeirsurroundingagricultural landscapes,resultinginaharmoniousintegrationofbuildingswiththenaturalenvironment. Theuseoflocalstone,flatroofs,andcourtyardhousesprevailed,emphasisingfunctionalityand communitycohesion.ThetypicalPalestinianvillagehouseduringthisperiodwasconstructed withstoneoradobewalls,whichprovidedthermalinsulationandhelpedregulateinterior temperaturesintheregion'sclimate.Theroofswereoftenflatandmadeofwood,supportedby beamsandcoveredwithlayersofmud,soil,andsometimesterracottatiles.

Thehouseswereusuallyorganisedaroundacentralcourtyard,whichservedasamulti-purpose spaceforfamilyactivities,socialgatherings,andagriculturalactivities.Differentpartsofthe houseweredesignatedforspecificfunctions,suchaslivingareas,storagespaces,andanimal shelters.DecorativeelementsinPalestinianvillagearchitectureduringthisperiodwere relativelysimple,withafocusongeometricpatternsandfloralmotifs.Ornamentationwas often found on doorways, windows, and interior walls.

Eclecticism:EclecticismwasaprevailingarchitecturalstyleduringthelateOttoman period,characterisedbythecombinationofdifferenthistoricalandregionalarchitectural styles.Architectsblendedelementsfromvarioussources,includingClassical,Gothic, Renaissance,andIslamic.

Neo-BaroqueandNeo-Rococo:TheserevivaliststylesgainedpopularityinEuropeand itscoloniesduringthelateOttomanperiod.Theyfeaturedelaborateornamentation, asymmetry,andtheatricality.

ArtNouveau:ArtNouveau,aninternationalstyle,emergedinthelate19thcentury.It wascharacterisedbyorganicforms,flowinglines,andnaturalmotifs.Althoughprimarily associatedwithWesternEurope,itsinfluencereachedvariouspartsoftheworld, includingtheOttomanEmpire.

Neo-Gothic:Neo-Gothicarchitecture,arevivalofthemediaevalGothicstyle,was prominentinEuropeanditscoloniesduringthelateOttomanperiod.Itfeaturedpointed arches,ribbedvaults,andornatedecorations.

Neoclassicism:Neoclassicalarchitecture,inspiredbyancientGreekandRomandesigns, wasprevalentduringthelateOttomanperiod.Thisstyleemphasisedsymmetry,clean lines,andclassicalmotifs.

ItisimportanttonotethatthelateOttomanperiodencompassedavastgeographicarea, andthearchitecturalinfluencesvariedacrossregionsandcountries.Additionally,whilesome movementsoriginatedwithintheOttomanEmpire,otherswereimportedfromEuropeand otherpartsoftheworld.severalarchitecturalanddesignschools,approaches,andmovements emergedworldwide.Hereareafewnotableones:

Neo-IslamicArchitecture:ThismovementaimedtoreviveandreinterprettraditionalIslamic architecturalelementsandforms.Itfoundexpressioninvariousregionsinfluencedbythe OttomanEmpire,suchasEgypt,Iran,andIndia.

Orientalism:OrientalismwasaEuropeanartisticanddesignmovementthatromanticisedand appropriatedOrientalcultures,includingOttomanelements.Itinfluencedarchitecture,interior design,anddecorativearts.

Modernism:AlthoughnotasprominentduringthelateOttomanperiod,earlymodernist ideasbegantoemergeinarchitecture.Themodernistmovementsoughttobreakaway fromhistoricalstyles,embracingfunctionalism,simplicity,andtechnologicalinnovation.

Literature Review

NewarchitecturaltechniquesintroducedbytheOttomanrulersweregraduallyadopted,though notuniversally.JerusalemwasredevelopedunderOttomanrule,itswallsrebuilt,theDomeof theRockretiledandthewatersystemrenovated.Acrealsounderwentamassiverenovation duringthistimeanditisthebestexampleofurbanOttomanarchitectureinPalestinewith severalkhans,twobathhouses,threemainsouqs,atleasttenmosquesandacitadel.The el-JazzarMosqueisparticularlyimpressivewithitspencil-likeminaretandlargecentraldome. Hammamal-BashafeaturesfinedecorativedetailingintheformofArmeniantileworkand inlaidmarblefloors.HousesinAcrebuiltduringthisperiodrangebetweentwoand four-storeysandmanyhavewoodenceilingsdecoratedwithpaintwork.Otherimportantcities duringtheperiodofOttomanruleincludeHebron,Nablus,Ramla,Jaffa,Safad,andTiberias. Mostofthesecitiesweresurroundedbyfortifications,andthebestsurvivingexamplefromthis periodisthewallre-constructedaroundTiberiasbyZahiral-Umar.

Housingvariedbyregion,withmud-brickhousescommonalongthecoast,ofwhichthereare fewsurvivingexamplestoday.Predominantfeaturesofstonehouseswerethedomedroofs whichinthe18thcenturywereoftendecoratedwithswirls,rosettesandsemi-circlesformed ofcarvedplaster.RoofsintheGalileeregionweredifferentintheiruseoftransversestone archesthatsupportedshortbeamsoverwhichtheroofwaslaid.

OttomanfortressesthatservedasgarrisonsfortheOttomantroopswereabundantoutsideof Jerusalem.Theselargesquareorrectangularstructureswithsquarecornertowerscanstillbe seenatRasal-AinnearJafa,Khanal-TujjarnearKafrKanna,andQal'atBuraksouthof Jerusalem.

ThecultureofbuildingbalconiesandarchesbecamefamousintheOttomanera,andalthough manyofthesemonumentsremain,partofthemnolongerexists.Palestineisfullofancient Ottomanhousesandpalaces,whoseancienttownswereandstillareawitnesstoits civilisation.Itsresidencesrangedfromasimplecountryhousetolargepalaces,whose traditionalarchitectureflourishedinoneofthelongesthistoricalstagesoftheregion,which spannednearlyfourcenturies.

SeventowerswerebuiltindifferentPalestiniancitiesattheendoftheOttomanera,specifically in1901tocelebratethe25thanniversaryofSultanAbdulHamidIIascendedtheOttoman throne(locatedinJerusalem,Haifa,Jaffa,Acre,Safed,Nazareth,Nablus-andisconsideredone ofthemostimportantremainingarchitecturalmonumentsinPalestine.

AttheendoftheOttomanera,anumberoflocalarchitectswhoreturnedfromabroad emerged.OneofthemostimportantwasMurqusNassar,whowasofficiallythefirstarchitect inBethlehem.ThemonasteryoftheclosedSistersofParadiseinthevillageofArtasishisfirst work,inwhichheworkedalongsidehisbrotherin1901.Alargenumberofpilgrims,sculptors andworkersfromdifferenttownsinPalestineworkedinit,andworkinitlastedforthree years.TheOttomanEmpiresecondedNassartobuildtheroadbetweenJerusalemandJaffa, andbetweenJerusalemandHebron.AnumberofWesternarchitectswhosettledinPalestinein thatperiodalsoemerged,themostimportantofwhichwereGerman-Americanorientalist engineerGottliebSchumacher.AftertalkingaboutPalestineintheOttomanera,wewillzoom inalittlebitandstarttalkingabouttheareawhereoursiteislocated,whichiscalledAbwein.

Abwein(Arabic: )isaPalestinianvillageintheRamallahandal-BirehGovernorate,located about37kilometresnorthofRamallahinthenorthernWestBank.AccordingtothePalestinian CentralBureauofStatistics,Abwein'spopulationwas3,119in2007.

Abwein'smainagriculturalproductsareolives,figs,grapes,apples,peaches,pears,and vegetables.[citationneeded]Therearethreeschoolsinthetownwithabout1,200studentsand about200studentsareenrolledinvariousPalestinianuniversities.Abweinalsohasthree mosques,thelargestofwhichistheFaroukMosque.Abweinnowisfullofbuildingswhich werebuiltinmanyera’s,thebuilduparearaisedandthepopulationso.

Abwein,atownfamousforitsoldtownconsistingof230historicbuildings,themost importantofwhichareSahweilCastle.Itisamoderncastleintermsofsizeandshape,anda typicalcastlewithitsalmostsquarelayout,twofloors,andthecanalssurroundingthemain square.ThiscastlewasthecentreofgovernancefortheregionduringtheOttomanrule.

References

1.Khalidi,R.(1997).Palestinianidentity:Theconstructionofmodernnationalconsciousness.ColumbiaUniversityPress

2.Doumani,B.(1995).RediscoveringPalestine:MerchantsandpeasantsinJabalNablus,1700-1900.UniversityofCaliforniaPress.

3.Abu-Manneh,B.(2013).ThemakingoftheArabintellectual:PoliticaleconomyandideologyintheArabworld.I.B.Tauris.

4.Jarrar,S.,&Alsharif,S.(2003).PalestineanditsarchitecturalheritageasreflectedinselectedmosquesandshrinesinJerusalem.TraditionalDwellingsandSettlementsReview,.

5.Tabbaa,Y.(2008).ConstructionsofpowerandpietyinmediaevalAleppo.PennsylvaniaStateUniversityPress.

6.Baramki,D.,&Sahoury,S.(1995).PalestinianvillagehousinginthelateOttomanandearlyBritishmandateperiods.TraditionalDwellingsandSettlementsReview.

7.Petersen,Andrew(2002).DictionaryofIslamicArchitecture.Routledge.ISBN978-0-203-20387-3.

8.Pringle,D.(1998),TheChurchesoftheCrusaderKingdomofJerusalem:L-Z(excludingTyre),CambridgeUniversityPress,ISBN0-521-39037-0

9.Ragette,Friedrich(2003).TraditionaldomesticarchitectureoftheArabRegion(2nd,illustrateded.).EditionAxelMenges.ISBN978-3-932565-30-4.

10."AncientMuslimRuinsFoundinIsrael...Again".FoxNews.AssociatedPress.March17,2010.ArchivedfromtheoriginalonNovember3,2012.Retrieved2011-08-17.

Case Study Posters

Al-Jib,inthenorthwestofJerusalem,atadistanceoftenkilometresfromit,risingfromsealevelabout710m. ThevillageofAl-Jibdatesbackfrom(3300to3000BC)inthepresentplaceofthevillageanimportantCanaanite villagewasestablishedduringtheBronzeandIronAges(Gibeon),whichmeanshill.Itslandareais8,750dunums. TherearemanyarchaeologicalsitesinthevillageofAl-Jib,suchastheancientwaterpool,theByzantinechurch,oil presses,andancientcaves.Al-JibwasaneconomictradepointduetoitslocationontheroadbetweenJerusalem andRamallah.ThevillagewasameetingplaceforPalestinianmerchantsfromtheWestBank,anditcontributedto theprosperityoftradeinthatarea.Thiseconomicsituationcontinueduntilthefirstyearsofthesecondintifada, butitendedin2006withtheconstructionofTheannexationwallandexpansionthatsurroundedthevillageand isolateditfromoccupiedJerusalem.Inthepicture,thehouseofoneofthevillagefamilies,theAssafFamily,was builtduringtheOttomanperiod.

SehweilpalaceorcastleisoneofthemostwonderfulbuildingsinPalestinelocatedinAbwaynvillagewhich wasbuiltbyKhalilSehweilaroundtwocenturiesagointheOttomanera.Itisoneofmanycastlesthatwerebuilt intheOttomanseraandusedbytheheadofeverycommunity.

Thecastlecontainsbeautifulentrances,rooms,oilwellsandcourtyard,anditwasbuiltwithadifficulttypeof stone(smallstones),notlikeotherbuildingsaroundit. In2006anonprofitcommunitycalledRewaqstartedrecreationforthisbuildingsonowitlooksgood.

Al-JIB

ASSAF’S FAMILY HOUSE

AlJibisaPalestinianvillageinthe centeroftheWestBank,located10km northwestofJerusalemand13km southofRamallah.Onthesamesiteas theancientcityofGibeonstandsthe villageofAlJib,whosenameoriginates fromtheoriginalCanaanitecityname. 'Gibeon'asanamemayrefertooneof thecity'sCanaanitekingsoritmaybe derivedfromtherootword'jub' meaningawell,ortheword'jaba' meaninghill(BiladunaFilistine Encyclopedia).Itcontains83oldhouses, mostofwhichdatebacktothe seventeenthcentury,andsomeofthem maybeolderthanthat.

ThetotalareaofAl-Jibis8205 dunums,ofwhich358dunumsare built.Itisinhabitedby4282peoplein 2019ز

Beforealnakba

Aviewofel-jibfromNebiSamwilasitappearedin anengravingofabouttwocenturiesago

Itissurroundedbyanumberof neighboringtowns,villagesandrefugee camps,suchas:Beituniya(north),Bir Nabala(east),AlNabiSamoul,Bedduand Beitljza(south),andBeitDuggo(west).

Annexationall MainRoad

Al-JibBoundaries Building

WheatcultivationandmillingshapedAlJib'srelationshipwithrural surroundings.Inthe1970s,awheatmillwasownedbyDarAbdel-Aal, makingitapopulardestinationduringharvestseason.Themillwas demolished,andarestaurantnowservesthesamefamily.

Accordingtoarchaeologicalandhistoricalreferences,thevillage's historydatesbacktothemiddleBronzeAgeandithadbeen populatedduringtheHellenistic,Roman,ByzantineandIslamic periods.Thesurveyandexcavationfindingsdocumented34 historicsitesandfeaturesinAlJib,makingitoneofthemost importanthistoricaltownsinPalestine.

TheareaknownasTalAlRashas,withoutdoubt,themost significantarchaeologicalfeatureoftheancientcity'swater systemdatingbacktotheIronAgeII.Thisismadeupofagreat cylindricalsteppedpool(11metresindiameterand14indepth), anengravedsteppedtunnelleadingtothewaterspring,aswellas theremainsofanindustrialareawithawinepressandwine containerscutintotherock.

Ramallah Rafat

AlJib

Biddu

BirNabala

Economical & political Situation

Potterymakingwasasignificantancient craftinAlJib,knownforitspottery vessels.Womeninthevillagepracticedit, makingpotsandjarsforsaleinJerusalem orothercities.Thecraftwaslinkedtothe surroundingareas,relyingonsoilfromthe AlMatayenareaandsaltfromAlNabi Samuel.

TheAl-MatayenareainAl-Jibvillagewas themainsourceofsoilsuitableformaking theclay,whichwasusedinthepottery industryinthevillage.Al-Matayenareais locatedinthenorthwesternpartofthe village.In1977,thesettlementofGivat Ze'evwasbuiltintheAlMatayenarea,and itiscurrentlyoutsidetheboundariesofthe apartheidwallwhichmakesitinaccessible fromAlJib.

Before2004Birnabalawasthelinkbetween Ramallahandjerusalembutwhenthe Annexationwallwasbuiltitsegregatedthe communitiesespeciallyvillagesnorthwestof Jerusalem(Biddu,Alqbeiba,BeitSurik…),the onlywayforthemtoreachramallahisthemain streetbetweenBidduandAlJibthroughatunnel whichmadethestreetmoreactiveandledthe economy

AlJib

Ramallah

Rafat

AlJib

Biddu

BirNabala

Matayen

EnNabiSamwil

Aerialphotoshowingmatayenbeforeconstruction oftheIsraeliseparationwallbegins

Atthelocalitylevel,thehighestareaplantedwith vegetableswasinAl-Jibcluster,whichreached207 dunums,or58.1%ofthevegetableareainJerusalem Governorate,followedbyAl-Jediracluster,which reached31dunums,or8.6%,duringtheagricultural year2020/2021.

HAMEDSHRINE

Thetownwasnotsparedfromacts ofnegligence,demolitionand vandalism,inadditiontovarious formsofencroachmentthat endangeritshistoricfabricand structures.Duringpastyears,some historicbuildingsweredemolished tomakeroomforcontemporary structures.Inaddition,buildings andcourtyardsweremisusedas stablesforlivestockandspacesfor grazing.Despitethearchaeological valueofAlJibasahistoricsite withitsoldtownandother archaeologicalfeatures,itisstill subjecttoillegalexcavationsthat affectbothitshistoricbuildingsand ancientmonuments.

Thehistoricarea,includingthe oldvillagecentre,alsohas distinguishedhistoricbuildings suchByzantinehallknown locallyas'thechurch'.

Al-Jibvillage'sarchitectural monument, Al Sheikh Hamed,iscloselyrelatedto everydaysocio-religiouslife. Theshrine,locatedonthe northernedgeofthe historiccenter,featuresa greendomeandredand bluemuralssurrounding theSheikh'stomb.Its buildinglikelydatesbackto theMamlukperiodorhas beenrenovated.Despite being detached from everydaylife,theshrineis stillpresentinvillagers' storiesofhonoring,vows, andwomencoveringitwith garments.

WorkfortheIsraeli occupation

Employeesector

Agriculturesector

Abdullahbinnawasmosque

ThebuildingownerisNAZZALASSAF(1944-2021)HeinheritedthehousefromhisfatherJAMEELASSSAF,Itisaprivatehousethatwasinhabited mainlybyafamilyof8people,theexpansionofthehousewasondifferentstagesthatcanbeseenbyusingdifferentmaterialsandarchitectural elements,andtheuseofeveryroomhaschangedbytime,Theuseofthebuildingwasforhousing,aswellasforsheepandstorageofcrops,dueto thedependenceofthevillagersonagriculturerepresentedbyolives,wheat,andchickpeasandmakingpotteryandwine.atthemomentthehouseis notinhabited.

Stonerandomly shapedcreating ribbedvaults

INTERIOR

Columninthe middletosupport theceiling

Mainlywasforeverydayuseforpeoplethen whenthefirstfloorwasbuiltitbecamefor storageandanimals

Ceiling:ribbedvaults

Flooring:cementmaterial

Roofs:oblate

Usedforeverydayuse,livingsleeping

Ottomanelements

Stairsfortheexpansionof thefirstfloor

Firstfloor

Groundfloorv

Groundfloor

Theuseofthebuildingwasforhousing,as wellasforsheepandstorageofcrops,dueto thedependenceofthevillagersonagriculture representedbyolives,wheat,andchickpeas andmakingpotteryandwine.

TwoBathrooms

Therectangulardoor shapeisindicationthat itisbuiltafterthe ottomanperiod

Thispartwasbuiltin2021byriwaq tryingtorestorethebuildingandthe oldtowningeneral

Firstfloor

Firstfloor

ABWEIN

SEHWEIL PALACE

Location

Abwein (Arabic: نﯾوﺑﻋ) is a Palestinian village in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate, located about 37 kilometers north of RamallahinthenorthernWestBank. AccordingtothePalestinianCentral Bureau of Statistics, Abwein's populationwas3,119in2007.

Palestine WestBank

Ramallah Governorate Abwein

Sehweil’sToweris locatedintheoldtown ofAbweinvillage

The Area: Abwein

Abwein's main agricultural products are olives,figs,grapes,apples,peaches, pears,and vegetables.[citation needed] There are three schools in the town with about 1,200 students and about 200 students are enrolled in various Palestinian universities.Abwein also has three mosques,the largest of which is the Farouk Mosque.

Abwein now are full of buildings which built in manyera’s,the build up area raised and the population so.

Abwein may appear to be a regular village on first inspection, but it is actually home to a fascinatingly restored old town and the spectacular remains of a palace. Located adjacent to Rawabi, Abwein is primarily agricultural 37 km north of Ramallah. But its old town is a true gem, with excellent regeneration work turning the area into a living museum, with maps explaining what the various buildings were used for.

ABWEIN’S CHRONOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

The village was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1517with all of Palestine, and in 1596 it appeared in the Ottoman tax registers as being in the nahiya (subdistrict) of Quds, part of the liwa (district) of Quds. It had a population of 53 households, all Muslims. The villagers paid a fixed tax rate of 33.3% on wheat, barley,olive trees,vineyards,fruit trees,goats and/or beehives; a total of 8,750 akçe. All of the revenue went to a Waqf

In 1838 it was noted as a Muslim village in the Bani Zeid administrative region.

In 1870 Victor Guérin visited the village,which he called"A'youein",and estimated it to have about 300 inhabitants. He described it as having abundant water-sources, beautiful walnut trees, and gardens with figs, olives and pomegranates.[11] An Ottoman village list of about the same year, 1870, showed that Abwein had 158 houses and a population of 429, though the population count included men only.

In 1882, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine described Abwein as a village situated on the slope of a hill,with a well to the south,and olive trees on its lower north side.

In 1896 the population ofAbwein was estimated to be about 933 persons.

The Site: Sehweil Palace

The best feature has to be Suhweil Palace,an Arab fortress which is in good enough shape to be able to explore all of its various rooms,from the kitchen to the main hall.The stone steps leading to the upper floors can also be traversed, allowing access to the rooftop and its wonderful vistas. It’s the kind of place that, if it were in Europe,would be decked out with car park,café,gift shop and various information boards.

SehweilTower-Abwein

Abwein, a town famous for its old town consisting of 230 historic buildings, the most important of which are Sahweil Castle. It is an modern castle in terms of size and shape, and a typical castle with its almost square layout, two floors, and the canals surrounding the main square.This castle was the center of governance for the region during the Ottoman rule.

BUILDING OWNERSHIP

The owner of SehweilTower is Sehweil family

Sehweil tower was built nearlyin 1700s So we talk about around 300 years

BUILDING USE

● At the beginning it was built for the feudal lord Al-Sheikh Sehweil to collect taxes from the villagers in the ottoman era,also! Some parts was used as a court amd execution chambers.

● After the ottoman era it was abandoned and subversive.

● Then Riwaq started a restoration for the tower but its still deserted.

It contains imposing gates,vestibules,iwans,oil wells,and a wide courtyard.The area of its buildings with the surrounding land is three dunums.

Shots for Sehweil tower from The Palestinian Museum Digital Archive

THANKYOU