One of the other 'must see' touristy things in Damascus is Azem Palace. It was built in 1750 for the Ottoman ruler of Damascus called Asad Pasha al Azem.
The house now houses a small museum of art and traditional crafts. Out of all the museums we've seen in Damascus, it's probably the best in terms of cost and things to see.
Here's what Wikipedia says about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azem_palace
The architecture is an excellent example of Damascene traditional houses. The structure itself consists of several buildings and two wings: the harem and the salamlik. The harem is the family wing, which was a private space for the residents (originally, the Azm family). This wing includes the kitchen, servant quarters, and the baths, which are a replica of the public baths in the city but on a smaller scale. The salamlik is the guest wing, and it comprises the formal halls, reception areas and large courtyards with traditional cascading fountains.
Used in the building of this palace were several types of stones including limestone, sandstone, basalt, and marble, chosen to provide a natural decoration for the structure. The ceilings have painted wooden panels that display natural scenes. In fact, Dr.Andrew Petersen, Director of Research in Islamic Archaeology at the University of Wales Lampeter states that the use of Ablaq (alternating courses of white limestone and black basalt) in this building is “A characteristic of the monumental masonry of Damascus.”[1]
In 1925, the Azm palace was heavily damaged by French artillery during the Syrian revolution. It has since been restored and became a museum of arts and folk traditions. It received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1983.
The best room is the one with the religious items and the 'going for pilgrimage' display. There's an egg with a whole chapter of the Quran written on it! On my last visit, my friend managed to keep a look out while I snapped a quick pic on my phone!
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