Al-Nimr Palace
The Al-Nimr Palace is considered one of the largest and most significant palaces built during the Ottoman period in Palestine. At the time, such palatial complexes were commonly referred to as the "Palaces of the Throne Villages."
The palace was visited by the renowned scholar Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, who described it as accurate and beautiful. The historian Ihsan al-Nimr also resided within the palace.
The palace consists of three main sections: the expansive Great Southern Palace, the smaller Northern Palace, and an extensive palace garden located in the western part of the complex, which includes a natural water spring.
The layout of the Southern Palace revolves around an outer courtyard in front of its imposing southern entrance gate. Flanking the courtyard are two walls, each featuring a long threshold where palace guards would sit. The gate leads to a roofed hall with two rows of stone seats lining the sides, providing additional security. Rooms on the western side were used for weapons storage and as soldiers' quarters.
The northern gate opens onto a large, paved courtyard. At the northern end is an open iwan (pavilion) known as the "summer iwan," which includes a pool and marble fountain. Another iwan overlooks the courtyard from the west, situated in the middle of the main palace hall. Opposite this iwan is a hall dedicated to administrative work and hosting palace guests.
The expansive palace gardens and orchards, irrigated by the on-site water spring, can be accessed from the western side of the iwan. The upper floor of the palace is connected to the eastern courtyard via a stone staircase, and includes separate suites for men (Selamlik) and women (Haramlek).
The smaller Northern Palace consists of two floors, which are less substantial in scale compared to the Southern Palace complex.
Tragically, the upper floor of the palace suffered significant damage from the 1927 earthquake in Nablus, and was further vandalized during the 2002 Israeli occupation of the city. Today, most of the palace complex remains abandoned, still owned by the Al-Nimr Al-Nabulsi family.