Al-Kayed Palace
The palace in Sebastia stands as a witness to a significant historical period, embodying the integrated cultural landscape of the city. It serves as a model of the local Ottoman architectural style, shedding light on the political and social dynamics that prevailed in Palestine during the late 17th and 18th centuries.
During this era, the central Ottoman authorities in Istanbul delegated the management of economic life and local politics to influential families. These families were tasked with collecting taxes and providing the central government with military recruits to participate in the wars and revolutions unfolding across the expansive Ottoman Empire. This political system, known as the "Al-Iltizam" or commitment system, gave rise to a new class of local rulers who wielded substantial political and economic power.
Seeking to solidify their influence and address their security and social needs, these local rulers established headquarters befitting their wealth and authority. This led to the emergence of a unique architectural style in the Palestinian countryside, known as the "Throne Villages," where the seats of power for these sheikhdoms were located.
Sebastia was the seat of the Al-Kayed family's sheikhdom, whose influence extended to the villages of Wadi Al-Shaer. The Al-Kayed family also maintained a partnership with the sheikhdoms of Seif in Burqa and Al-Mashaqi in Yasid.
The Al-Kayed Palace, constructed in 1858 by Sheikh Ahmed Al-Kayed, stands at the center of Sebastia, just south of the Church of John the Baptist. The two-story palace features a central courtyard measuring 100 square meters, surrounded by multiple living quarters and storage spaces on the ground floor. The upper level housed several bedrooms, designed in accordance with the social and religious norms that required the separation of women's quarters from guest areas, akin to the Ottoman Haramlik and Selamlik system.
The palace's façade was meticulously crafted, with a prominent, decoratively arched stone gateway flanked by guards' seating, reflecting the building's prestigious status. A smaller, lower entrance known as "Al-Khokha" was also incorporated to maintain the palace's privacy and shield the comings and goings of its occupants.
Sadly, the palace fell into abandonment in the early 1950s and now faces the risk of collapse, given its historical significance and inclusion on the preliminary list of world heritage sites among the Throne Villages. Efforts have been made to restore and rehabilitate the palace, with the ground floor now used for the activities of the local women's association, while the upper level has been transformed into a guesthouse for both local and foreign tourists.