I’ve been to Saida’s Old City a half-dozen times over the years, but I honestly don’t think I’ve seen the same streets twice.
This is Saida’s Qala’a or Sea Castle. The Crusaders built it in 1228 on a small island connected by an 80-meter footpath. The site used to house a temple to Melqart, the Phoenician version of Heracles and what’s known as a “dying-and-rising deity.” A god of resurrection.
This is Khan Sacy, a private residence being converted into a hotel with a museum underground revealing the many layers of history found during excavations. This first room is the deepest layer; a room from the time of the Crusaders. According to the current owner, Antoine Sacy, “the discovery of the Crusader and Mamluk remains was a total surprise. Especially since they were buried under 30,000 bags of detritus.”
Right next door to Khan Sacy is Qasr Debbane, a grand mansion built as a private residence in 1721 by Ali Agha al-Hammud. In fact, the Sacy residence was the original women’s quarters or “haremlik” of this structure, while this portion, acquired by the Debbane family after the Hammuds lost power and influence, was the original men’s quarters or “selamlik.” The contrast between inside and outside is striking.
The palace changed hands in 1859 when Asin Khlat, the wife of Youssef Debbane, a rich sericulturist and silk trader, purchased it, and it came to be known how it’s known today.
During the Lebanese Civil War, the family fled to Beirut and the palace became home to hundreds of Palestinian refugees who came to Saida fleeing the conflict in Sour in February 1978. The palace was also squatted and ransacked by militiamen in 1983.
Today, the palace is owned by the Debbané Foundation, a Melkite “waqf” (or religious asset) managed by a committee representing the Debbane family, the director general of Antiquities of Lebanon, the mayor of the city, and the Greek-Catholic bishop of Saida.
It’s really interesting to read about the rise and fall of notables at a time in Lebanon when tables are turning and chairs are being rearranged.
Apparently, Ali Agha al-Hammud’s son ran the family into ruin after his father’s death. He was even accused of selling “waqf” (or religious) properties to the French. After their loss of influence, the Hammud mansion was taken over as a “saray,” or seat of Ottoman government.
After visiting Saida, we went up to Maghdoushe to visit Saydet el-Mantara, or “Our Lady of Awaiting,” a Melkite Greek Catholic shrine to the Virgin Mary. The story goes that this shrine marks the sacred cave where Mary rested while she waited for Jesus when he was in Saida and Sour. This story had particular resonance when we visited, because the whole time we were there, the incessant buzz of Israeli drones was in the skies somewhere above us, and it only let up once we climbed up the stairs to the top of tower of the Virgin and Child.
I wanted to get a souvenir from here to remember the story of the drones overhead, but the people in the shop were a little too eager and stressed me out.
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