Debbane Palace and Heritage Mansions
Visit the beautifully restored Debbane Palace, a 17th century Ottoman merchant mansion, and explore the heritage architecture of Sidon old city where traditional Lebanese house design preserved extraordinary domestic spaces.
- 1
Debbane Palace Entry
Enter the Debbane Palace through its arched gateway into the courtyard of one of Lebanon finest restored Ottoman-era mansions, the 17th century home of the Debbane merchant family now operating as a heritage museum.
- 2
Reception Rooms
See the elaborate reception rooms of the Debbane Palace where colored marble floors, wooden ceiling panels, and traditional Lebanese tile work demonstrate the wealth and taste of the prosperous Sidon merchant class.
- 3
Central Courtyard
Sit in the central courtyard of the palace where a fountain, citrus trees, and the proportioned arched galleries create the ideal of Lebanese Ottoman domestic architecture, the courtyard as the heart of family and social life.
- 4
Women Quarters
See the women quarters of the palace separated from the public reception rooms by the traditional division of gender space in the Ottoman-era Lebanese home, the private family rooms decorated with equal care to the reception spaces.
- 5
Furniture Collection
Examine the collection of 17th and 18th century Lebanese furniture, textiles, and domestic objects displayed in the palace rooms, a remarkable documentary record of the material culture of the Levantine merchant class.
- 6
Roof Terrace
Climb to the roof terrace of the Debbane Palace for views over the old city roofscape, the Sea Castle and harbor visible over the traditional buildings, the vantage point revealing the extraordinary density and historical layering of Sidon old city.