Completed in 1730, the palace turned school was constructed
by Ali Agha Hammoud and straddles the main north-south axis that runs along the
eastern boundary of the old city. Between 1730 and 1734, it was used as the
residence of the Turkish governor of Saida, Assa’ad Pasha al-A’zem. The
residence surrounds a main courtyard that was once open to the sky and includes
multitudes of reception spaces. It was converted into a Qur’an learning school
in the second half of the 19th century which persisted until the mid
20th century before being converted into a school for girls
dedicated to Aisha Oum al Mou’mineen. In the early 2000s, the school was
renovated by the Hariri foundation, and now serves as an educational and
cultural center.
