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 19^th century which persisted until the mid 20^th 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.