Monday, July 25, 2011

Tekiyeh al-Suleimaniyeh: traditional handicrafts

Tekiyeh al-Suleimaniyeh, one of the most important historic landmarks in Damascus city, houses a marketplace for traditional handicrafts such as Damask, wood carving, silverworks, handmade glass, mosaic and more.

Tekiyeh al-Suleimaniyeh is a large complex containing a mosque, a museum, a marketplace and a school. The Tekiyeh represents the depth of the historic relations between Syria and Turkey, as it was built between 1554 and 1560 AD on the orders of Suleiman al-Qanuni (also known as Suleiman the Magnificent) and designed by the legendary architect Mimar Sinan. 

Traditional Damascene handicrafts at Tekiyeh al-Suleimaniyeh 

Tekiyeh al-Suleimaniyeh is located on the bank of Barada River east of Damascus National Museum. It was build where the castle of King al-Zahir Baibars once stood before it was torn down by Tamerlane. 

Blown glass
Blown glass is produced and decorated according to the traditional Syrian style.

Leather
Leather goods are produced at Tekiyeh al-Suleimaniyeh under the eyes of the visitors.
Copper
Another craftsman is Radwan al-Tawil, who has been crafting copper for the past 37 years, mastering the art of inlaying copper with silver, ivory and shells. According to al-Tawil, the most popular items are coffee pots and small artifacts that are easy to carry.
Ajami
Ajami decoration is produced on a wooden panel using contrasting colours to give the traditional 3D effect.




1 comment:

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