Restoration of Al-Saeed Palace in Al-Shamasiya revives 200-year legacy

Al-Saeed Palace in Al-Shamasiya governorate has undergone a unique reconstruction, relying primarily on old deeds and documents preserved by the owning family to restore the historic building’s original features dating back over 200 years.

Engineer Khaled Suleiman Al-Saeed explained that the family was committed to returning the palace to its former state, using archival documents to document every stage of the restoration. He added that the work covered every detail, from walls and foundations to doors, the surrounding wall, the well, and decorative carvings, noting that about 90% of the palace’s features were restored to their original condition.

Architectural details and authentic identity

The palace consists of three floors, a rooftop, and several rooms and facilities that reflect daily life of the era, such as grain storage areas and the traditional "jassa". All elements were restored using only clay, preserving the authentic architectural identity and avoiding modern building standards that could compromise its originality.

The restoration of Al-Saeed Palace stands out as a different approach to heritage buildings, aiming not to recreate an old structure in a new form, but to preserve as much of its original character as possible, reviving its details from their original sources.

A living memory for the local community

With the project’s completion, the clay walls were returned to their original places, doors were restored to their historic orientations, and the well, wall, and storage features were revived—telling the story of a family intent on leaving a legacy for future generations that carries a piece of the lives once lived there. The palace remains a testament to the community’s roots and a history spanning more than two centuries.