The old city of Nablus has been neglected for years. The wealthier inhabitants live in new houses on the mountain slopes overlooking the old city, which now houses the less affluent. There is little money available for repair and maintenance and, as more people leave the old city, buildings are left empty and in disrepair.
The repairs that are done tend to be out of character. Many of the original timber windows, for example, have been replaced with unsightly aluminium louvres. The streets, too, are ill-maintained and in a few places cluttered with piles of garbage. An untidy tangle of electricity and telephone cables crisscrosses overhead. Most streets are poorly surfaced and too narrow to cope with both pedestrians and motor traffic.
At the same time the attractiveness of the
traditional market streets might be further
enhanced. People travel from as far afield as
Jerusalem to shop in Nablus. The covered Cloth
Market, Suq al-Qumash, which Mary Eliza Rogers
in 1865 described as the most beautiful arcade in
Palestine, has recently been renovated.
The result is very
successful.
The place looks bright and attractive, the
shopkeepers report that business is booming and
their customers enjoy shopping there.P>
It is just this sort of initiative that will bring new life to other markets in the old city, such as the Khan al-Wakala, a grand Ottoman caravarserai built in 1795, which was badly damaged in the 1927 earthquake. The chief industries of the old city, the manufacture of soap and sweets, maintain an old tradition. The olive oil soap and honeyed Kunafa pastries of Nablus have long been prized throughout the West Bank and Jordan. Many of the soap factories are housed in buildings which have barely changed in centuries. Most of them are in good structural condition but many would benefit from routine maintenance, regular painting in particular. Both processes - soap and sweet manufacture - are fascinating to watch and have considerable potential as tourist attractions, especially if the traditional methods and implements remains in use.
Another tradition that survives (but only just) is that of the hamman or Turkish Bath. With its abundant water supply, Nablus boasts 8 bath houses. The introduction of piped water to individual houses in recent times has led, however, to most of these bath-houses failing into disuse; only one is now functioning. Bath-houses were places where people could relax together, and the architecture of the bath-houses was designed to be attractive. There must be many inhabitants of Nablus who would enjoy visiting their favourite bath-houses again if they were restored, not necessarily to their former use but as coffeehouses or restaurants, for instance, which tourists also could enjoy.
What is needed most of all is to restore a sense of pride to the old city. It is full of fine buildings which ought to be saved. To save them they must be put to use. Old houses which are now unoccupied would make very desirable homes if provided with modern facilities and conveniences. They are well built of stone and most of them enclose a secluded courtyard planted with fruit trees around a fountain. The larger houses (dar) are truly palatial, built for Nablus's aristocratic families. These include the Dar 'Abd al-Hadi, Dar Hashing Dar Nimr, Dar Tuffaha and Dar Tuqqan. The influence of these families is still considerable and if more of them were to return to live in the old city it would do much to encourage others to follow. This is one way in which the current trend to leave the old city might be reversed.
There are many other ways in which neglected buildings could be re-used. At present there is a lack of accommodation for visitors and for students at Al-Najah University, which could be provided by converting disused buildings into hotels or student hostels. Civic amenities such as a library, a reception area for visiting dignitaries, a museum and an art gallery could be housed in historic buildings.