Memories and statements

Stefan Weber about the Waqf of Ibshir Pasha

Stefan:

Ibshir Pasha’s Waqf  or endowment in Aleppo is a special place indeed. It is not a single building but multiple buildings. It’s more like a commercial complex: It has Khans and Kaesaryas. The Kaysareya is to produce textile, purchasing it and the khan a wholesale trade building with accommodation for traders. In addition to a small nice mosque and the coffee shop – but what a coffee shop. This coffee shop is not like any other place in the Arab world; not in Turkey or Iran one find similar as this coffee shop is constructed from several domes with columns.

Like a big cinema nowadays, they drank coffee and watched shadow theater called Karakuz and listened to the storyteller.

Abu ʿAbdu al-Fawwal, the owner of the most famous ful (fava beans) shop in Aleppo and Syria, located next to the Waqf of Ibshir Pasha

 Abu ʿAbdu:

“The shop is 116 years old and I still have some bills with Syrian gold coins that go to the endowments. Some of my old customers are aged 90–95 years old and knew Haj ʿAbdu, my father.”

Maram and her father Ahmad Sheikh Dieh, Abu Taha about the Waqf of Ibshir Pasha and Abu ʿAbdu al-Fawwal

Abu Taha:

“The waqf of Ibshir Pasha, the one next to al-Hatab Square? Of course, I remember everything. I remember its external view only, but I had no business entering it.”

“Abu ʿAbdu al-Fawwal is special, as his food is the most delicious in the whole of Syria. Back in the days when I was young, I used to play football at al-Hurriyya Club and sometimes after training we went to Abu ʿAbdu, especially on Fridays. The food there is delicious and the best moment is once you finish your dish, you ask to repair the dish, i.e. ask for another. Another dish is a necessity.”

Rabi’ about the Waqf of Ibshir Pasha and Abu ʿAbdu al-Fawwal

Rabiʿ:

“Like those who live near the sea but never swim in it, I was ignorant about Ibshir Pasha’s waqf, since I used to live in the same area but didn’t know it. I used to walk often in the streets and if you asked me about this street, I will tell you exactly what is inside of it but I never memorize the names or their historical value.”

“Certainly, I will be sad about the destruction of Aleppo although we didn’t have the chance to get to know the entire old city as we were no longer able to visit it. The old city is considered something that belongs to all of us and now we all lost it. As they say, it’s a cultural heritage that each Syrian, and all humanity has lost.”