MAKKAH: Shubra Palace is a prominent historical landmark in Taif. The palace, which today houses Shubra Palace Museum, was begun in 1905 by Ali bin Abdullah bin Aoun Pasha and its construction was completed in 1907. Shubra Palace is one of the three palaces he built in Taif.
King Abdulaziz and King Faisal used to reside at the Shubra Palace whenever they visited Taif.
It was converted into a heritage regional museum, opening its doors to visitors in 1995.
FASTFACTS
• Dr. Latifa Al-Adwani, supervisor of the Center of Makkah History, told Arab News that Shubra Palace is one of the most important historical palaces in Taif.
• King Abdulaziz and King Faisal used to reside at the Shubra Palace whenever they visited Taif.
Dr. Latifa Al-Adwani, supervisor of the Center of Makkah History, told Arab News that Shubra Palace is one of the most important historical palaces in Taif. “It is located northeast of the old city of Taif and there are large orchards and fertile land around it.
“The architect of the palace overseeing its construction was Sulaiman Bey Al-Turki. He built it from the materials available in Taif such as stones from the Sakara, Misr, and Al-Qaim mountains, and locally sourced juniper wood.”
Al-Adwani said it was a very beautiful construction. “It consists of four floors in the main building, in addition to a cellar and upper roof. The palace is unique with elevated pillars to give privacy to the people who lived at the palace.”
She said: “Shubra Palace has been transformed into a regional museum in Taif, where many archaeological, historical and heritage collections are displayed alongside Islamic antiquities and manuscripts and writing tools.”
The museum has a Qur’an that dates back to the 7th century. It also houses as a number of weapons, historical rifles and Hijazi clothing.
The stable located on the west side of the Diwan has been transformed into an open museum displaying a number of heritage pieces, in addition to eating and drinking pots and tools to mill grains.
The palace is undergoing renovations to safeguard its historical and artistic details. “We hope that it will soon be opened to visitors after the completion of these works,” she said.
