An antiquities-specialized website lauds techniques used in Al-Ukhaidir Palace

The Collector, a global research site specialized in antiquities and heritage affairs around the world, lauded the aesthetic architecture and designs of the historic Al-Ukhaidir Palace in the holy city of Karbala.

In a detailed article, the site said, “The desert palace of al-Ukhaydir, located in the city of Karbala, is one of the early examples of the Abbasid style of construction and fortification, as its huge architecture shows the despotic nature of the Abbasids,” adding that “its name comes from ‘Ismail ibn Yusuf al-Ukhaydir’, who ignited a mass revolution against the Abbasid monarchy.

The author of the article, Serbian historian, Dusan Nikolic, added that “the palace architecture can be divided into two structural phases, the first of which is the central heart of the palace, followed by an outer wall,” noting that “the heart of the palace contains a mosque, a bathroom, and a main reception hall.”

Nikolic continued, “The architects of Al-Ukhaidir Palace had adopted an urban technique that relied on building pointed oval or cylindrical vaults, which bring to mind the principles of Sasanian engineering, from which the Abbasids borrowed techniques, materials, and designs in many structures and arts during their rule.”