Bait Wakil | Reconstruction and Hope in Aleppo

Film

From Berlin to Aleppo: This documentary tells the moving story of an extraordinary restoration project of a historic house that has survived war, earthquakes and destruction – and is now becoming a symbol of reconstruction and hope. 

The Bait Wakil in Aleppo is more than just a building. This magnificent 17th-century courtyard house was home to the world-famous Aleppo Room (1600–1603), a set of intricately painted wooden panels that is now one of the highlights of the collection at the Museum für Islamische Kunst in Berlin.

Whilst the Aleppo Room was being restored in Berlin, the house itself lay in ruins – damaged by war and the devastating earthquake of February 2023. The reconstruction project has been bringing hope through preservation of cultural heritage and memory. It is a project about people, knowledge, hope and cultural responsibility.

About the project 

The Syrian Heritage Archive Project (SHAP) has been documenting and researching Syria's rich cultural heritage since 2013 and developing methods for its preservation in times of crisis. Projects such as the restoration of the Bait Wakil bring together education, research and practical heritage conservation.

The project is funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation.