Baron Hotel of Aleppo

The attached is a translation of Nerses Sarkissian’s June 26, 2026 post on his Facebook page about the famous Baron Hotel of Aleppo, along with citations fro Wikipedia. The pictures are courtesy Nerses Sarkissian. Vaհe H Apelian

Courtesy Nerses Sarkissian

The Baron Hotel in Aleppo is one of the most historic and symbolic places not only in the city, but also in the entire Middle East. It was not just a place to stay, but was also a center of political and cultural events of the early 20th century.

The Mazlumian brothers (Armenak, Onnik) from Zeytun built the Baron Hotel in Aleppo based on several significant economic and geographical considerations.

-The construction of the Baghdad Railway. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Ottoman Empire was in the midst of fhs massive Berlin-Baghdad railway project. One of the most important links of the railway was Aleppo. They saw that with the operation of the railway; the city would turn into a major transit center connecting Europe with the Middle East.

-The growing flow of European travelers and diplomats. Before the construction of the "Baron", the Mazlumian family already had a smaller hotel in the Christian Aziziye district of Aleppo, called "Ararat" and then "Europe". Seeing the growing number of Western tourists, archaeologists, diplomats, journalists and explorers, they realized that the city needed a modern and luxurious hotel that met European standards.

-The historical and commercial position of Aleppo. Aleppo has been one of the key points of the Silk Road for centuries, where the trade routes of the East and the West intersected. The Mazlumians understood well the city's enormous economic potential.

The formation of a new city center. 

The "Baron" was built outside the walls of the historical center of Aleppo at that time, in an open field, which was a novelty in those days. With that step, they foresaw the direction of the city's expansion and modernization, and very quickly the new, Europeanized center of Aleppo was formed around the hotel.

Here are some key points that characterize the uniqueness of the Baron Hotel:

1. Foundation and Armenian heritage.

The hotel was founded in 1906, the entire building (2nd floor) was completed in 1911 by the Mazlumian family.

It became one of the first modern hotels in the region, which was in line with European standards.

2. World-famous figures and guests of the 20th century who stayed in the rooms of the Baron.

Until the Second World War, during the French Mandate most of the guests were British, French or German. British agents posing as archaeologists spied on German generals, who arranged opulent banquets for their Ottoman allies while German engineers built the rail line from Berlin to Baghdad. (Citations from Wikipedia)

The second floor of the hotel has witnessed the presence of political leaders and numerous cultural icons: Lawrence of Arabia slept in room 202 (there is a copy of his unpaid bar bill displayed in the hotel); King Faisal declared Syria's independence from the balcony in room 215; Agatha Christie wrote the first part of Murder on the Orient Express in room 203.

The Presidential Suite was occupied in turn by Charles de Gaulle, King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser, Syria's former President Hafez al-Assad, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (the founder of the United Arab Emirates), and the American billionaire David Rockefeller.

Other notable guests include Dame Freya Stark, Julie Christie, Mr and Mrs Theodore Roosevelt, Kemal Atatürk, Lady Louise Mountbatten, Charles Lindbergh, and Yuri Gagarin. 

\\In 1916, after the surrender of Kut al Amarah, Major General Sir Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend stayed in a suite here as a prisoner.

Courtesy Nerses Sarkissian

Baron Hotel is a silent witness to the history of Aleppo.

The hotel witnessed the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the French Mandate period, the independence of Syria, as well as the war events of the last decade.

During the days of the Armenian Genocide, the Mazlumian family, using their influence and connections, provided numerous intellectuals with the opportunity to find refuge and help in the "Baron".

"Baron" is not just a building, it is an inseparable part of the spirit of Aleppo, the crossroads of civilizations and the Armenian legacy.

Today, the hotel is closed, abandoned and in a deplorable state. 

Courtesy Nerses Sarkissian

Note: “In November 2014 the hotel was forced to close its doors as the Syrian civil war further tightened its grip on the city. The front-line separating government and rebel forces lay just metres away from the building. For a time, the hotel restarted operations despite the gravity of the war conditions. It had reportedly also been kept open to shelter refugees who had come in from the countryside. The Baron is still standing but has sustained some war related damage from snipers and five mortars. The fate of the historical artefacts inside the building, including its giant 1917 Stephens thermometer with French script, is unknown.” Wikepedia.