The Olive Press (Al-Bad) and the Dar Al Dawani

Site Description: A heritage building owned by the Al-Dawani family, dating back to the beginning of the nineteenth century. It is built on the ruins of an olive press that dates back to the Crusader period, and this press became part of the house's ground floor.The house consists of two floors: the ground floor, to the right of the Crusader press building from its western side, is connected to it through an internal door. The ground floor consists of a beautiful stone gate in the form of a high arch leading to an open yard, and on its southern side, there is a room for a diwan. It consists of a rectangular hall surmounted by two domes built in crossed arches. The eastern part that connects to the open courtyard includes a covered gallery, while the narrow stone staircase rises on the facade of the open yard from the northern side. The upper floor consists of a wide-open yard in the western part and four rooms on the north and south sides, in the middle of which is a large hall. It is in a sound architectural condition, and the thresholds of its doors and windows are topped with beautiful stone decorations that represent that historical period.The press consists of a hall with two entrances, the first leads to the road that passes south of the house, and the second is in the middle of the western facade and is directly connected to the house, and its total area is about 20 x 8 meters. The hall consists of two connected sections. The first section is located on the southern side: the eastern wall of the hall still maintains its original condition that dates back to the Crusader period, and the ceiling was built in the shape of a barrel vault, about 6 meters higher than the floor of the press. The second section is located on the northern side, as it matches the previous section in terms of area and design, and connects with it with a wide high arch, the roof of which was held by intersecting arches.Several rooms were designated for the storage of olives along the western wall of the press. The ceiling of these rooms was used for rest and sleep for the workers. It includes three small wells dedicated to collecting olive oil extract and separating the oil from other liquids. They press circular rock and wooden beams, the edges of which are attached to one of the animals that rotate around the stone and then crush the olive to press it in the next stage. There are also remains of three other presses, which represent the evolution of the process of extracting the oil from the olives. At first, it depended on wooden support by which the olive fruit was pressed and the oil was extracted from it. An iron compressor relies on a serrated axis that presses the olives by a wheel installed on the tip of the compressor.The house and the press have been restored and allocated to the Altar Society, concerned with cultural, sports, and musical activities.