Inside Exiled President Bashar al-Assad’s Abandoned Mansion in Syria — and His New Life of Luxury in Russia

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has fled Syria for Russia alongside his family, leaving behind his once-unassailable mansion in Damascus to be ransacked by rebels and jubilant citizens.

The rapid offensive by Jaish al-Islam, an Islamist and Salafist alliance linked to al-Qaeda, toppled Assad’s government last week, leading to the seizure of his luxurious estate in the affluent al-Maliki district.

Now-exiled President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad. Mousse/ABACA/Shutterstock

The sprawling compound, a symbol of Assad’s power, consists of three six-story buildings surrounded by manicured gardens. Rooms once filled with opulent furnishings were stripped bare by militants and other celebrants, who roamed the halls with a mix of triumph and disbelief.

Fighters walk in the Syrian presidential palace in Damascus on December 8, 2024, after Islamist-led rebels declared that they had taken the Syrian capital in a lightning offensive. AFP via Getty Images

Video footage captured rebels and ordinary Syrians rifling through the rooms, taking items such as plates, clothing, and even a Louis Vuitton shopping bag. One man was heard joking that everything was on “Sale! Sale!”

Another view of the luxe apartment complexes in Russia. SNVTIME/east to west news

“I am taking pictures because I am so happy to be here in the middle of his house,” said Abu Omar, one of the rebels, speaking to AFP. Another visitor, Umm Nader, shared her feelings, saying, “I came to see this place that we were banned from because they wanted us to live in poverty and deprivation.”

A woman looks at a ransacked room at the private residence of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the Malkeh district of Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. AP

With heating and electricity still running, the mansion starkly contrasts with the daily blackouts endured by regular Syrians. The raid underscores the dramatic collapse of Assad’s regime and the lavish lifestyle he maintained while much of the nation suffered through over a decade of civil war.

Assad’s Presidential Palace — known as the “People’s Palace” — on Mount Mezzeh has also been abandoned. The 310,000-square-foot estate, set within a heavily guarded compound spanning 5.49 million square feet, includes a private hospital and the headquarters of the Republican Guard. Designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, the palace features lavish Carrara marble interiors and brass gates crafted by Syrian-Jewish artist Maurice Nseiri.

People remove the Syrian flag from the entrance of ousted president Bashar al-Assad’s Al-Muhajirin residence in Damascus on December 8, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

Commissioned in 1979 by Assad’s father, Hafez al-Assad, the palace had hosted key diplomatic events, including a 1994 peace summit between Hafez al-Assad and then-U.S. President Bill Clinton.

This photo shows the inside of an apartment in Moscow’s City of Capitals complex, where members of Assad’s family reportedly own property. SNVTIME/east to west news

According to Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Assad escaped via secret tunnels beneath the palace to Damascus International Airport before flying to Russia. Crowds celebrated his departure, cheering the end of his 13-year rule marked by brutal conflict.

President Vladimir Putin has given his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad asylum in Russia. POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Assad and his family have now found refuge in Moscow, where Russian President Vladimir Putin granted them asylum. Known for their estimated $2 billion fortune, the Assad family is expected to continue living in luxury in Russia.

People walk through the halls of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s presidential palace. AP

Over the past decade, they discreetly purchased at least 20 high-end apartments worth over $30 million in Moscow. Many of these properties are in Moscow’s financial district’s elite City of Capitals complex, offering panoramic views and luxurious amenities.

A bedroom.

Whether the family will live in one of these private apartments or a government-secured safe house remains unclear. Asma al-Assad, the president’s London-born wife, has long been known for her extravagant tastes, including spending $350,000 on palace decor in 2012, as revealed by leaked emails.

People walk through the halls of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s presidential palace. AP

Meanwhile, Assad’s eldest son, Hafez, has also deepened ties with Russia. He recently earned a PhD in physical and mathematical sciences from Moscow State University. His dissertation, written in Russian, focused on algebraic number theory, reflecting the family’s enduring relationship with the Kremlin.

Two men use their cell phones while walking through the halls of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s presidential palace. AP

A group takes a family photo while sitting on a couch in a hall of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s presidential palace. AP

A view of the open floor plan. SNVTIME/east to west news

A living space in the luxe complex. SNVTIME/east to west news

The fall of Damascus to Jaish al-Islam has raised fears for Syria’s future, particularly for the Christian minority who found protection under Assad’s secular regime. The hardline Islamist group now holds significant power in a country torn apart by war and economic collapse.