Overview:
Khān el-Khalilī is the main souk of historic Cairo and one of the main tourist attractions, also due to its large size which, only after the Istanbul Bazaar, make it the second largest market in the entire Near East.
The market to the west of the Saiyidna el-Husain mosque is considered the largest in Africa and was founded in the 14th century on the site of a former Mamluk cemetery as a caravanserai and trading center. The name goes back to its builder Emir Jarkas al-Chalili, who came from Hebron (Arabic name al-Chalil) and therefore bore the name al-Chalili.
history
At the current location of the Khan el-Khalili there was originally a mausoleum, the Turbat az-zaʿfarān (saffron tomb), from the time of the Fatimid caliphs. The mausoleum was part of a large palace complex under the city's founder Jawhar as-Siqillī.
Under the Circassian Mamluks of the Burjiyya dynasty, Egypt swung into brisk trade at the end of the 14th century. During the first reign of the Sultan Barquq, Emir Jarkas al-Khalili destroyed the Fatimid mausoleum and the entire cemetery and built a khan caravanserai in its place. From the original three central entrances to the Chan, a gate has remained to this day, the Bab al-Ghuri, also known as Bab al-Badistan (Turkish for cotton or linen). With the establishment of the Khan el-Khalili in the already most important trading center of the city, further mercantile forums settled under later sultans, such as the Kait-Bay-Wikala (caravanserai), south of the al-Azhar mosque, or the Wikala des al- Ashraf Qansuh (II.) Al-Ghuri.
During the 15th century, the Khan el-Khalili established itself as a trading center for valuable stones and a lively slave trade. Later, during the Ottoman rule, the market was better known as the “Turkish bazaar”. This term is sometimes still used today. You can still guess the former splendor of the old trading houses.
The Khan el-Khalili has an enormous variety of small alleys, shops, coffee houses and squares. Although it is mainly occupied by Egyptian merchants and shopkeepers, foreign traders are on the rise, which shows the orientation of business activities towards tourism in the city. Mostly souvenirs, antiques and jewelry are on display, but there are still many traditional craft shops. In many places the Egyptian water pipe (shisha) is smoked in the souq and Arabic coffee is served in small café-rooms (مقهى maqhā). The vastness of the Khan el-Khalili is impressive in the ensemble.
Khān el-Khalilī is the main souk of historic Cairo and one of the main tourist attractions, also due to its large size which, only after the Istanbul Bazaar, make it the second largest market in the entire Near East.
The sūq stands out for the good quality / price ratio of its fabrics, leathers, food, spices, traditional jewels and perfumes, sold at reasonable prices, for which it is still necessary to treat for a long time, according to custom spread throughout the Islamic world.
In addition to the shops there are numerous cafes (Arabic: مقهى, maqhā, or قهوة, qahwa, depending on whether you use the dialect or classical Arabic), including the now historic Fishāwī, where shisha ("glass" or "bottle" in Turkish) with a large variety of fruit flavored tobaccos. Restaurants for all levels of shopping abound, as well as shops and carts where traditional Egyptian food is sold: kebāb, shawārma, ful medammes (boiled broad beans seasoned with oil), chickpea falāfil or broad beans (in Egypt called ṭaʿāmiyya), accompanied by ʿesh bàladi, the homemade bread in the shape of a focaccia, and seasoned with humūs (chickpea cream mixed with sesame cream), accompanied by the classic torshī (pickles).
The sūq stands out for the good quality / price ratio of its fabrics, leathers, food, spices, traditional jewels and perfumes, sold at reasonable prices, for which it is still necessary to treat for a long time, according to custom spread throughout the Islamic world.
In addition to the shops there are numerous cafes (Arabic: مقهى, maqhā, or قهوة, qahwa, depending on whether you use the dialect or classical Arabic), including the now historic Fishāwī, where shisha ("glass" or "bottle" in Turkish) with a large variety of fruit flavored tobaccos. Restaurants for all levels of shopping abound, as well as shops and carts where traditional Egyptian food is sold: kebāb, shawārma, ful medammes (boiled broad beans seasoned with oil), chickpea falāfil or broad beans (in Egypt called ṭaʿāmiyya), accompanied by ʿesh bàladi, the homemade bread in the shape of a focaccia, and seasoned with humūs (chickpea cream mixed with sesame cream), accompanied by the classic torshī (pickles).
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