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In Khan Al-Khalili, one is blinded by bright lights and the glimmer of glitzy crafts |
As you make your way through Khan al-Khalili bazaar in Cairo, you might be blinded by bright lights and the glimmer of glitzy crafts, nearly pushed over by bustling foot traffic, or driven to the edge of insanity while trying to dodge persistent salesmen - or all of the above! But it is all just part of the sensory experience of roaming through the narrow streets of the bazaar
The Khan is the oldest bazaar in Cairo and is as important to local trade and Egyptian livelihood as ever.
The Khan (as it is often referred to) was built in the year 1382 by Garkas al-Khalili (Sultan Barquq’s Master of Horses) and rebuilt 130 years later by al-Ghouri. It became an important center for trading and commerce throughout the East and Africa during the profitable period of Mameluke rule (1250-1517). The Khan was originally built around several smaller khans to allow traveling merchants to sleep and keep their goods. Today the smaller khans have been filled in by tented alleyways and are primarily used as places for Egyptians to do business with each other as well as sell their wares to visitors.
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In the Khan, one is struck by the juxtaposition of the old and the new
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Many artisans still work in traditional crafts of sewing, carving, weaving tapestries, and hammering out beautiful brass and copper items. However, most merchants have taken to selling the manufactured goods of modern society. Nonetheless, The Khan is the quintessential oriental bazaar.
The Khan has many different areas of commerce. Not only is the souk an important place for Egyptians to sell their merchandise to visitors, it is also the foremost shopping area for Egyptians to purchase everyday items. There is a whole section of the Khan that sells clothing, another that sells fabric, others that sell produce, wedding gowns, and house wares. But the area typically referred to in travel books as being the main center of Khan al-Khalili opens near the old stone medieval gates outside of the Mosque of Sayyidna al-Hussein. This is area is devoted mostly to tourists.
The sensory input from the Middle East’s largest bazaar can be quite a shock for travelers. The scent of burning frankincense is both bizarre and intoxicating as it wafts through the mazes of The Khan. Colorful hookahs called sheeshas and chintzy Pharaonic-era style souvenirs line the walkways that are interspersed with shops housing the most precious and exquisite antiques.
As you bob and weave through the labyrinth of The Khan, you are struck by the juxtaposition of the old and the new. The Mediaeval architecture that creates these tight alleyways merely acts as a background for the dizzying spell of The Khan’s little treasures. Nearly every herb or spice in the world can be bought at The Khan, as well as Egypt’s famous fragrant perfume oils, which are mixed into nearly any scent that you can imagine.
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| Roaming merchants pass by tourists acting more like entertainers than sales people |
One of the most famous attractions of Khan al-Khalili that is not to be missed is Egypt’s oldest coffee shop, the legendary Fishawi. Frequented by local artists including (until recently) Egypt’s most famous writer and winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize in literature, Naguib Mahfouz, Fishawi is nothing less than inspirational. Located about a block away from Hussein Square, right off the main street of The Khan, this cramped, antique mirror-studded alleyway of a coffee shop is truly an experience within its self. Locals and tourists alike can be seen any time of the night or day having a tea or smoking a sheesha.
What makes a visit to Fishawi an especially fascinating cultural experience is the carnival -like atmosphere. Roaming merchants pass with goods ranging from funny face nose and glasses masks complete with automated mustaches (pictured), to flashing rings, necklaces, and men’s white briefs.
There is never a dull moment
For more information on Khan al-Khalili:
Khan Al-Khalili: A Comprehensive Mapped Guide to Cairo’s Historic Bazaar written by Ola Seif and Jayme Spencer. AUC Press 1993
www.aucpress.com/cgi-aucpress/auc99/pager.cgi?catno=262_9
www.touregypt.net/khan.htm
www.egybazar.com/khistory.html
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