By Eman Abdallah Kamel
Eman is a writer and an engineer.
Enjoy travelling in Egypt. In Cairo, Khan al-Khalili is a famous bazaar. In this article, you will learn the history and description of Khan al-Khalili.
Khan Al Khalili
Khan al-Khalili is one of Cairo’s most famous bazaars. The Khan (an inn) was originally a burial site for Fatimid caliphs known as the Za’afran Tomb. It was part of the Fatimid Eastern Palace (358 AH–968 AD).
The bazaar was built as a center of commerce in the Mamluk era (1250 AD–1517 AD).
Khan al-Khalili Market is considered one of the main attractions in Cairo for tourists and Egyptians alike.
The Khan is also home to many Egyptian craftsmen and workshops that produce handicrafts and souvenirs.
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History
In 969 AD, Cairo was founded as the capital of the Fatimid caliphate, which was an empire that covered a large part of North Africa, parts of the Levant, and the Hijaz. Gawhar al-Siqilli, the leader who included Egypt for the Fatimids, ordered the construction of a large palace complex to house the caliphs, their families, and state institutions. Two palaces were eventually completed: one east (the largest one), which included the Saffron tomb, and one west. Between them is a square known as Bayn al-Qasrayn.
(786 AH–1384 AD), during the reign of the Mamluk al-Zahir Barquq. The Mamluk Amir Jaharqas al-Khalili founded an inn on the site of the Zafran tomb. During the reign of Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri (917 AH/1511 AD), he ordered the destruction of Khan al-Khalili, and small hotels and warehouses were built, known today as the Cotton Caravanserai.
Khan el-Khalili had three main entrances, but only one gate was left. Bab al-Ghauri is located at the western end of the road leading from the Husseini Mosque to the interior of Khan el-Khalili.
Bab al-Ghuri is similar to the gates leading to the Mamluk mosques and schools, especially those that were built during the period of Sultan al-Ghuri, and a good example is the entrance to the al-Ghuri mosque (909 AH/1504 AD). This entrance consists of an arch with beautiful geometric decorations carved in stone. A geometric design in white and black marble decorates the arch, while the sponsor’s blazon is at the center. The sponsor’s name and title are engraved above the portal’s entrance. Decorative muqarnas adorn the portal’s trilobed arch, which contains floral motifs. Three carved wood windows are between the arched opening of the gate and the tri-lobed arch.
With its prominent location and extensive area, Khan al-Khalili was the center of Cairo’s commercial activity during the Ottoman period (1517 AD–1882 AD). Commercial activities included many and varied commodities, each of which took a specific place in the Khan. These commodities include fabrics, coffee, spices, copper, carpets, burlap, henna, and more. The slave trade added a unique character to Khan al-Khalili and effectively contributed to revitalizing the commercial movement. In addition to the presence of other types of rare commodities that were sold in Khan al-Khalili exclusively and imported from other countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, the top of which were gold, silver, pearls, precious stones, and various types of animals and birds, which were unparalleled at that time in Egypt.
As students, Egyptian Renaissance figures frequented cafes in Khan al-Khalili in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Khan al-Khalili and surrounding areas influenced the Egyptian prominent figures. Egyptian political leader Saad Zaghloul (1860–1927) described how these areas around Khan al-Khalili influenced him during his study at al-Azhar. Also, the Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988, has a novel named Khan al-Khalili. In 1967, the novel turned into an Egyptian drama film and entered the 5th Moscow International Film Festival.
Description
- Khan Al-Khalili, paved with black basalt stone, extends from the facade of the Al-Hussein Mosque opposite the Al-Azhar Mosque until the Salhiya neighborhood, which ends with street branches and lanes. The most famous and the closest is Al-Muizz Li-Din Allah Al-Fatimi Street, which contains 112 UNESCO Islamic monuments.
- The most striking thing in Khan al-Khalili is the arabesque-designed house facades, as well as the street-facing carved wood windows that reflect Fatimid and Mamluk styles.
- Inside Khan el-Khalili, alleys containing adjacent shops are lined. There are skilled craftsmen in each shop who make handicrafts. In forms that combine creativity and precision, such as copper engravings, carpets, tents, glass lamps, and woodwork.
- Khan al-Khalili includes more than a quarter, the most famous of which is the (al-Selsela) market, a quarter of the (al-Selhdar) market, and a quarter of (al-Somateya). In addition to a group of agencies, such as the Iron Agency and the Cotton Agency.
- A quarter of al-Selsela is characterized by silver, gold, diamonds, and precious stones such as agate, emerald, turquoise, and amber, which go into the jewelry industry.
- In al-Selhdar, a variety of industries are present, including imitation basalt, alabaster artifacts, papyrus, hieroglyphics, and stained glass.
Al-Fishawi Café
Among the features of the Khan is al-Fishawi Café, which Haji Fahmy Ali al-Fishawi established in 1797 during the Ottoman period. He bought the stores next to the café, transforming it into a sizeable three-room café.
One of the café rooms is lined with wood inlaid with ebony, and it is full of antiques and sofas covered with beautiful leather. The tools are made of silver and crystal.
Pearls, wood, ivory, and arabesques decorate the second room. There is green leather on the sofas.
The third room was intended for residents of popular neighborhoods in the first half of the 20th century.
Sources
- islamicart.museumwnf.org… The Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum and Virtual Exhibitions present the Islamic heritage of the Mediterranean basin, alongside collections of Islamic art hosted by the participating museums, with a database of 1850 objects and 385 monuments.
- unesco.org… World Heritage Convention, Egypt.
- file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/activity-663-3.pdf. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Management of World Heritage Sites in Egypt.
©Eman Abdallah Kamel, 2022
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