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In Khan Al-Khalili, one is blinded by bright lights and the glimmer of glitzy crafts
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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
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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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Photographs
by Amy Feigley
