Khan El Khalili Bazaar
There are a few places on the plant where you feel the time is going back around, this place is Khan El Khalili bazaar. One of the major Cairo tourist attractions, Located in old Cairo as a major souk (market) which is a symbol of Mamluk architecture that became a center for commerce, full of fresh spices, beautiful fabrics & carpets, wonderful perfumes, gold vendors, precious stone, breathtaking antiques, even soap powder and anything that might cross your mind within one of the oldest streets in Islamic history.
The market dates back to the 14th century when a large market complex was built by Emir Dajaharks Al-Khalili on a mausoleum known as -Za’faraan which used be the burial site of the Fatimid Caliphs since 970 AD. The construction began by Sultan Barquq (1382-1399 AD) as a part of a process to reconstruct and restore the life of the entire city of Cairo after the ravages of the black death throughout the 13th and 14th centuries. The bazaar is located in the heart of Cairo where many monumental religious complexes were built during the Mamluk period in the reign of Sultan al- Ghuri (1501-1516), also there is an ornate gate and upper stories whose front is lined with iron-grilled windows and two monumental doors which are still standing until today.
The Khan contain many coffeehouses designed to hold great archways and vaulted ceiling the highest example of Mamluk and Ottoman architecture. It also houses many restaurants and cafes like Al-Fishawi’s café which was established in 1773 AD next to Al-Azhar mosque.
Khan el-Khalili is one of the oldest bazaars in the Middle East, where a lot of tourists dream of visiting it, so if you are already in Cairo and want to visit Khan EL Khalili, then you can check our Cairo day tours. Or if you are planning to visit Egypt, then you can check our Egypt private tour packages and Nile river cruise to choose your dream vacation.