Khan el-Khalili

Khan el-Khalili is the great bazaar of Cairo, a labyrinth of narrow medieval lanes in the heart of Islamic Cairo that has bustled with trade since the fourteenth century. Its stalls overflow with spices, brass lanterns, gold and silver, perfumes, textiles and crafts, and the air rings with haggling and the clink of mint tea in the famous old coffeehouses, a sensory plunge into the old city.

History

The site was part of the Fatimid palace city founded in 969: the southern end of the great eastern palace stood here, together with the Saffron Tomb, the mausoleum of the Fatimid caliphs. Fatimid Cairo was a palace city closed to ordinary people, and the vizier Badr al-Jamali, who built its stone walls and gates in 1087-1092, briefly opened it to them, while in 1121-1125 the vizier al-Ma'mun al-Bata'ihi built a mint and a customs house for foreign merchants nearby, bringing foreign trade into the heart of the city for the first time. Saladin, who ended the Fatimid caliphate in 1171, opened Cairo to all and moved the rulers to his new Citadel, and the old palaces were redeveloped, so that the city became an economic centre as the old capital Fustat declined. The bazaar grew up in the Mamluk era and takes its name from one of its caravanserais, the Khan el-Khalili; the name now covers the whole market district (Wikipedia, Khan el-Khalili).

What's there

• The maze of lanes - the medieval alleys crammed with stalls.
• The crafts and spices - the lanterns, brass, gold, perfume and spice.
• El Fishawy - the famous centuries-old coffeehouse.
• Islamic Cairo - the medieval mosques and gates around the bazaar.

When to go

October to April for cooler weather; evenings are atmospheric when the lanes glow with lantern light and the coffeehouses fill. It is busy at almost all hours, so go with time to wander and get pleasantly lost.

Practical notes

It is touristy in parts, and the touting can be relentless, so haggle firmly and expect the hard sell; the deeper lanes are more genuine and local. It is crowded and chaotic, part of the appeal. Watch your belongings in the crush.

Nearby

The medieval mosques, gates and the Citadel of Islamic Cairo surround it; the Egyptian Museum is across the city.