The oldest East markets and largest Cairo`s museums

"Khan El-Khalili".. Mamluk Trade Center in the mid of Mahrousa (Cairo)

"Khan El-Khalili".. The one of old Cairo, The oldest Middle-East markets, after 600 years to create, but it still stands with unique architectural style, witness to the splendor if Islamic architecture during the ages, Fatimid, Saladin, Mamluks and Ottoman, all tourists to Egypt is his visitor, it is everything for them must be get, Ahmed Ben Ali Al-Maqrezy, the Egyptian Sheikh of historians named Toqay Al-Din Al-Maqrezy former described in the late 8th century, square shape Khan, surrounds the yard looked like agency, lower of which include shops named "Hawanet' (stores), instance upper include dwellings and warehouses, it’s a big trade marked, like the open Museum which display creative products.

 

Khan is Persian term means "house", named on very commercial facility are similar in their design and their forms in most countries of the East, however, "El-Khalili" back to founder of the Khan, Mamluk Prince "Ghorks El-Khalili", Sheik traders in Saif Al-Din Barqok era, who came from Damascus to Cairo bringing traders from Palestinian   El-Khalil with him, and began building shopping on "Zofran" Tomb of Fatimid Caliphs, established in 1382.

Once it touches your feet by black basalt stone the land of Khan, see with your eyes all form of Islamic architecture, you get feeling hard to describe, especially when you see the unique art which Khan is known by it, its special location and products, make it the most famous tourist places in Cairo, with the fragrance of Fatimid history, Khan El-Khalili spans of Imam Hussein and facing the Al-Azhar mosque, to Al-Saleh lane, ending with forests of streets, paths, and lanes, Muizz Street is the most popular and nearby, which contains on 122 Islamic archeology.

The first noticeable moment entering Khan El-Khalili, those artistic touches that reflect different ages, interfaces designed arabesques different Mamluk and Fatimid style highlights; they grab you Mashrabiyyas overlooking the street, either "Alasblet" irrigated bystanders and passersby, extended around the Khan, its interfaces embroidered in copper, in a view reflects the faith of Muslims in the middle ages, the greatest one is thirsty irrigated lease.

Khan El-Khalili featuring more than a "quarter", a quarter of series, a quarter of Alselihdar, and the quarter of Alsomatih, the most popular of it, in addition to a collection of agencies, Flatiron Agency and Cotton Agency, there was an old 9 doors, the most popular was the gold door which was dedicated to the Fatimid Caliph parade, followed by the sea door who created the Caliph Hakim Allah, the wind`s door which reach to Hussein Mosque, Prince Yusuf Gamal Al-Din was dismantled in the middle of 14th century, Emerald`s door, Eid door, the Caliph would come out of it the day of Eid, and Saffron`s door, which still in its place until today, close to Al-Zhomh`s door which specify to enter the palace kitchen purposes.

Within a quarter of Alselihdar a number of different industries, as counterfeit artifacts of basalt and marble, Hieroglyphic inscriptions and papyrus, which tell the most popular ancient Egyptian tales usually, in addition to stained glass industry, call it "Vitray", used in decorate windows, either a quarter of series, there are many silver jewelry, that reflects the historical heritage, preferred by foreign tourists, while Arabic tourists preferred the golden,  either diamond for those who can afford, whether domestic of imported, as garnet, emerald, turquoise and amber, that interrupted making jewelry and beads, although some made of plastic and olive seed, called "Nor Al-Sabah" Morning Light.

In Khan El-Khalili will smell "Musk`s" scent, extracted from blood of male deer, and "Amber`s" scent, discovered by Africans since 3000 years ago, extracted from the sperm of Amber whale the most popular whales, in addition to violets and perfume others familiar with oily and green colors, which imported from Sudan, the incense`s scents also attract visitors, mostly its many stores attracted the wishers to eliminate of "Ain Al-Hasod" envies, to find their goal in salted-smoked and jaw the jaws, they use the belief in its anti-all sorts of magic and sorcery, scores of  neighborhood stores specializing in the sale of various types of spice, whether to sell usual cooking spices, or selling other people`s prescriptions.

"Fishawi Café" the most popular café on Khan El-Khalili, it was the oldest Cairo`s café, created by noble of Jamaliah "Fahmi Ali AL-Fishawi" in 1772, but it gained fame in the mid-20th century, when it appeared Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz by stronghold his writings, Khan El-Khalili and Ben Al-Saryat "between palaces" novel exiting from it, followed by reception od world famous, as Ahmed Zewail the scientist, Abdul-Aziz Bou-Teflika Algerian president, Ali Abd-Allah Saleh Yemen`s president, and Jaafar Nimeiri Sudanese President.

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