Khan al-Burghul

It stands next to Khan al-Nahhasin, in the al-Muhammas branch of the Al-Madina souq. Its name comes from the bulgur trade. It looks like a single building but carries two histories. The south part is Mamluk, turned into dwellings in 1472 by Alaeddin ibn Shihabeddin ibn Shibani. The north part went up in the 16th century and housed the British consulate general in Aleppo until the early 20th century.

Getting there

You come in through the souq branch south of the Great Mosque. Find Khan al-Nahhasin and this is the door beside it. Do not rely on one name when you ask: the same building is called Khan al-Barghal and Souq al-Sham as well, and the traders will not ask which one you prefer.

What to see

This is the plain side of the souq khans. There is no showy portal to look for. The interest is the courtyard itself, and the way two buildings were joined into one. The ground floor keeps its old layout of stores and shops, while the upper floor has turned into housing room by room. That conversion began in the 15th century, so the drift away from trade is nothing new here.

Why a consulate sat inside a khan

European states in Aleppo did not build their missions outside the souq. They put them inside it. Venice sat in Khan al-Nahhasin, Britain here, France and the Netherlands in Khan al-Jumruk. The reason was practical: a consul was also the merchants’ representative, and he had to be where the goods arrived. So a small Europe sat within a few hundred metres in the middle of the market, and it stayed there until the early 20th century.

What most people miss

The seam between the two halves. North and south were built centuries apart, and the masonry, the span of the arches and the size of the stone all say so. Most visitors glance at one courtyard and walk out. At the join, two different periods of Aleppo stand side by side.