Khan al-Jumruk

The largest khan in Aleppo and the commercial centre of the souq. It was built in 1574 by the Ottoman governor of the day, and French, English and Dutch merchants and their consuls were housed here for centuries. The name comes from customs: goods entered here and were distributed from here.

Getting there

Enter the souq south from the Great Mosque and walk about 150 metres; the khan is on your right where the souq arms cross. The gate is set back from the lane and unsigned, so you recognise it by the muqarnas hood of the portal. It is easy to walk past.

What to see

The portal is the best thing here: black-and-white striped stone, carved roundels on either side, a muqarnas hood above and an inscription panel in the middle. Inside there are 50 storerooms on the ground floor and 77 on the upper one, along with a stable, a qaysariyya, two water basins and a small mosque.

Don’t miss

Stand under the portal and look up. The cells of the hood cut the shadow in layers, and towards midday the pattern comes out fully. Most people who walk into the courtyard pass under it without raising their heads.

Today

The khan is still in the hands of cloth wholesalers, storerooms open onto the courtyard and awnings stretched overhead. This arm of the souq was badly damaged in the fire of 2012 and repair continues piece by piece. Which arm is open changes, so asking before you go in saves time.