Khan al-Shouneh

An Ottoman khan south-west of the citadel and north of the Khusruwiyah Mosque. It no longer works as a khan but as a crafts market: the Ministry of Tourism gave it over to traditional trades in 1989, and craftsmen have worked their own shops here since.

Getting there

Walk down from the south-west foot of the Aleppo Citadel; the khan stands north of the Khusruwiyah Mosque on the street facing the citadel. It is a few minutes from the citadel square.

What to see

Inside is one great stone vault: rough-cut walls, high arches and beaten metal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The shops line both sides of the vault and each belongs to a different trade. There are 49 trades in all, among them Aleppo mizar weaving, furs, saddlebags, gold embroidery, copper, Arabic calligraphy, the handloom, bamboo, mosaic, pottery and glass.

Don’t miss

The handloom. The striped mizar cloth of Aleppo is still woven by hand here, and you can pick out the sound of the loom inside the market. Even if you buy nothing, a few minutes beside the weaver show you what no shop window can.

Today

There is no verified record of the khan’s war damage or its present state of repair. The ground around the citadel saw heavy fighting, and which shops are open changes. This entry carries no map because we could not confirm its position from two independent sources.