The Ottoman face of Damascus: five stops from souq to khan

The Ottoman face of Damascus stands inside the old city, in five buildings close to one another: two covered markets, a merchant’s house, a governor’s palace and a caravanserai. The walk comes to 1560 metres, and the longest leg is 790 metres. Nothing here is far apart. It begins at the roofed western end of Straight Street and ends at the foot of the citadel. The order is not accidental: courtyards are shaded in the morning, and the light through the domes of the Khan As’ad Pasha drops straight down towards noon.

The route

Enter Souq Midhat Pasha from its western end. The market was laid out again in 1878 and it runs on top of the Roman street; walk east under the vault. At the far end turn north: Maktab Anbar is 790 metres on, in the lanes of Qaymariyya. From the street it looks like an ordinary wall. Look for the arched door. From there turn back west and after 270 metres you are at the entrance of the Azm Palace. The Khan As’ad Pasha is 210 metres further, inside the Al-Bzouriyah Souq, with no sign above it. The last leg is 290 metres: from the khan northwest to the eastern end of the Al-Hamidiyah Souq. Walk that market end to end and you come out in front of the citadel gate.

Timing

Start early. Be at Souq Midhat Pasha at 09:00, when the shutters go up and the lane is still empty. Enter Maktab Anbar at 10:30; the painted wooden ceilings want light, and the courtyards are shaded before noon. The Azm Palace around 12:00: the courtyard is still in shade, while the afternoon sun falls hard on it. Leave the Khan As’ad Pasha until 13:30, when light from the openings in the central dome drops straight to the floor. Put Al-Hamidiyah last, after 14:30 — the beams coming through the holes left by the 1925 shelling read best in late light. Do not plan this order for a Friday; most of the markets are closed.

Take care

Entrance fees and hours at the Azm Palace and at Maktab Anbar both change; check them at the door. Maktab Anbar is a cultural centre today, and some courtyards close when an event is on. The Khan As’ad Pasha was finished in 1753 and its door opens onto the lane with a plain threshold and no sign, so look carefully in the souq. The Azm Palace is the work of 1749, built by the same family. Bargaining is expected in both markets and the first price is a starting point. The paving is stone and slippery in places. Carry cash. The walk works year round, apart from summer middays.