Young Shopkeeper At Al-Madina Souq, Aleppo - Syria Editorial Image

Al-Madina Souq is the covered souq-market located at the heart of the Syrian city of Aleppo within the walled ancient part of the city. With its long and narrow alleys, al-Madina Souq is the largest covered historic market in the world, with an approximate length of 13 kilometers. It is a major trade centre for imported luxury goods, such as raw silk from Iran, spices and dyes from India and many other products. Al-Madina Souq is also home to local products such as wool, agricultural products and soap. Most of the souqs date back to the 14th century and are named after various professions and crafts, hence the wool souq, the copper souq, and so on. Aside from trading, the souq accommodated the traders and their goods in khans (caravanserais) scattered within the souq. Other types of small market-places were called caeserias. Caeserias are smaller than khans in size and functioned as workshops for craftsmen. Most of the khans took their names after their function and location in the souq, and are characterized by beautiful façades and entrances with fortified wooden doors. Al-Madina Souq is part of the Ancient City of Aleppo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. Many sections of the souq and other medieval buildings in the ancient city were destroyed, ruined or burnt as a result of fighting between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Armed Forces beginning on 25 September 2012.