Jeddah Old Markets / Old Souq Jeddah
Old Souq Jeddah Pictures
Old Souq Jeddah Pictures
Old Souq Jeddah Pictures
Old Souq Jeddah Pictures
The approximate area within the walls of the city of Jeddah amounted to 1.5 square kilometers, which still contains touches of traditional life with old social and economic features. This is currently concentrated around the mosques and souqs (markets) in the region where some of the popular shops and traditional crafts are found. Among the most famous markets of the area’s historical past, which constitute its vital economic lifeline:
- Souq Al-Alawi
- Souq Al-Bado (Bedouins)
- Souq Gabel
- Souq Al-Nada (dew)
The most important markets and ‘Khans’ (small shops) in old Jeddah were:
- The fish market: ‘A-Banqalah’.
- Vegetables market and butchers: Located in Al-Nawareeya area, which is located at the end of Gabel Street to the east.
- Al-Souq Al-Kabeer: A large market where fabrics are sold in small and large shops filled with fabrics of different kinds.
- Souq Al-Khasikeeya: Located behind the house of Sheikh Mohammed Naseef.
- Souq Al-Nada: where most of the shops sell shoes.
- Souq Al-Jami: named after the Al-Shafee’i Mosque.
- Souq Al-Hababa: located in Bab Makkah.
- Souq Al-Haraaj: which is an “open auction” market that was located in Bab Shareef.
- Souq Al-Bado: in Bab Makkah selling everything that attracts the inhabitants of the desert (Bedouins).
- Souq Al-Asor: (evening market), which is located in Bab Shareef and was held in the evening of every day at the time.
- Souq Al-Baragheeya: where saddles for donkeys, mules and horses were manufactured at the Shorbatly Building.
- Souq Al-Subaheeya: where ‘Masabih’ (beads) were manufactured, which was located in ‘Souq Al-Khasikeeya’.
- Khans of Old Jeddah: the so-called ‘Khan’ also known as ‘Qaysareeya’, which means a market consisting of a set of shops opening and closing onto each other. Some of the most important ‘Khans’ of old Jeddah are: Khan Al-Honood (Indians), Khan Al-Qasaba (pipe) place of the cloth trade, Khan Al-Dalaleen (auctioneers), and Khan Al-Attareen (perfume makers/sellers).
