Khan el Khalili – history preserved in the labyrinth of streets and its mahalas

If you want to feel a part of life from the Ottoman period of Islamic Cairo, you must take the road to Khan el Khalili Street in Cairo, which even today, after more than 600 years since its creation, carries the spirit of the old days. It is located on the ground of the eastern palace of the Caliph of Fatimid, El Muizz Bilah, on the site where the tombs of Caliph Fatimid once lay, which were destroyed by Prince Jahariks el Khalili, and in their place, in 1382, built a khan, still known by his name. Located between El Muizz Street and El Hussein Mosque and close to El Azhar University and the mosque, it is a blend of Islamic monuments and the daily lives of Cairo residents.

It all starts here, at the foot of El Hussein Mosque

As we pass the plateau in front of the El Hussein Mosque, in order to enter Khah el Khalili Street, women and children vendors approach us from all sides. As the man turned to one of them, the other had already adorned his children with necklaces bearing pendants of protection, a plate with a piece from the Koran, the eye of Horus, and a hamsa fist against evil eyes. They offer rosaries, decorative papers for closet shelves, toys, and carry it all in their arms, accompanying a passer-by until he decides to buy something.

It was a big Muslim holiday, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, and a large number of people sat near the mosque or on the wall around it, to go inside during the noon prayer.

Arriving at Khan el Khalili Street, we learned the customs that beautify this holiday every year, right there, on the plateau in front of the mosque, about concerts and vocal singing and prayer for the Prophet Muhammad and the sale of various sweets that beautify the day for both children and adults.

Sweets, dolls "el aruse" and sugar horses as an obligatory part of the holiday

We enter an endless labyrinth of streets, which would take more than one morning to fully realize. In the long street we walk on, there are a large number of buildings connected by narrow passages, with a series of shops.

Sayers, calligraphers, potters, goldsmiths, weavers, sellers of antiques, cotton, brass, ceramics, leather, spices, teas, rosaries, hookahs, fatira, as well as cafe owners, found their place there. Tea houses, which can be only a few square meters in size, with chairs or wooden hand-made cannabis, and colorful tarpaulins, stand along the narrow passages in front of the bar, and are a place to meet, make deals, relax and retell the news of everyday life.

The cobblestones we walk on are moistened with water sprinkled by store owners. It is a tradition that a large number of Egyptians inherited from their ancestors, a tradition that makes no sense to many, but means to sellers. Some think that fresh water thrown down the street will also freshen the air in front of the store, that it will reduce dust, that the water will bless the sale and give a fruitful day, and whether for hygienic or religious purposes, the cobblestones in front of the shops are so clean walk on it. The boys, like my son, enjoy the little puddles, jumping into each of them with all their childlike strength.

I stop in front of many shops and take photos, and the sellers proudly present their goods, welcoming me. On one side are hanging women’s dresses, on the other bedding, lamps, souvenirs. I stop at a leather store and enthusiastically choose slippers that, as a decoration, have a Hamsa fist, the protector of the Muslim population. The seller offers us tea, but we, with great gratitude, refuse and move on. We are approaching the sound that comes from the shop for making copper products. With great patience, the owner makes a new teapot by adding a series of decorative hammer blows to its surface and creating original images that will attract future buyers.

Ever since the time of the ancient Egyptians, making objects out of wood has been very popular. Furniture, house decorations, jewelry boxes were made. It is these jewelry boxes, decorated with mother-of-pearl, that have become a trademark of Egyptian symbolism of value and quality. Shops that sell such decorations cannot fail to win the eyes of all passers-by. The wooden construction of the box is lined with red velvet, and then the outside is decorated with mother-of-pearl fossils of shells of different shades. It is interesting that by buying such an item, you become the owner of the treasure, because over time, the colors of mother-of-pearl change but never disappear, so the box can be passed from generation to generation, from mother to daughter, and thus become part of a beautiful family tradition. In the same style you can buy tables, decorative plates, trays.

At almost every step, crocheted burkas are sold, called Jasmak, an ancient tradition, the use of which I saw in one series during the month of Ramadan. This short, perforated burqa covered the lower part of the face. The girl breathed with ease under him, and he discreetly showed her beauty hidden underneath. The rich wore a piece of gold jewelry attached above their noses and mouths to express their wealth. The poorer ones often decorated their burkas, but with much cheaper materials. Today it can only be bought in places like this.

However, my biggest attention is drawn to the old houses and the fantastic style of construction, which exudes Eastern culture. Some houses are so old that in front of them are metal constructions that support parts of the facade and pillars. My thoughts travel to the time of the Ottoman Empire, which was worthwhile through the present buildings. On that cobblestone, where I walk now, once walked the leaders of Cairo and their wives, Muslim sheikhs, the local population.

The men wore scarves wrapped around their heads, and in their hands were strong sticks that would help them when needed. The women, as today, were in black abayas and cotton veils on their heads.

This street and shops, which were passed down from generation to generation for centuries, were then a place of trade, but also of meetings and the only guide for the population. My curiosity is partly satisfying, and I hope that yours is revived with these photos, and that we will settle down sometime here, in Han and Hanun Street.