Market · Cairo
Khan el-Khalili
A historic bazaar in the heart of Islamic Cairo, where lantern-lit lanes weave past handcrafts and old-world cafés.
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The story
The bazaar dates to the late 14th century, when Amir Jaharkas al-Khalili, an official of Mamluk Sultan Barquq, built a merchants' inn on the site of the old Fatimid Za'afran tomb. In the early 16th century Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri reshaped the quarter with new warehouses, shops and caravanserais. The name once belonged to a single building; today it covers the entire shopping district, with its working artisans, and draws visitors and Egyptians alike.
Good to know
- The khan was built over a Fatimid burial ground, the Za'afran tomb, which belonged to the great Eastern Palace.
- The district carries the name of Amir Jaharkas al-Khalili; sources date the founding anywhere from about 1382 to 1389.
- One of its historic gateways is Bab al-Ghuri, in Mamluk style with muqarnas arches and geometric decoration.
- Naguib Mahfouz wrote the novel Khan el-Khalili (1945) and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988.
- The bazaar lies within Historic Cairo, on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1979.
Visiting tips
Most shops open around 9am and stay open well after sunset, but may be quieter on Friday mornings and Sundays. Please check before visiting. Gentle bargaining is expected; dress modestly near the mosques.