Four-phase project to rehabilitate ancient souk in Homs

The heart of Homs city is witnessing an activity aiming to rehabilitate the ancient covered souk [marketplace] and to pave the ground for the return of people to khan al-Qesareyeh.

The two-day activity started yesterday is including lectures about the ancient souks, national songs, photo exhibition and handicrafts souk, according to the official news agency (SANA).

The agency quoted the UNDP’s Director Tareq Safar as saying that project of rehabilitating the covered souk began two weeks ago and it splits over four phases.

“Four main gates are to be installed and 200 shops will be rehabilitated as well as the historic elements in the souk will be documented by modern methods,” Mr.Safar added

On his part, Chairman of the Heritage Committee in Engineers Union in Homs Amer al-Seba’ee said that the ancient covered souk includes more than 600 shops and it links the city with the countryside and with other provinces.

“The ancient souk contains souks of silk, copper, attareen and tailors,” Mr. al-Seba’ee clarified, indicating that the prices of the products in the souk were cheap so the people in the surrounding areas were going to it. 

The project of rehabilitating the ancient souk will be carried out by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Engineers Union and the ‘al-Adeyat’ Association.

Basma Qaddour