“Ropes” Market, The Fifth of Aleppo Old Markets, is under renovation

An active movement is taking place in the “Ropes,  Al-Hibal” market, the fifth of the old markets of Aleppo, to complete the restoration work, as the sounds of hand picks are heard in carving stones and restoring the ancient ones to re-install them in the arches, walls and ceilings, part of which collapsed due to the vandalism and destruction caused by terrorism. All renovation activities herald the imminent return of life to this market and its 57 shops. Most of the shops were devoted to selling ropes used in handicrafts, tent supplies, and tightening wooden benches.

The restoration work of the Market comes in implementation of the agreement signed between Aleppo Governorate, the City Council, the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, the Syrian Trust for Development and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, where the documentation of the market was previously carried out by the cadres of the Aga Khan Foundation.  Following assessment of the damage, the restoration work will be launched, which includes rehabilitating the dipping roofs and building six shops with their roofs behind the Umayyad Mosque in accordance with the standards of restoration, as well as restoring stone facades, replacing railings with wooden doors, and replacing damaged infrastructure.

The ropes market is important because of its proximity to the Umayyad Mosque and the fact that it constitutes one of the 37 covered traditional markets of Aleppo, and connects the blacksmiths market, one of the main entrances to old Aleppo with the women’s market “the new Istanbul market” east of the Umayyad Mosque. The completion period is 8 months.

The goal of the market restoration and rehabilitation project is to bring about continuous and sustainable positive change, as well as to protect the Syrian cultural identity and tangible and intangible heritage.

NH