Shopping in Damascus

Markets in Damascus can be classified in two categories: Old souks and modern bazaars. The first have hand made inherited professions practiced by well experienced workers who manufacture locally ornamented and printed textiles: brocade, domestic silk, caftans embroidered with silver and gold threads, and aghabani, carpets and kelims of bright colors with geometric and floral designs. We shouldn‘t forget the silverware, copperware plated with gold and professionally decorated with high precision designs. There is also the carved wood inlaid with mother of pearl, and mosaic, pierced and turned wooden artifacts. All these can be seen side by side with leather ware, tanneries, china, pottery and glass items, golden and silver jewelry beside horse saddles.

In modern bazaars tourists can find all they need of electric appliances, clothes and shoes, first class restaurants that surpass foreign ones by offering the most delicious local plates and beverages in addition to the western ones.

Of the most known souks and bazaars in Damascus are al Hamidiyeh souk generally known as the souk, Madhat Pasha, alSroujieh, and alBuzourieh .

Souk al Hamidieyeh: A long roofed bazaar in the old city, built during the Ottoman rule in two stages: The first one was built between Al Nasr Street and AlAsrounieh in 1870 during the rule of Sultan Abdul Hamid I. The second stage extends from al Asrounieh to al Miskieh, built in 1884 during the rule of Sultan Abdul Hamid II All in all, the souk is 600 m long, 15 m wide with a roof of the height of a building of two levels. Governor of Damascus Husein Nazem Pasha 1895-1911 covered the souk with tin roof. In the souk the tourist can find all kinds of cloth, clothes, cosmetics, hand made artisana, especially copper ware, souvenirs, clocks, musical instruments. It is a must for every visitor to the souk to try the Arabian ice cream. Souk Madhat Pasha: An old souk inside the old city. It extends along the western part of the old Roman street known as Via Recta. It was built during the Memlouk period under the name of Souk Jaqmaq after the governor of Damascus at that time, Seifeddin Jaqmaq (1421-1419).The souk was renovated by the governor of Damascus Madhat Pasha in 1878. The souk was covered by a tin roof by the ottoman governor of Damascus Husein Nazem Pasha in 1895-1911, the same as he did to Souk al Hamidieh and souk alSroujieh. Souk Madhat pasha is specialized in the trade of cloth, traditional popular clothes like (aabas, Kafiyas and head bands), aghabani, wool kelims and copper ware. In the eastern part of the market there are grocery, paints, and dyes shops in addition to some shops specialized in selling medical herbs.

Souk alSroujieh: Like the other souks it is a specialized one covered with tin roof, but it is outside the old city adjacent to the northern walls of the citadel of Damascus .This souk was known during the Memlouk Period as the souk of saddle makers. It has small workshops that manufacture leather belts, gun holsters, horse reins and saddles and all the items horses usually need in addition to cloth tents and sun shades.

Souk alBuzourieh: One of the largest bazaars roofed inside the old city. It crosses the souk of Madhat Pasha in a cross called Madanat alShahm, and ends near alAzem Palace .It was built during the Seleucid period 1057 AD, and renewed in the Ottoman period by Husein Nazem Pasha 1895-1911 who has a good hand in covering most of the old souks of Damascus. In alBuzourieh one can buy all kinds of candies, dried fruit, candles of all sizes and colors, in addition to spices and medical herbs. Modern markets that sell hand made items:

Bazaar of Bab Sharki: Originally a bazaar built during the Memlouk period. It extends to reach the eastern Gate and Ananias church and crosses with Thomas Gate (Bab Touma). In this bazaar tourists can buy jewelry, copper ware and wooden artifacts. Handicraft bazaar of Damascus: A new bazaar originated by the ministry of tourism in 1972 .It extends along the portico of al Suleimanieh School and inside its open air square. The main purpose behind originating this market was preserving the heritage and handicraft professions and the tools used in these crafts. Now it has more than 70 shops specialized in selling artisana. Tourists can find gold and silver jewelry: ear rings, bracelets, incrusted metals, Damascene swords and daggers inlaid with gold or silver, wooden artifacts inlaid with mosaic or mother of pearl or chased with ivory, Arabic thread, Persian styled souvenirs, oriental musical instruments and embroideries. In this bazaar tourists can watch craftsmen blowing glass, coloring, joggling or engraving glassware, or weaving cloth belts, damask, or brocade or embroidering aghabani. They also can see the art of making leather ware, looms used in making kelims, ceramic pottery and straw making, artists filling bottles with colored sand or making rosary beads in addition to painters drawing folklore tales in oil or water colors.

Haifaa Mafalani