Attarine Antiques Market

A network of antique shops, junk stalls, and restoration workshops in the streets south of Tariq al-Horreya — the best place in Egypt to wander for old objects, particularly those of the Levantine and European Alexandrian past. Stock ranges from genuine 19th-century furniture and Greek-Orthodox icons to mid-20th-century light fittings, Bakelite radios, and stacks of mismatched glassware.

Quality varies wildly. The serious dealers cluster at the south end near the former Attarine Mosque site; further north the stalls get junkier and prices drop. Bargaining is expected — start at perhaps 40-50% of the asking price. Closed Friday morning. Allow 2-3 hours for a proper wander. Some shops will arrange international shipping for larger pieces.

shopping market
A story
The Attarine district takes its name from the great Attarine Mosque, originally a Christian church converted to a mosque in the 11th century. The mosque was demolished in the 19th century — but the area around it became a maze of antique shops where the bric-à-brac of cosmopolitan Alexandria, sold off by departing Greek, Italian, and Jewish families through the 1950s and 60s, ended up. By the 1970s, Attarine was the place in Egypt to find old furniture, fine china, framed photographs, and orphaned silverware from another era.

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