Souq Bab al-Saray is a historic marketplace on the west bank of the Tigris in the heart of the Old City, one of the traditional commercial anchors of Mosul for centuries. The souq — "Gate of the Palace" market, named for the palace that once stood nearby — occupies a covered lane close to the riverfront, and was where merchants, craftsmen, and travellers along the Tigris trade route would buy and sell textiles, spices, metalwork, and foodstuffs.
The marketplace was damaged during the conflict and has been gradually reopening as part of the Old City's reconstruction. It remains one of the best places to see the everyday commercial life returning to Mosul, and the surrounding streets give you a sense of what the city's mercantile fabric looked like before the war. The position on the riverbank is particularly atmospheric — the Tigris is wide here, and the surviving minarets and church towers punctuate the skyline on both sides.