Covered Souks of Aleppo

Partially restored medieval markets — once the longest covered market in the world

The covered souks of Aleppo were among the greatest urban markets ever built — a labyrinthine network of stone-vaulted corridors stretching from Bab Antakia in the west to the Citadel in the east, different sections devoted to different trades for centuries. The silk souk, the spice souk, the goldsmiths' market, the soap market — each had its own character, its own smells, its own particular architecture. Much of this was destroyed in the fighting of 2012–2013.

Reconstruction has been ongoing since 2018, and portions of the souk are once again open and functioning. What survives is still remarkable: the pointed stone vaulting, the domed intersections, the shafts of light from openings in the roof. You can find spices, textiles, Aleppo soap, and copperwork in the reopened sections. Walking through even the partially restored souk — with rubble visible through some of the doorways — gives a visceral sense of both what was lost and what remains.

shopping sight
A story
At their peak before the civil war, Aleppo's covered souks stretched for some thirteen kilometres under vaulted stone roofs — the longest covered market in the world. The souk system had been in continuous operation since at least the 13th century, with different sections assigned to different trades: coppersmiths, silk merchants, spice sellers, soapmakers. Much of it was destroyed in 2012–2013, but sections have been painstakingly cleared and the stone vaulting, where it survived, is being restored.