Khan Khalili in Cairo; The Egyptian Khan Khalili Bazaar
Khan El Khalili, Cairo, Egypt - There are different walking tours in Cairo, Egypt, which one will be involved with, such as Khan El Khalili, Cairo, Egypt, which is an old bazaar that tourists love to visit and see what it carries for them.
Khan El Khalili (خان الخليلي in Arabic) is one of the old souks in old Cairo which is not only an attraction for tourists, but even Egyptians consider it a treasure which they enjoy going to once in a while. Khan El Khalili is found in the Islamic district of old Cairo where there are different other places one could enjoy as well, such as El Moez street (
There is a long history behind Khan El Khalili which started with being the site of the mausoleum which was the burial site for the Fatimid caliphs. The Fatimid cemetery was then destroyed by the Amir Jaharkas Al-Khalili, the master of the stables during the Barqudi's first reign, to erect a large caravanserai at the heart of the city (which in Arabic is known as خان, which is a building that could house merchants and their goods) disposing the bones of the Fatimid family along the way and throwing them in the rubbish hills east of the city.
From that time, El Khan, which was located in the middle of Cairo's most important zone of economy, different buildings and mosques started to be built, and it also became a major souk of foreign trade where slaves and precious stones were sold.
Today, some of these old historical Islamic gates and buildings are still found, but in Cairo there is no more slaves being sold. Khan El Khalili bazaar or souk is now the place where different goods are being sold but which is now occupied by local merchants and not foreign ones; these souks mainly sell jewelry, souvenirs, and antiques.
For those visiting Khan El Khalili souks, we want to tell you that it is not just about the goods that you will buy, but there are different coffee shops and restaurants which you could sit at. The oldest coffee shop there, established in 1773, is called El -Fishawy, and which could serve Arabian coffee and tea and also serves shisha.
Before heading to this area, you should keep in mind that bargaining is highly needed there, so try to use your skills at this thing. It is also important to take the needed precautions in this area due to beggars and thieves; just make sure you are keeping your things safe and you are holding your bag correctly. This is considered a good place to bring Egyptian souvenirs back home with you.
Khan El Khalili is like a maze where you could keep walking without even managing to come across all the streets found there in the end, and that is pretty much the most interesting thing about this area. It is an interesting place to go there and enjoy the old Islamic buildings and get the chance to see how the old Egyptians used to live.
Being in this area, there are still other things which you could visit, such as heading to Al-Azhar area and university, which is the first university to be built in the Islamic world, head to El Moez street ( which is also in the same area and is a place that hosts several mosques ( Islamic buildings, and museums ( and which has been turned into an open air museum where tourists could walk without fearing the vehicles that are not allowed to enter the place.
Khan El Khalili generally is very close to different attractions in Cairo, Egypt, which are all considered part of old Cairo. We recommend that you visit the religious community (Mogamaa El Adyan) where the three different religions are found in the same place ( visit Cairo citadel ( where Muhammad Ali mosque is found and which gives people the chance to have a good view of Cairo ( and go for a walk or a good breeze in Al Azhar park where you could also get a chance to have a good view of old Cairo (
Being an old bazaar since the old days, and now attracting people to its cafes and restaurants, Khan El Khalili is also the place where the old Islamic historical places are found, so one will always enjoy a walk, Arabian coffee, and will manage to bring the right souvenirs for friends and family members back home.
Generally speaking, Cairo is filled with different tourist attractions that one could visit, such as going to the downtown area ( where the Egyptian Museum is found as well as the Islamic Art Museum. You could also head to Cairo Tower, go to the great pyramids of Giza, and visit some of the palaces that Pashas used to live in with their wives back in the old days, such as Mohamed Ali Palace, which is also known as Manial Palace (