The city of Aleppo within Syria is home to the largest enclosed souk in the Middle East. Except for the westernized addition of satellite dishes (known as Devil's Antennae) nothing has changed much from ancient times as witnessed by the architectural influences of the Byzantine Empire. The stall holders are grouped in accordance to the wares and products they present. Merchants, selling items such as exotic perfumes; silk items and gold are more appropriately and quite strategically positioned in close proximity to the Mosque.
The merchants seem to enjoy amiable and happy relations with one another over competiveness and the least fortunate of merchants is afforded a visit from a new customer, provided on the recommendation of their kind and generous neighbor.
Although, the street is a hustle and bustle with commotion, the crafters seem to tend to their trade totally focused upon the work set before them. Herein, the scene suggests that time has virtually stood still for countless centuries.
The arched passageway is the souk's primary path. Daylight attempts to peek through the dust laden air. Here are the perfected scents of various spices.
The souk becomes most busy with shoppers finding their ways past active stalls.
A merchant normally carries his wares on his back while his slightly more prosperous neighbor hires a donkey for the task.
One product, very common in the stalls, are olives. You will find olives prevalent in Syrian cuisine. This naturally is because of the abundance of olive trees which grow easily in the warm sun of the Mediterranean (climate.) Many of the souk's traders are most fortunate in attaining a steady income from the plentiful harvest afforded to them from the olive trees.
Within the city of Aleppo itself, many culturally and significant architectural landmarks exist, complimenting even further the traditional souk. There is the citadel dating back to the 1200s, the mosque with its roots firmly planted within the twelfth century and a variety of palaces dating back to the 1600s.
Relevant to Aleppo's history is the tiled courtyard of the city's great Mosque. The current structure dates back to the twelfth century and stands on the site of a prior mosque constructed in 715 A.D. The original mosque was destroyed in 1169.
Conclusively, while the city's souk dates from the 1200s, the largest portion of the souk was constructed by the Ottomans. This occurred after they “captured” the city of Aleppo in the early 1500s. Subsequently, Aleppo flourished for centuries as traders from Baghdad brought exotic wares such as the finest silks and muslins as well as coffee and various spices.
Other traders from places like France and Venice and England also visited the souk with their products.
Historically, the Industrial Revolution along with the outside acquisition of land by the Europeans caused activities to subside somewhat, thus, putting an end to much of the merchant exchange found on the historic silk road. In effect, a great deal of Aleppo's prominence died out.
