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Khan el-Khalili: A Labyrinth of Narrow Alleys

January 9, 2013
An ottoman period mosque located across the 14th-century madrasa in Khan El-Khalili

Marketplaces have often been used in films and TV shows to display an adventure that takes place amidst a chaotic environment. In the new Bond movie, Skyfall, James Bond is seen chasing an assailant through Istanbul’s Eminonu Square – one of Turkey’s oldest squares and a main tourist attraction – and into the Grand Bazaar filled with hundreds of market stalls and laneways that one could easily get lost in.

James Bond at the Grand Bazaar in Turkey’s Eminonu Square.

That chaotic environment that is displayed on the silver screen is not specifically tailored for the camera – it is authentic and is a highlight of marketplaces in the Middle East and the Arab World. One of these markets is Khan El-Khalili. Khan El-Khalili dates back to 1382 and is located in Cairo’s old Islamic district. Since its inception, the marketplace has attracted visitors from all over the globe. More recently, it remains as one of the top tourist destinations in Cairo, and was featured in several Arab films and literature, such as Midaq Alley by the Nobel Laureate, Naguib Mahfouz.


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