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Souq Al-Hamidiyah

سوق الحميدية

Damascus's most famous covered historic market, running from Marjeh Square to the western gate of the Umayyad Mosque, named after Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II.

Souq al-Hamidiyah is the most famous of Damascus's historic covered markets, stretching roughly 600 metres from Al-Thawra Street in the west to the western gate of the Umayyad Mosque in the east, following the ancient route of the Roman "Via Recta" (Straight Street) that once formed the backbone of Roman Damascus.

The market takes its name from Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, under whose reign it was renovated and roofed in the late 19th century, replacing the old wooden cover with an arched corrugated-iron roof. Small scattered holes in the metal let sunlight filter through in narrow beams, creating a distinctive play of light inside the market throughout the day.

The souq dates to the Ottoman era and was built along the axis of the Roman route to the Temple of Jupiter around 1780 under Sultan Abdul Hamid I, and later extended under Abdul Hamid II. It is covered by a metal arch about ten metres tall, and the massive columns of the Roman Temple of Jupiter stand at its entrance. The 1898 Handbook for Travellers "Palestine and Syria" described it as a "new bazaar" and "handsomely decorated" and noted several Arab confectioners selling "ices", which were very popular.

The souq is lined with hundreds of shops selling traditional Damascene goods -- fabrics, silk, spices, and Middle Eastern sweets such as the famous Arabic ice cream (booza) -- alongside souvenirs and handicrafts.

For the visitor

Photos

Photos: Dosseman — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA) · Frank Kidner — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA) · Somar Samrah — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)