Khan-Al-Khalili is a large market in the Muslim neighbourhood of Cairo, one of the city's striking landmarks. The square that Khan-Al-Khalili occupies was originally the site of the Saffron Tomb mausoleum, the burial place of the Fatimid caliphs. Emir Al-Khalili ordered the destruction of the Fatimid cemetery in 1382 in order to build a large caravanserai. At that time, this was the central district of Cairo, the centre of commercial and economic activity. Later, numerous commercial establishments were built here. By the end of the 15th century, the area had become a major centre of foreign trade, which included the sale of slaves and precious stones.
Sultan Al-Ghuri (1501-1516) undertook a major campaign to demolish dilapidated, chaotic buildings and reconstruct the city, and the design of the quarter was changed. Al-Khalili was demolished along with all the religious and funerary complexes erected during this period. In 1511, a shopping complex with monumental gates and perpendicular streets, reminiscent of similar establishments in Ottoman cities, was erected in its place. The arches of the gate and the upper floors of the adjacent ancient office building, the vikala al-Qutn (cotton gate), have been partially preserved from the original 14th-century market and caravanserai. Two other monumental structures, the Bab Al-Badistan and Bab Al-Ghuri gates, date from the early 16th century.
With the beginning of Al-Ghuri's rule, the district became associated with Turkish traders; during the Ottoman period, Cairo's Turkish community settled here. The Khan El-Khalili market is now occupied mainly by Egyptian rather than foreign vendors, heavily orientated towards tourists. Shops usually sell souvenirs, antiques and jewellery, and there is a separate "gold market".
In addition to shops, the market has several cafes with traditional cuisine, many stalls with street food, coffee shops offer an Arabic version of a popular drink and hookah. One of the oldest and most famous cafes is Fishawi, opened in 1773. The Al-Hussein and Al-Azhar mosques are nearby.
