Historic Aleppo market slowly shakes off the dust of war and earthquake

Life in Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city after the capital Damascus, rises from the womb of death, just as green plants and trees make their way to the sky amid burning black forests. Described as the "beating heart of the city", the historic Aleppo market is slowly regaining its spirit, in a scene that combines pain and hope. Since 2018, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), in collaboration with local partners, has been working on a programme to restore the historic market. These works included the rehabilitation of 8 main sections, the return of more than 277 shops to their owners, and the rehabilitation of about 500 metres of corridors within them. The Saqqiyah market is a major artery for the old markets in Aleppo, as it is located on the straight line that extends from the Bab Antakya to the Zorb market, according to Fatima Khawlandi, an architect at the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, who accompanied the Middle East team on their tour of the market. "The market, which specialises in the sale of nuts, was chosen as a model for AKTC’s restoration projects. The project has succeeded in restoring the market's lustre, handing over 53 stores, all of which are now operational,” she says.