Khan Al-Tujjar (Fabric Market)

Site description: It is one of the most beautiful and well-organized khans and markets in Nablus, similar to its counterparts in the major Islamic capitals and cities in Istanbul, Damascus, Aleppo, Jerusalem, and Acre. These Ottoman khans and markets adopted a unified architectural and functional pattern. It is known as Khan Al-Tajjar, called the Fabric Market. It retains its original function, and witnesses active commercial activity throughout the year.It was built at the northern end of the Old City and is located along Al-Khan Street, to which it is attributed. The Khan dates back to the Ottoman period, as it was established by the governor of the Levant, Minister Mustafa Pasha, during his tenure between (1563-1569 AD).The Khan consists of two opposite rows of commercial shops, separated by a road that is three and a half meters wide. This road is surmounted by a stone roof divided by a system of intersecting domes along its entire length, which reaches about 200 meters in an east-west direction. Each dome of the arches has an upper opening that aims to pass sunlight and ventilate the Khan; it includes fifty shops on both sides of it, most of which are for selling clothes.The Khan has three eastern and western gates and one in the center, leading to the northern side, where the gold market was established in later periods. Facing this gate from the south side is a stone staircase leading to Al-Nasr Mosque; the gate faces from the south side a stone staircase leading to Al-Nasr Mosque, and it is considered the most beautiful of the three gates, preceded by a high semi-circular dome surrounded by several small windows for lighting and ventilation. The facade of this gate, which overlooks the inside of the Khan, was built in the form of two overlapping arches. And several beautiful circular motifs are distributed over the arch of the gate, and in the center of the arch, there is a stone frame figure that appears to have included an inscription that was later removed from its location.The Khan witnessed many restoration and renovation works, the most important of which was in 1690 AD. Then in 1927 AD, it was restored following the earthquake that hit the city that year. In 1997, the Nablus municipality carried out renovation and restoration works, including removing the Khan's floors that were paved with royal stone tiles and replacing them with new stone tiles. However, after the occupation forces invaded the city in 2002 and destroyed the Khan, many parts of what was destroyed by the occupation forces were renovated and restored.Historian Abdullah Kalbouna confirms that this Khan used to include a hostel for traders to rest, a small mosque, and warehouses that were demolished during the later ages, or converted into shops.