Souq El-Fustat, or Fustat market, is located at the heart of the old Cairo district. It houses some 50 galleries with Egyptian handicrafts that struggle to survive for fear of the danger of extinction.
The souq is surrounded by a number of Islamic, Christian, and Jewish monuments in the section known as the Religious Complex that add more grandeur and authenticity to the souq with its unique crafts.
Souq El Fustat was established in 2002. “The area was previously a rubbish dump until an agreement was made between the Cairo Governorate in which the area lies and the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry, represented by the Tourism Development Authority, to turn this 2000-meter area into a tourism market,” Ehab Ahmed Awad, the Director of Marketing at Souq El Fustat, told Majalla.
“The aim of its establishment is to preserve the handicrafts in danger of extinction due to the use of machines and factories,” he added.
According to him, Egypt has 127 traditional arts and handicrafts, which are facing extinction over time. “By establishing the Souq we help to preserve as large a number of these crafts as we can.”
FUSTAT HISTORY
Legend says that in the 6th century, a dove laid an egg in the tent of the Muslim conqueror of Egypt, Amr Ibn Al-Aas, which had been pitched north of the Roman Fortress of Babylon. This happened just before he began his march on Alexandria in 646.
When Ibn al-Aas saw the dove, he left the tent untouched and went off with his soldiers to battle. When they returned victoriously, Ibn al-Aas told his troops to pitch their tents around his. He thought that the dove’s choice of the tent as a nesting place was a divine sign from God that this location should be the capital of Egypt.
Ibn al-Aas established a city on that site and named it Fustat, which means “tent” in Arabic. In 642, he built his mosque, the first in Egypt and the whole of Africa, also in the area designated by the egg. Over the centuries, it has been rebuilt and extended and became a mecca to pray for thousands of worshippers hailing from the Egyptian governorates, especially in the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
Fustat was a prosperous city, with shady streets, gardens and markets. It remained the capital of Egypt for nearly 500 years. However, its history as the seat of administrative power was interrupted many times.
At the end of Fatimid rule, Fustat witnessed the darkest moments of its history, when the Crusaders tried to invade it.
Shawar, the Fatimid vizier, ordered Fustat to be evacuated. The citizens had to leave behind their money and property and flee with their children to the nearby city called Cairo, founded in 969.
The vizier then had about 10,000 fire bombs distributed round Fustat. For more than 40 days, flames and smoke engulfed the city.
Fustat remained a ghost town for several years and lost its status as capital of Egypt, the title ultimately being taken up by Cairo.
LANDMARKS
In addition to Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque, the area is rich in many monuments. The Hanging Church is one of the oldest in Egypt, dating back to the 3rd Century AD. The Hanging Church was given its name because it was built above one of the gatehouses of the Babylon Fortress, the Roman fortress in Old Cairo.
The Fortress of Babylon is one of the most important Roman monuments in the country. The fortress was built in the second half of the 6th Century BC, when Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon (605 BC - 562 BC), occupied and ruled Egypt.
After the Muslim conquest of the Levant, between 634–638 AD, and its liberation from Roman rule, the Muslim conquest reached Egypt in 642 AD, led by Ibn al-Aas.
The Muslim army besieged the Babylon fortress, with the Romans holed up inside. The siege lasted seven months, but the Romans escaped before the fort fell to the Muslims.
Another landmark is the Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church, also known as Abu Serga Church, which was established on a site that was one of the most famous places associated with the Holy Family's journey to Egypt.
Due to its association with the blessed journey, Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church became one of the most important religious and cultural tourism destinations for Egyptians and foreigners.
HANDICRAFTS AT SOUQ EL FUSTAT
The market’s design is in Islamic Fatimid style. Its ceiling is covered by domes, like those of Amr Ibn al-Aas Mosque.
The souq is preserving the environment insofar as it has no air conditioning and its ceiling is sufficiently high to ventilate the area naturally.
Once entering, many visitors feel positive energy in the place.
“It is the only building designed like that in Egypt,” Awad added.
The market is made of hashmi stone like that used in Fortress of Babylon.
Among the handicrafts made by skilled artisans at the market are products of wood, leather, copper, silver accessories, carpets, tableaus, potteries, glass, ceramics and even children's toys made of wood such as shadow puppets.
“The toys are struggling to survive due to the Chinese-made toys that are scattered in many shops, despite their low quality and harmfulness to health,” Awad said.
In the market, the leather artisan makes bags according to the consumer’s preferred design. The galleries covered handicrafts from all Egyptian governorates.
There are handicrafts from Siwa Oasis, 560 km from Cairo, such as products made from rock salt, olive oil and fabric. In addition, one can find products from Nubia, Sohag and South and North Sinai.
Awad said that most of the artisans have their workshops inside their bazaars. “The carpet maker has an old loom in his gallery, for example,” he said.
Despite the antiquity of the area and richness of the handicrafts, there are few visitors and the souq seems to have opened just a few minutes ago. However, the artisans are sitting inside their glass-fronted shops busy making handcrafts.
Awad complains that the non-profit souq is unknown to most Egyptians and foreigners alike.
“Most tourist groups come to have their meals inside the market at a tourist restaurant planned in their trip schedule. When they do so, they have a look at the market's galleries,” he said.
“I hope people would know this place and see the unmatched, unique products of the artists and encourage them to keep the handicrafts alive.”
