Souq Al Alawi

Souq Al Alawi features a narrow, winding corridor lined with coral-stone buildings and weathered wooden shutters. This marketplace serves as the central artery of the historic district, funneling pilgrims toward the city gates for centuries. During the annual Hajj season, traders from across the Islamic world crowded these stalls to sell incense, textiles, and spices. Shopkeeper Ahmed Ba-Ishan once kept a journal here, noting how the scent of frankincense and the sounds of diverse languages created a constant, vibrating energy.