The Qaysari Bazaar: Erbil's Covered Market
- Jamal Latif
- 5 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
The Qaysari Bazaar of Erbil is the historic covered market at the heart of one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth — a labyrinth of narrow, roofed alleys spreading out just below the great Citadel of Erbil. A traditional Kurdish covered bazaar of a kind found across the region, first established many centuries ago, it has been the beating commercial heart of the city for generations, its lanes filled with the colour, scent, and bustle of trade. Spices, textiles, gold, tea, honey, and every manner of goods change hands here, as they have for ages. The Qaysari is a living monument to the enduring life of old Hewlêr.
A maze of covered lanes below the Citadel, alive with trade as it has been for centuries, the Qaysari is the bustling heart of old Erbil. This profile looks at the bazaar, its life, and its setting.
Key Takeaways
• The Qaysari is the historic covered bazaar of Erbil (Hewlêr).
• It lies just below the ancient Citadel at the centre of the city.
• It was first established centuries ago, by tradition in the medieval era.
• It is a maze of roofed alleys, each known for particular goods.
• It remains the bustling commercial heart of the old city.
Quick Facts
Name: Qaysari Bazaar (Bazarê Qeyserî)
Type: Historic covered market (bazaar)
Country / Region: Kurdistan Region, Iraq (Başur)
City: Erbil (Hewlêr)
Location: Below the Citadel of Erbil
Established: By tradition in the medieval era
Goods: Spices, textiles, gold, tea, honey, and more
Character: Maze of roofed alleys, trade by quarter
Contents
Where Is the Qaysari?
The Qaysari Bazaar lies at the very centre of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, spreading out just south of the famous Citadel of Erbil, the great mound that has been inhabited for thousands of years. The bazaar wraps around the foot of the citadel, between it and the city’s main square, so that the oldest and most storied quarters of Hewlêr are gathered together in one place — ancient fortress above, teeming market below.
A Covered Bazaar
A qaysari is a particular kind of covered bazaar, found across Kurdistan and the wider region, and Erbil’s is among the most extensive. By tradition it was first established in the early thirteenth century, and it has been rebuilt and added to many times across the centuries. Shoppers enter through the many alleys that surround it and find themselves in a maze of narrow paths between the shops, walking beneath a roof that shelters the lanes from sun and rain. The covered form keeps the market cool in the fierce heat of summer and dry in winter, and gives the bazaar its distinctive, enclosed, timeless atmosphere.
The Life of the Market
The Qaysari is organised, as old bazaars often are, by trade: particular alleys are known for particular goods, so that one lane offers gold and jewellery, another textiles and cloth, another spices, and another honey, yogurt, and cheeses. Tea vendors carry glasses of Kurdish chai through the lanes, and many shops offer it freely to their customers as a gesture of hospitality. The bazaar grows especially lively before great festivities, above all Newroz, the Kurdish new year, when crowds throng its lanes. It is a place not only of commerce but of encounter, conversation, and the daily life of the city.
Below the Citadel
The Qaysari’s setting beneath the Citadel of Erbil binds it to the deep history of the city. The citadel mound, raised by thousands of years of continuous habitation and inscribed as a World Heritage Site, towers above the market, and the two have lived in relationship for centuries — the seat of power and shelter above, the place of trade and exchange below. To walk the lanes of the Qaysari and then climb to the citadel is to move through the layered heart of one of the oldest cities on earth.
The Qaysari Today
Today the Qaysari Bazaar remains the bustling commercial and social heart of old Erbil, drawing both the people of the city about their daily business and visitors who come to experience its atmosphere. Though the modern city has grown vast around it, with malls and new districts, the old covered bazaar keeps its life and its character. A living market at the foot of an ancient citadel, the Qaysari endures as one of the most vivid and enduring places in the Kurdish capital — a thread of continuity reaching back through the long history of Hewlêr.
Timeline
early 13th century — By tradition, the Qaysari bazaar is first established.
over the centuries — It is rebuilt and expanded as the city’s commercial heart.
2014 — The citadel above it is inscribed as a World Heritage Site.
modern era — The bazaar keeps its life as the city grows around it.
today — The Qaysari remains the bustling heart of old Erbil.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Qaysari Bazaar?
It is the historic covered market of Erbil, a maze of roofed alleys just below the Citadel, and the traditional commercial heart of the city.
Where is it?
It lies at the centre of Erbil (Hewlêr), the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, just south of the ancient Citadel.
How old is the bazaar?
By tradition the Qaysari was first established in the early thirteenth century, and it has been rebuilt and expanded many times since.
What can you buy there?
The bazaar is organised by trade, with alleys offering gold, textiles, spices, honey, dairy, tea, and all manner of goods, along with the famous free Kurdish chai.
Related People, Places, and Topics
Kurdish bazaars · Newroz · the old city of Hewlêr · Erbil · the Citadel of Erbil · the Sulaymaniyah Museum.
References and Further Reading
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