Over the past centuries, Al-Qaisariyya Market in the Al-Ahsa region in eastern Saudi Arabia has been considered one of the most important heritage landmarks during Ramadan. With the arrival of the blessed month, the narrow lanes of the market are crowded with visitors searching for their Ramadan supplies.
With the passage of time, Al-Qaysariya Market transformed from a place that met consumers’ needs for Ramadan supplies to one of the landmarks of the eastern region associated with the arrival of the holy month. Even those who do not want to buy any supplies go to it in order to feel the different Ramadan atmosphere in this place.
The market is located in the Al-Rifaa neighborhood in the city of Al-Hofuf, and includes about 422 shops, whose architectural designs mimic the ancient heritage of the people of the Eastern Region, including closed and covered corridors that are distinguished by their height to provide relief to visitors and take advantage of this for ventilation and natural lighting, which makes walking around the market a pleasure that makes you feel nostalgic for the past.
Al-Qaysariyya Market – which was considered the oldest and largest in the Gulf region – had a vital economic dimension extending from Al-Ahsa, which throughout its history played a role in driving the economic mobility of the Kingdom, in addition to a historical and cultural heritage dimension represented in the architecture of the market, its ramifications, its contents, its industries, professional crafts, and its products.
The market is distinguished by the diversity of its activities, fields and exhibits, which include traditional and copper industries, leather and shoe industries, and the sale of gold, watches, perfumes, fabrics, clothes, robes and abayas, men’s and women’s supplies, home furniture, electrical tools, household utensils, and food.
Historians said that during the reign of King Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud, the Qaysariyya market witnessed a renewal of the construction of the market, which until the twenties of the Hijri century consisted of separate shops, confirming that this market existed in the 19th century because travelers mentioned it in their memoirs, as well as the existence of documents. indicates that.
Historians have pointed out that what distinguishes the design of the Qaysariyya market is the doors of the shops, which are called (like a bank), and they consist of 3 pieces. Two pieces are on which the shop owner sits, and in them he places the (qafah) made of palm leaves, in which rice and coffee are kept. The third piece is raised to the top and tied to a wooden plank. In the wall, this type of door was unique to the Qaisariyat Al-Ahsa market, unlike any other old market in the Gulf region.
Before the advent of Ramadan, the “Qaisariyya Nights” festival was launched in the Eastern Province, which displays folk arts, handicrafts, and popular and traditional foods. It aims to highlight the importance of the market as a world heritage site. It has been registered by UNESCO, and as a member of the Global Creative Cities Network in the field of handicrafts and arts. Popularity.
With the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the demand for the market increases to participate in the annual heritage celebration “Gergean Day”. The Qaisariya Market is distinguished by not only being a place to celebrate this heritage occasion, but also the fact that it includes everything necessary to celebrate Gergean Day, including nuts and sweets that are distributed to children on this day. .
