Walking through Al-Qaisariyah market is a bit like taking a stroll through the pages of a history book. While most other once-impressive buildings and settlements crumbled and fell, often with replacements built upon their ruined foundations, the souq survived.
The exact date when trading began at the market is unknown but descriptions of it can be found in travelers’ journals and history books that suggest that it is about 150 years old. The market building is a true architectural gem and the main attraction in Al-Ahsa region. It is covered by a ceiling to provide shade from the desert sun, built in the old style using intertwined wooden beams. It was damaged by a fire in 2001, but the authorities worked swiftly and carefully to carry out repairs and preserve its unique history.
As word of its beauty and rich history has spread in the Kingdom and across the Gulf, so it has grown in popularity as a tourist attraction. The market occupies about 7,000 square meters and has 420 shops selling a wide range of goods, including traditional clothes for men and women, incense, local perfumes and copper kitchen utensils.
Despite all this activity, as you walk through the market it is very peaceful and the shopkeepers are friendly and welcoming. The longer you spend there, the more delights you will discover; for example, the small well in the back of the souq.
A visit to this market is more than simply a shopping expedition, it is a journey back in time and a chance to become part of its ongoing history.
ThePlace: Souq Al-Qaisariyah in Al-Ahsa
ThePlace: Souq Al-Qaisariyah in Al-Ahsa
- The market occupies about 7,000 square meters and has 420 shops selling a wide range of goods
KSrelief distributes cartons of dates in Jundiai, Brazil
- The center distributed 1,480 food baskets to the displaced and other vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, women, and the elderly, in Kassala State in Sudan, benefiting 10,360 individuals, representing 1,480 families
JUNDIAI: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has distributed 1,600 cartons of dates in Jundiai, Sao Paulo, Brazil, benefiting 200 families, including host community members, refugees, and immigrants. This initiative is part of a project to distribute 200 tonnes of dates in Brazil in 2026.
The center also distributed 1,504 cartons of dates to the most vulnerable families in Brazil’s Mogi das Cruzes, benefiting 188 families from the host community, refugees, and migrants, as part of a project to distribute 200 tonnes of dates in the Latin American country.
This initiative is part of the many relief and humanitarian projects provided by the Kingdom through its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, to support those affected by disasters worldwide.
Elsewhere, the center distributed 1,480 food baskets to the displaced and other vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, women, and the elderly, in Kassala State in Sudan, benefiting 10,360 individuals, representing 1,480 families.
