A covered market since 1822
Al-Qaisariyah Market stands in the al-Rifaa neighbourhood of al-Hufuf, part of the city's historic centre. Built in 1822, it spreads over more than 15,000 m², with over 422 shops and fourteen gates. The shops line parallel corridors under a roof open enough to let in daylight and air.
It was rebuilt in 1916 under King Abdulaziz. After a fire in 2001, it was rebuilt again in its traditional style, with original materials and its original plan.
What it sells
This is a working craft market: shoemaking, Sadu weaving, brassware, leather, and the making of the agal and the bisht. A section is given to traditional foods, al-Ahsa dates, spices and herbs.
Al-Ahsa's market life runs well beyond these walls. The governorate holds 36 weekly markets, including a Thursday morning market in al-Hufuf and al-Mubarraz, and the year-round date market at Ain Najm trades an estimated SAR 200 million a year. Nearby stands Ibrahim Palace.