This season, celebrate with Souk el Akel 10 unforgettable nights in Tripoli. It's your chance to discover the old souks, the beautiful souks of Tripoli, Lebanon;s second biggest city. Souk el Akel will be live from KHAN EL ASKAR where more than 35 stands will entertain you with local and international food. Shisha, Trick-track, entertainment, Tawleh and many other activities are on the menu.
"Souk el Akel" Ramadan will be at Khan el Askar in Tripoli from the 9th to the 18th. Events start after Iftar until Souhour.
For the first time in Lebanon, Souk el Akel is creating a one-of-a-kind Ramadan experience taking you on a "one thousand and one nights" journey. A very special decoration, sofas and lounges, unique food, mouthwatering sweets, and shisha while listening to your favorite oriental tunes, dervishes and playing tric-trac. Witness a marvelous city come back to life for the unity of Lebanon, #a7labaladbel3alam.
- Where: Tripoli
- When: 9-18th June
- Time: 8pm, 3am
- Location: 34.437933, 35.845129
When the Mamluks raised Tripoli in 1289 the Crusader castle was burned out and was not habitable as a garrison center until it was restored by the na’ib of Tripoli, Emir Esendemir al-Kurji in 1308. So a barracks composed of three large buildings was built in the newly founded Mamluk city for the Sultan troops. The Khan al-Askar or "Soldiers’ Khan" was so well built that, with repairs, it was used by successive Ottoman and French forces down to modern times. The two northern buildings, entered from the northeast and northwest respectively, are separated from the southern building by a narrow alley. However, these edifices have been plastered and restored so often that they are impressive today only by their size.
The courtyards of the Khan are surrounded by pointed Mamluk arches and the main portals display Mamluk decorative motifs. Just inside the main front northeast entrance is a pointed arch gate, now walled up and forming only an alcove. The arch is flanked by two engaged columns, a fine example of Mamluk ornamentation. In back of the main Khan, half way down the narrow alley which separates it from the south building is another sculptured facade which has survived to our day. Inside the walled-up arch are carved stalactite and palm-leaf motifs.
