Every city has a traditional market that is a kind of landmark, where people from all walks of life gather to sell or buy anything and everything at bargain prices. In Cairo there is Souk El-Gomaa, the Friday Market.
Located under El-Tonsi Bridge in the middle of the City of the Dead, not far from the Salah Eldin Citadel, Souk El-Gomaa – as its name suggests – is only open on Fridays, from dawn to sunset.
At the market, you will find almost anything that can be bought or sold: furniture, mobile phones, tools, electric appliances, ceramic tiles, clothes, shoes, animals, bicycles, coins, stamps, antique chandeliers, to name a few.
Prices are incredibly cheap, almost to a shocking extent. A product that costs LE 400 in regular shops may sell for LE 100 at the Friday Market. A shirt comes with a price tag of LE 10-15 and a pair of shoes at around LE 50-70.
But there’s a very good reason why prices are so low. The goods on sale at Souk El-Gomaa are stolen, second-hand or brand new but flawed. Others are merely junk. But if you are looking for spare parts, this is the place to go.
Some of the main attractions of Souk El-Gomaa are animals. Pet-lovers and owners are in the market to buy or sell cats, dogs, snakes or even crocodiles at reasonable prices compared to city shops. Pet food and accessories are also on sale.
You’ll have to squeeze your way through the narrow, overcrowded pathways of the market, which is spread out next to the railway of the cargo train that runs between Cairo and Suez. The bizarre nature of the market’s location makes it a special place to visit.
There are no organized display shelves or shops, so vendors place their goods on the ground on sheets or lay them out on mall tables. All you really have to do to advertise your product is stand there and hold it up where people can see. Some vendors use drums and dance around to attract customers. Others shout at the top of their lungs, especially clothes vendors “Anything for LE 10.
Souk El-Gomaa customers are mainly from the lower income class who sacrifice quality for price, opting for goods that look more expensive but are within the price range they can afford. Many are in the market for furniture for their new homes, while some tourists and the well-to-do go to take pictures or buy pets.
In 2004, the Cairo Governorate planned to relocate Souk El-Gomaa to ease the crowd and control the chaos, but these plans evaporated into thin air as the market has carved a niche for itself in that very location.
One last word of advice, don’t take anything valuable along because you never know – you may just find it on sale on your next visit.
