Qeysari Bazaar • بازاڕى قه‌يسه‌رى

This is a large bazaar whose core was in the Ottoman era, with a modern expansion around mid-20th CENT buildings. Qeysari is the generic term for any covered bazaar, especially in Kurdish. Nicknamed the Citadel Bazaar, its location in the center of Erbil at the base of the ancient citadel suggests this was a prominent commercial center. Interestingly, the brickwork is an archaizing treatment that was put as a facade over the many relatively recent buildings. It makes for a visually clashing but interesting cocktail.