A shopkeeper in his stall in Al Madina Souk in Aleppo, Syria, before it was largely destroyed during the Syrian civil war.

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Al Madina Souk in Aleppo, Syria, before it was largely destroyed during the Syrian civil war. Stretching over 12 hectares and dating back to the 13th century, Aleppo's souk was the biggest in the world. It was classified a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986. It's a rabbit warren of stone-wall alleyways and hidey-hole courtyards, brimming with hurried shoppers and hawkers who push and shout their way along worn cobbled lanes. Aleppo is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth; historians claim the site has been lived in for more than 8000 years. Its position at the cross-roads from Europe, Asia and Africa made it a strategic hub for trade.

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Size: 3600px × 5558px
Location: Al Madina Souk, Aleppo, Syria
Photo credit: © Leisa Tyler / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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