Al-Musawkaf Market, Unaizah

Al-Musawkaf Market is a traditional heritage market in the city of Unaizah, in the Qassim region of central Saudi Arabia. Its name means the roofed market in the local dialect, a reference to the old markets of Najd, whose lanes were covered to protect people from the heat of the sun.

Unaizah was one of the leading trading centres of Najd, and its merchants were known for their journeys to Iraq, the Levant and India; an active old market stood at its centre. Al-Musawkaf was created in modern times in the form of those earlier markets, to recover their appearance and preserve the crafts and customs connected with them. It was built in the Najdi style, with mud-finished walls, carved wooden doors and ceilings of tamarisk wood and palm fronds.

The market contains small shops facing one another along its lanes, selling handicrafts, heritage implements, antiques, dates, clarified butter and traditional foods. It has a square where folk arts, auctions and events are held. The market is valued by the people of Unaizah as a place where older and younger generations meet.