Souq Wagif

Visiting the city of Doha would not be completed unless one sits in one of the coffee shops at Souq Waqif and enjoys the tranquility that the place possesses. Souq Waqif is one of the best and favored destinations for many citizens and visitors, because it offers a genuine cultural atmosphere that is inspired through the ancient-looking buildings. The souq provides the visitors with the appealing sense of the Arabic and Islamic civilizations that are remarkably outstanding on the detailed and mesmerizing designs. The whole concept of having a distinguished design of the souq’s buildings is to identify the visitors with the story of Qatar back in the days when houses were built from clay, and notice the major transformation that occurred over the years. With the availability of traditional stores, visitors experience the old shopping habits that revolved around Qataris and merchandise.






‘Wagif’ in Arabic means standing in a rigid position, but this name was not the very first name that was used to call this souq. It was known as Souq Almakbarah, which means cemetery souq. Previously, there used to be a cemetery that was right in front of Souq Wagif, but it was then taken over to build a parking area for the visitors, and that was when the name changed to ‘Wagif’. One of the outstanding features of the souq, is the first hotel built in Doha that was named ‘BismAllah’ when it first was built. The hotel consists of 15 rooms and a restaurant next to the reception area.





Aside from the hotel, there is ‘Asheerij Café’ that serves traditional coffee and dishes such as Harees, algeemta, madrooba and bajela. This café has an open space right on its second floor for visitors to enjoy shisha in the fresh air. Also, it attracts people to come in by hosting various khaliji musicals to rise up the traditional atmosphere.





What I personally like about Souq Wagif is the diverse atmosphere that is built when citizens and tourists come together. A group of foreign people can sit in a traditional coffee shop and discuss an entirely different culture. This sort of interaction remarks the fondness that occurs between two totally different cultures that are brought together for amusement and relaxation.