Exhibition
Castles and Bazaars in the Middle East

The forthcoming 4 x 4 metre model of Aleppo Bazaar will recreate the bustling, busy atmosphere of the narrow passageways of the Souk and accurately show how life was at the time of the Crusades.  

In the Aleppo Bazaar tradesmen bargain with each other over goods and animals, men relax and discuss business in the bath house, a talented belly dancer delights her audience and the stalls in the market creak under the weight of the fruit, vegetables, fish and spices on offer.  Over 700 hand-painted and individually dressed figures fill the hectic streets and thousands of hand-finished items fill the bazaar.

Alongside the Aleppo Bazaar will be a 1:25 scale 6 x 6 metre model of the Castle of Crac Des Chevaliers.  A total of 1500 hand-finished figures will act out the siege carried out in 1252 by the forces under the Commander of Aleppo.   The cross-section of the castle will reveal how it was constructed. 

The first stage of the Aleppo Bazaar model was on show earlier this year at the House of the Architects in Düsseldorf, Germany.  The completed model will be ready for exhibition at the beginning of 2005.