The Turkish bazaar in Akko
Acre has been completely abandoned for 450 years, since 1291 when the Crusaders were expelled. After this period, a new city was built over the remains of the Crusader city. The construction was started by a Bedouin ruler, Dahar al-Omar (1775-1750), who established an independent kingdom in the Galilee and made Acre it's capital. He renewed the city walls, cleaned the harbor and built his own palace in the city. In 1775, an Egyptian Ottoman officer named Ahmed al-Jazar besieged Acre and executed Dahar al-Omar as a rebel under Ottoman rule. Ahmed al-Jazar continued Dahar al-Omar's enterprise and established Acre as a major trading town of the entire region. During his time, many mosques, baths (hammams), khans and bazaars were built in the city to serve the citizens. The Turkish bazaar was built in the late 18th century as an urban market for the service of the local population. The market was abandoned in 1948 with the occupation of the Old City by the IDF and was recently opened as a bazaar for artisans and craftsmanship. Today, there are small shops in the bazaar that specialize in selling souvenirs and art objects to tourists.