Located between the main road and the beach along the Persian Gulf, the Old Souq of Al Wakrah was rehabilitated and opened to the public in 2014. It is designed as an exact replica of the fishing village that existed there in the 19th century. In the 1970s, French archaeologists described it as one of the most beautiful architectural ensembles in Qatari heritage. The souk is divided into sections – spices, perfumes, fabrics, carpets, gold, pearls, swords, etc. – similar to the Waqif Souq in Doha. The buildings have been reconstructed in the traditional gypsum-plastered wattle and daub architecture, and decorated with stucco and painted plaster. The interior walls are decorated with niches, clerestories, decorative panels, and friezes.