Bazaar of Tabriz

The Bazaar of Tabriz (Template:Langx, also Romanized as Bāzār-e Tabriz Template:Langx, also Romanized as Tabriz Bazari) is a historic market in central Tabriz, Iran. It is one of the oldest bazaars in the Middle East and the largest covered bazaar in the world.<ref>Mehdipour, H.R.N, "Persian Bazaar and Its Impact on Evolution of Historic Urban Cores: The Case of Isfahan," The Macrotheme Review [A multidisciplinary Journal of Global Macro Trends], Vol. 2, no. 5, 2013, p.14</ref> It is one of Iran's UNESCO World Heritage Sites.<ref name="Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

Tabriz has been a place of cultural exchange since antiquity. Its historic bazaar complex is one of the most important commercial centres on the Silk Road. A bazaar has existed on the same site since the early periods of Iranian urbanism following Islam. The bazaar was mentioned by the Venetian traveler Marco Polo, who claimed to have passed through it while journeying on the Silk Road. <ref>Assari,A., Mahesh, T.M., Emtehani, M.E. and Assari, E., "Comparative Sustainability of Bazaar in Iranian Traditional Cities: Case Studies of Isfahan and Tabriz," International Journal on “Technical and Physical Problems of Engineering”, Vol. 3, no. 9, 2011, pp 18-24</ref>

Al-Maqdisi in 10th century, Yaqut al-Hamawi in ca. 1213 CE, Zakariya al-Qazwini in ca. 1252 CE, Marco Polo in 1271 CE, Odoric of Pordenone in ca. 1321 CE, Ibn Battuta in ca. 1330 CE, Ambrogio Contarini in 1474 CE, Hamdallah Mustawfi in around 13th to 14th century, John Cartwright in 1606 CE, Jean Chardin at the time of Suleiman I of Persia, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier in ca. 1636 CE, Giovanni Francesco Gemelli Careri in ca. 1642 CE and dozens of other explorers and historians have written about the Bazaar of Tabriz, which shows its importance and significance through the different periods of history.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Located in the center of the city of Tabriz, the structure is divided into rows, many devoted to particular categories of product. These include Amir Bazaar (for gold and jewelry), Mozzafarieh (hand woven rugs, sorted by knot size and type), Bashmakhchi Bazaar (shoes), Kiz Basdi Bazaar, and Rahli Bazaar (produce). Tabriz and its bazaar were at their most prosperous in the 16th century, when the town became the capital city of Safavid Iran. The city lost this status in the 17th century, but its bazaar has remained important as a commercial and economic hub in the region and on the silk road.<ref name="Ali Assari">Template:Cite journal</ref> Although numerous modern shops and malls have been established in recent years, Tabriz Bazaar has kept its vital role as economic hub of the city and northwestern Iran.<ref>Editorial Board, East Azarbaijan Geography, Iranian Ministry of Education, 2000 Text Book in Persian Template:Webarchive</ref>

The bazaar was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in July 2010.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Ceremonies

The bazaar is used for some important religious ceremonies.

Restoration

In 2000, the Historical Hermitages Organization of Iran begin a restoration project of the Bazaar, with the full participation of the shop owners. The rehabilitation project won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2013.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Photo gallery

• Mozzaffariyeh 2.jpg

  Mozaffarieh, a major row for hand woven rugs in Tabriz Grand Bazaar.

• Ceiling of Mozaffariyeh, Grand Bazzar of Tabriz, IRAN.jpg

  Mozaffariyeh, Bazaar of Tabriz.

• Mozaffariyeh Arcade.jpg

  One of two entrance gates to Mozzafariyeh.

• Bazaar of Tabriz - April 2009.jpg

  Dome in Amir row of Bazaar.

• Amir Timche.jpg

  َCaravanserai near Amir row.

• Bazaar of Tabriz, carvaansray.jpg

  A caravanserai in the Bazaar of Tabriz.

• Gan-Dallazan Bazar, Tabriz, Iran.jpg

  Gan Bazaar, translates to wider bazaar, a row in Tabriz Grand Bazaar.

• Gan-Dallazan Bazar II, Tabriz, Iran.jpg

  Gan Bazaar, a row in Tabriz Grand Bazaar.

• Tabriz Grand Bazar.jpg
• The world heritage base of Tabriz historical market complex 1.jpg
• Beautiful architecture tabriz bazaar.jpg
• Bazar 105.jpg
• Tabriz Bazar 002.jpg
• Tabriz Bazar 003.jpg
• Tabriz Bazar 001.jpg
• Amiralley-Tabriz.JPG
• Bazaar of Tabriz.JPG
• Bazaar of gold, tabriz.jpg
• The Bazar at Tabriz.jpg
• Carpet Bazaar of Tabriz.JPG
• CarpetBazaar.Tabriz.jpg
• CarpetBazaar2.Tabriz.jpg
• Iran bazar tabriz street scene.jpg
• Tabriz-Carpet Bazaar.jpg
• TabrizBazaar.JPG
• TabrizBazar.jpg

Further reading

• Gregorian, Vartan (2003). The Road to Home: My Life and Times. New York: Simon & Schuster.
• Levinson, David; Christensen, Karen (2002). Encyclopedia of Modern Asia. New York: Scribner's.
• Swiętochowski, Thaddeus (1995). Russia and Azerbaijan: A Borderland in Transition. New York: Columbia University Press.
• Hosseini, Hamid-Rezā (2 August 2010). "وسیع ترین بازار ایران" [Largest bazaar in Iran]. Jadid Online. Template:In lang

External links

• Tishineh
• "The Grand Bazaar of Tabriz" (audio slideshow with English subtitles). Jadid Online.