Tabriz market The largest indoor market in the world

Tabriz market, located in the heart of this city, is the oldest market in the Middle East. Between the 12th and 18th centuries, the Grand Bazaar of Tabriz was considered one of the most important international cultural and commercial centers in Asia due to its strategic location. You can buy many types of high-quality and first-class goods such as hand-woven carpets, nuts and dried fruits, leather products, fabrics, spices, Tabriz handicrafts, etc. at a reasonable price in the Tabriz market. To learn more about this historical complex, in the rest of this article from the tourism magazine Fly Today be with us.

Where is Tabriz market?

Since the market of Tabriz is very large, you can enter the market from different entrances and you can access the market from the main streets of Tabriz, such as Raste Koche, Jumohori, and Chaina. The Tabriz market leads from the west to the Jame Mosque, from the east to Ali Qapu, and from the north to the north to parts of the Maidan Chayi river.

We should also say about the working hours of the Tabriz market. The working hours of the market cells are usually from 10:00 to 17:00. On official holidays, the market itself is closed and only the outer windows are open. This market is the place where you can for your loved ones Souvenirs of Tabriz provide.

History of Tabriz Grand Bazaar

We begin our journey to the Grand Bazaar of Tabriz by going through the history of this valuable building. The old market of Tabriz has 6,500 stalls, 40 rows, 25 timchehs, 11 entrance halls and several schools, mosques, caravanserais and baths, all of which together have created the most complete social complex among Iranian markets.

One of the main characteristics of the Tabriz market is the sale of traditional goods. Most of the goods that are sold in the historical market of Tabriz are handicrafts of Tabriz and Azerbaijan, leather bags and shoes, spices, herbs, nuts, cloth and glass.

Tabriz Grand Bazaar is known as one of the largest covered markets and brick complexes in the world. Tabriz Grand Bazaar is so important that it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.

Detailed information about the history of Tabriz Grand Bazaar in the pre-Islam era is not available, and most of the sources are related to tourists who have traveled to this market and written about it. This is why the Grand Bazaar of Tabriz is known as the most historical market in the Middle East. But what made Tabriz Grand Bazaar one of the most important markets in Iran and one of the most important commercial centers in the past is its location and being on the Silk Road. In general, the importance of Tabriz market is so much that it was considered as one of the gates of Tabriz in ancient times.

The name of Tabriz bazaar became popular since the Seljuk period. The paintings obtained from this period show that there was a building with the same use in the current location of the Tabriz market, but when Tabriz was chosen as the capital of Iran, this market became more important. At that time, there were 3 important trade centers on the Silk Road, one in China, another in Tabriz, and another in Rome. This fame and prosperity continued until the Safavid era, and merchants from all over the world and Iran came to Tabriz for business.

The architecture of Tabriz Grand Bazaar

The main structure of Tabriz market consists of two covered rows, one from north to south and the other from east to west. The width of the bazaar is between 4 and 5 meters and its height is between 5 and 6 meters. According to the climate of Tabriz, the roof covering of the rows is made of brick arches. Above each roof there are openings through which light enters the market and illuminates the market space. These openings are also suitable for market air conditioning.

The architectural review of Tabriz market shows that this market does not have a codified form and architects and designers have gradually added parts to it. Tabriz market is one of the most attractive places of Tabriz that you should not miss the pleasure of walking in.

Important parts of Tabriz Grand Bazaar

Tabriz market has different sections; If you intend to visit this market, be sure to visit its important parts mentioned below.

Tabriz carpet market Timcheh Mozaffaria

Mozaffarieh Timcheh is one of the most famous and beautiful Timchehs in the Grand Bazaar of Tabriz. Mozaffarieh Timche is one of the most important carpet trade centers in East Azerbaijan province and you can find the most delicate and beautiful hand-woven carpets of Tabriz in this Timche. In addition to selling handwoven carpets in Timcheh Mozaffarieh, the sellers also design and repair carpets.

Sadeghieh market street

Sadeghieh bazaar line starts from Sadeghieh square and extends to Sadeghieh Timcheh. This row extends parallel to the new bazaar row and its most important parts include Sadeghieh Mosque, Mirza Jalil Corridor, Haj Hossein I Caravanserai, Kolahdozan Bazaar, Khoni Corridor and Timche Malek.

market order

market order It is one of the largest bazaars in Tabriz, which has various houses and stalls, and is also known as the National Bazaar. Be sure to visit this place.

Sarai Amir

Sarai Amir is one of the largest bazaar palaces, which is located on the eastern and southern edge of the Tabriz bazaar complex. The pavilions are arranged on two floors around the Amir Palace, and right in the middle of this palace, a rectangular inner palace with dimensions of 50 x 70 meters can be seen.

Timche Sheikh Kazem

Sheikh Kazem Timcheh is at the intersection of New Street and Kafashan Bazar Street and consists of a large Timcheh, a small Timcheh and a small Sarai. The roof of this timcheh is large and domed and has many windows and skylights. Most of the shops in this district sell women’s and children’s clothes, and there are also some shops selling towels. The vaults and ceiling decorations of this temple are stunning and are considered one of its most impressive attractions.

Shoemaker’s market

Tabriz leather shoes are very famous and known due to their beauty and high resistance. Kafashan Bazaar, which Tabrizians call Bashmaghachi, is one of the main markets for selling leather shoes in Tabriz. This market consists of different sections such as Timcheh and Serai Omid and Timcheh and Serai Haj Abulqasem.

Crystal sellers market

Balurforoshan Bazaar consists of different sections such as Mirza Mohammad Corridor, Mirza Mohammad Serai, Timche Kandferoshan, Timche Mozafaria, Bamchi Ler Corridor, Haj Sheikh Corridor and Garjiler Serai. In this market, very high-quality crystals, which are mostly domestically produced, are sold.

Grand Mosque of Tabriz

Tabriz Jame Mosque is one of the most historical and beautiful buildings in Tabriz, which is located at the end of the Grand Bazaar, and it is said that its construction dates back to the Seljuk period. In old books, this mosque is referred to as the Great Mosque, and since the time of its establishment, it has been known as the Grand Mosque of Tabriz.

Talibeh Tabriz School

Tabriz Talebiyeh seminary is the most famous school in the Grand Bazaar of Tabriz, and prominent people such as Allameh Amini, Allameh Tabatabai, Allameh Jafari, Jafar Sobhani, etc. have been educated in this area. To go to this school, you have to pass Jame Mosque in Tabriz, because Talebiyeh School is located right next to the mosque. Talebiyeh School Library is one of the most famous libraries in Tabriz and more than 30,000 valuable books and 350 manuscripts are stored in this library.

Tabriz Grand Bazaar Museum

There are a total of 5 museums in the Grand Bazaar of Tabriz, and in this section we will introduce two more important museums from this collection:

Tabriz Quran and Book Museum

This museum is located in the Sahib Al-Amr (Shah Tahmasb) Mosque and on Haina Street in Tabriz, which is known as one of the most important museums in Tabriz. The building of Tabriz Quran Museum is an eternal and spectacular work whose construction dates back to the time of Shah Tahmasb. In Tabriz Qur’an and Book Museum, you can see an exquisite collection of Qur’an, manuscripts and valuable calligraphic works by famous Iranian artists.

Tabriz market and business museum

To visit Tabriz Bazaar and Business Museum, you should go to the end of Tabriz Bezeg Bazaar, near the historic Sadeghieh Glacier. Here you can see a three-story museum where you can learn about all kinds of jobs in Tabriz and even its forgotten jobs. Tabriz Market and Business Museum has 11 booths, and blacksmithing, perfume making, traditional photography, and carpentry are among the professions that have been discussed in this museum.

Hamam Khan

Hammam Khan is one of the historical baths in Tabriz, dating back to the Qajar period. The flourishing of Iranian architectural art can be clearly seen in the interior decorations and brick arches of this bathroom. In the outer area of ​​this bathroom, there is a very beautiful garden that adds to the beauty of the bathroom.

Tabriz bazaar renovations

The Grand Bazaar of Tabriz has been damaged throughout history. After the 1193 earthquake of Tabriz, Najafaqli Khan Danbali, the ruler of Tabriz at the time, restored and rebuilt the bazaar. In 1988, the flood of Tabriz caused a lot of damage to the market. After that, the bazaar was exposed to various small and big fires and finally it was restored in 1392 and this restoration received a lot of attention.

Hotels near Tabriz Grand Bazaar

There are several hotels to stay near Tabriz Bazaar:

The name of the hotel, the distance to Tabriz Grand Bazaar

Sightseeing places around Tabriz market

If you have enough time when you visit the Tabriz market, we suggest that you go to Sightseeing places in Tabriz which are located around the market, take a look. In the following, we introduce some of the most important places to visit:

Poets tomb

Tomb of the poets is a place where there are tombs of more than 400 famous poets such as Shahryar, Khaghani, etc., and in a way, it is a cultural symbol of the city of Tabriz. This attraction is about 3 kilometers away from Tabriz market and its unique architecture is stunning.

Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque is famous for its stunning azure tiles and is one of the most famous attractions in Tabriz that you must visit. This mosque is the only building left from the Qaraqoyunlu era, which is considered one of the architectural masterpieces.

Azerbaijan Museum

Azerbaijan Museum is the second best archeology museum in Iran, where a wonderful collection of historical coins, three thousand book covers and very beautiful sculptures are placed.

Tabriz market, the most historical market in the Middle East

Tabriz bazaar is the largest covered adobe complex in the world, which has become the most complete cultural, historical and social complex with its shops, timchehs and buildings. If you are on your way to Tabriz city, it is a shame not to visit this historical and very beautiful market and miss the pleasure of walking in it. If you have had the experience of visiting the Tabriz market, share your feelings and experience with us in the comments.

Frequently asked questions about Tabriz market