Grand Bazaar of Tabriz
Tabriz, in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan, has long been the venue of cultural exchanges and its Grand Bazaar of Tabriz that is one of the most important commercial centers on the Silk Road connecting China to West Asia and Europe. It is located at the heart of the city of Tabriz, is one of the oldest bazaars in the Middle East. The bazaar has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010.
Description
Tabriz and its bazaar flourished and gained fame during the 13th century CE, when the town served as the seat of the Safavid kingdom. The city lost its status as capital in the 16th century. Tabriz however lost its status as the capital city in the 16th century while remaining an important commercial hub until the end of the 18th century, with the expansion of Ottoman power. It is one of the most evident instances of traditional, commercial and cultural system of Iran. But its bazaar has remained important as a commercial and economic center. The historic traditional bazaar of Tabriz has an area of about one square kilometers, and is the largest indoor bazaar in the world. It is famous since the Seljuq Dynasty. Since the Ilkhani Era in which Tabriz was selected as Iran’s capital, the importance of the bazaar was highlighted.
At Seljuq Dynasty time, there were three docks on the Silk Road. Having located on the Silk Road, Grand Bazaar of Tabriz continues to function as the most important trade center for both the locals of Tabriz and the north-western region of Iran. So many people went there to trade. Due to the earthquakes, this bazaar of Tabriz has been destructed several times. It has been renovated for several times and some buildings were added to the complex. In the late Zand Era and early Qajar Era, it was renovated under the command of Najaf Gholi Khan.
Architecture
The width of the bazaar is 4 to 5 meters and the height is 5 to 6 meters. There are 11 corridors, 24 caravansaries, 2 Chaharsoo, 1 square, 31 bazaars, 7 Bazaarcheh, 25 Timcheh, 29 mosques, 4 schools, 6 baths, 1 Zoorkhaneh, 5 museums, 8 gates, and 2 libraries in the bazaar complex of Tabriz.
Tabriz Bazaar is an exceptional prototype of an architectural-urban commercial area, which is reflected in its highly-integrated architectural buildings and spaces. The bazaar is one of the most sustainable socio-economic structures, and its great complexity attests to the richness in trade and cultural interaction of Tabriz. Historical Bazaar of Tabriz is an outstanding example of an integrated multi-functional urban complex in which interconnected architectural structures and spaces have been shaped by commercial activities. A large number of specialized buildings and structures are concentrated and interconnected in a relatively compact area to form what is almost a single integrated structure.