View source for Addis Mercato

{{Short description|Marketplace in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia}}
[[File:MercatoAddisAbeba08.jpg|thumb|Picture of Mercato in Addis Ababa, 2008]]
'''Merkato''' ([[Amharic]]: መርካቶ; [[Italian language|Italian]]: "market") is a large open-air [[marketplace]] in the [[Addis Ketema]], district of [[Addis Ababa]], Ethiopia, and the name refers to the neighborhood in which it is located.

==Overview==
Mercato is the largest open-air market in Africa, covering several square miles and employing an estimated 13,000 people in 7,100 business entities.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} The primary merchandise passing through the Merkato is locally grown agricultural products — most notably [[coffee]].

Prior to the current Mercato, there was an open marketplace in Addis Ababa near [[St. George's Cathedral, Addis Ababa|St. George Church]] at the site where the [[Addis Ababa City Hall|City Hall]] stands now, but it ended with the Italian occupation of the 1930s. The occupiers moved the market further west to the area around the premises of Fitawrari [[Habte Giyorgis Dinagde]], which they named '''Merkato Dinagde'''. Thus, the present Addis Merkato was founded by the segregationist policies of the Italian occupational government.

Meanwhile, the Italians restricted the historic St. George Merkato to Europeans, renaming it '''Piazza''', which featured European-style shops that displayed commodities through glass windows. The mostly Arab tradesmen who owned stores there eventually relocated a half-mile to the west. Over time, local shopkeepers displaced the Arab merchants and, since the 1960s, the Addis Merkato has had a mostly local flavor. The Mercato Dijino did not have any plan and gradually grew in width and breadth taking different categorical stocks called "terras".

=== Merkato as a tourist spot ===
As per 2024, it is one of the most popular tourist icon for Addis Ababa day tour given its size. The main activities in Merkato is for the local experience. Although, it is the largest African open market, it is not a shopping place for tourist. While, some sessions such as coffee, spicy and local snacks booths may be relevant to tourists. Most of sessions of Merkato are for wholesales including scrap metal recycling session, furniture session and home electronics appliance session. <ref>{{Cite web |last=K |first=Regulus |date=2024-10-18 |title=Visit Or Not? Merkato Addis Ababa Ethiopia Ultimate Review |url=https://escapewithannualleave.com/merkato-addis-ababa-ethiopia-review/ |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=Escape With Annual Leave |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* Zewde, Bahru. (1991) ''A History of Modern Ethiopia''. London: James Currey.
{{coord|9|1|50|N|38|44|20|E|region:ET_type:city_scale:30000|display=title}}

==External links==

*{{Google maps|url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Merkato/@9.0285614,38.7371485,17z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x164b85e2aff5be9f:0xf3c31acfb90e54e3}}

[[Category: Economy of Addis Ababa]]
[[Category: Buildings and structures in Addis Ababa]]
[[Category: Retail markets in Ethiopia]]


{{AddisAbaba-geo-stub}}