View source for Bazaar of Tabriz

{{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site
| Image       = Mozaffariyeh, Grand Bazzar of Tabriz, IRAN.jpg
| caption     = Mozaffariyeh, Grand Bazzar of Tabriz, Iran
| WHS         = Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex
| Location    = [[Tabriz]], [[Iran]]
| Type        = Cultural
| Criteria    = ii, iii, iv
| ID          = 1346
| Year        = 2010
| Area        = 28.9733 ha
| Buffer_zone = 75.4082 ha
| Coordinates = {{coord|38|04|51|N|46|17|32|E|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin    = Iran#West Asia
}}

The '''Bazaar of Tabriz''' ({{langx|fa|بازار تبریز}}, also [[Romanize]]d as ''Bāzār-e Tabriz'' {{langx|az|تبریز بازاری}}, also [[Romanize]]d as ''Tabriz Bazari'') is a historic market in central [[Tabriz]], [[Iran]]. It is one of the oldest [[bazaar]]s 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 Site]]s.<ref name="Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex">{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1346 |title=Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=1 July 2013}}</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>{{cite web |title=بازار بزرگ تبریز |url=https://tabriz.ir/Page/302/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D8%B2%D8%B1%DA%AF-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%B2.html |website=Tabriz Municipality |access-date=17 November 2022 |language=FA |archive-date=25 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725065352/https://tabriz.ir/Page/302/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D8%B2%D8%B1%DA%AF-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%B2.html |url-status=dead }}</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">{{cite journal|author=Assari, Ali|author2=Mahesh, Talkad|author3=Emtehani, Mohammed|author4=Assari, Erfan |title=Comparative sustainability of bazaar in Iranian traditional cities: case studies in Isfahan and Tabriz|journal=International Journal on Technical and Physical Problems of Engineering|date=December 2011|volume=3|issue=9|pages=18–24|url=http://www.iotpe.com/IJTPE/IJTPE-2011/IJTPE-Issue9-Vol3-No4-Dec2011/3-IJTPE-Issue9-Vol3-No4-Dec2011-pp18-24.pdf}}</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>[http://chap.sch.ir/ketabDetail.asp?id=215 Editorial Board, East Azarbaijan Geography, Iranian Ministry of Education, 2000 Text Book in Persian]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616174038/http://chap.sch.ir/ketabDetail.asp?id=215 |date=June 16, 2008 }}</ref>

The bazaar was inscribed as a [[World Heritage Site]] by [[UNESCO]] in July 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/642 |title=World Heritage Committee inscribes seven cultural sites on World Heritage List |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |date=31 July 2010}}</ref>

==Ceremonies==
The bazaar is used for some important religious ceremonies. 

==Restoration==
In 2000, the [[Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization|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>{{cite web |url=http://www.akdn.org/architecture/project.asp?id=3654 |title=Rehabilitation of Tabriz Bazaar |publisher=Aga Khan Development Network |access-date=1 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706022648/http://www.akdn.org/architecture/project.asp?id=3654 |archive-date=6 July 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Photo gallery==
<gallery heights="90px" perrow="4">
File:Mozzaffariyeh 2.jpg|Mozaffarieh, a major row for hand woven rugs in Tabriz Grand Bazaar.
File:Ceiling of Mozaffariyeh, Grand Bazzar of Tabriz, IRAN.jpg|Mozaffariyeh, Bazaar of Tabriz.
File:Mozaffariyeh Arcade.jpg|One of two entrance gates to Mozzafariyeh.
File:Bazaar of Tabriz - April 2009.jpg|Dome in Amir row of Bazaar.
File:Amir Timche.jpg|َ[[Caravanserai]] near Amir row.
File:Bazaar of Tabriz, carvaansray.jpg|A caravanserai in the Bazaar of Tabriz.
File:Gan-Dallazan Bazar, Tabriz, Iran.jpg|Gan Bazaar, translates to wider bazaar, a row in Tabriz Grand Bazaar.
File:Gan-Dallazan Bazar II, Tabriz, Iran.jpg|Gan Bazaar, a row in Tabriz Grand Bazaar.
File:Tabriz Grand Bazar.jpg
File:The world heritage base of Tabriz historical market complex 1.jpg
File:Beautiful architecture tabriz bazaar.jpg
File:Bazar 105.jpg
File:Tabriz Bazar 002.jpg
File:Tabriz Bazar 003.jpg
File:Tabriz Bazar 001.jpg
File:Amiralley-Tabriz.JPG
File:Bazaar of Tabriz.JPG
File:Bazaar of gold, tabriz.jpg
File:The_Bazar_at_Tabriz.jpg
File:Carpet Bazaar of Tabriz.JPG
File:CarpetBazaar.Tabriz.jpg
File:CarpetBazaar2.Tabriz.jpg
File:Iran bazar tabriz street scene.jpg
File:Tabriz-Carpet_Bazaar.jpg
File:TabrizBazaar.JPG
File:TabrizBazar.jpg
</gallery>

==See also==

{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Arabber]]
* [[Bazaar]] 
* [[Blue Mosque, Tabriz]]
* [[Constitutional Revolution House of Tabriz]]
* [[Hawker centre]] (Asia) a centre where street food is sold
* [[Jameh Mosque of Tabriz]]
* [[Market (place)]]
* [[Peddler]]
* [[Retail]]
* [[Street vendor]]
* [[Street food]]
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==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). [http://www.jadidonline.com/story/04102008/frnk/tabriz_bazzar "وسیع ترین بازار ایران"] [Largest bazaar in Iran]. Jadid Online. {{in lang|fa}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tabriz Bazaar}}
* [http://www.tishineh.com/touritem/200-9/Tabriz%20Historic%20Bazaar%20Complex Tishineh]
* [http://www.jadidonline.com/images/stories/flash_multimedia/Tabriz_bazzar_eng_test/bazzar_high.html "The Grand Bazaar of Tabriz"] (audio slideshow with English subtitles). Jadid Online.

{{Tabriz landmarks}}
{{Tabriz Monuments}}
{{World Heritage Sites in Iran}}{{Bazaars in Iran}}{{Portalbar|Iran}}

[[Category:Bazaars]]
[[Category:Bazaars in Iran|Tabriz]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Tabriz|Tabriz]]
[[Category:Shopping malls established in the 16th century]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Tabriz]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Iran]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures on the Iran National Heritage List]]