Grand Bazaar in Tehran

Historic centre of Tehran

The Tehran Grand Bazaar (in Persian it is called "Bazar e Bozorg") is situated in the historic centre of Tehran. It was here that the most ancient archaeological finds were discovered, dating back to the 6th millennium BC. Although Tehran became Iran’s capital in the 18th century, the Grand Bazaar was renowned since ancient times as a significant centre of commerce, through which caravans were sent inland. Nowadays it is one of the world’s largest covered markets, occupying an entire area in the twelfth district of Tehran.

The structure of the Grand Bazaar

In front of the main entrance to the Tehran Bazaar lies Sabze Meydan, a large open square with shops, which historically served as a place for distributing goods brought by newly arrived caravans. From the square, merchants entered the timche, a spacious courtyard featuring a small pool in the centre. Its vaults, adorned with several skylights, are decorated with intricate spiral patterns of blue and yellow tiles. Slightly further on is Char-sug (in Persian, meaning "four sides") – the main intersection from which numerous alleys of the bazaar extend in all directions, with a total length of more than 10 kilometres. The bazaar also features its own stock exchange, banks, baths, schools, mosques, and mausoleums, as well as reservoirs, tea houses, and dozens of cafes and restaurants. All these structures are connected by a labyrinth of covered galleries, forming a self-contained complex independent from the rest of the city.

Goods at the Grand Bazaar

At the Grand Bazaar, you may find goods from across Iran, including silk carpets from Qom and Tabriz, as well as tribal carpets crafted by nomads from the southern provinces. One may always purchase seasonal vegetables and fruit sourced from the gardens and orchards of Isfahan, fresh seafood from the shores of the Persian Gulf, as well as the Caspian Sea, and traditional delicacies from Yazd and Kerman. Merchants from every corner of Iran establish their shops in the Tehran bazaar, creating a vibrant atmosphere where a diverse array of languages and dialects fills its galleries.

The bazaar’s impact on Tehran

The Grand Bazaar is far more than just a market. Like all oriental bazaars, it is a "city within a city," complete with its own economic, social, and religious infrastructure. It has long symbolised the conservatism of Iranian society, reflecting the close alliance between the clergy and merchants. The intricate alleys of the bazaar served as the setting for the first revolutionary movements against the oppressive Shah’s regime. The activists who later staged the Islamic Revolution of 1979 were financially supported by merchants of the Tehran Bazaar. They also provided financial support to families of servicemen during the Iran-Iraq War. Over the past decades many modern shopping and business centres have been built in Tehran, however, the Grand Bazaar still remains the centre of the commercial and social life of the capital, and arguably the whole country.