Grand Bazaar, Tehran

For similarly named bazaars, see Grand Bazaar.

The Grand Bazaar (Persian: بازار بزرگ, romanized: Bāzār-e Bozorg) is a bazaar, located in Central Tehran, Iran. Split into several corridors that are over 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) in length, each specializing in different types of goods, the bazaar has several entrances, with Sabze Meydan being the main entrance.

Grand Bazaar of Tehran
بازار بزرگ
Inside the Grand Bazaar of Tehran
General information
Type	Bazaar
Architectural style	Safavid Zand Qajar
Location	Central Tehran, Tehran province,
Country	Iran
Coordinates	35°40′30″N 51°25′10″E
Iran National Heritage List
Official name	Grand Bazaar, Tehran
Type	Built
Designated	24 October 1977
Reference no.	1540
Conservation organization	Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran

In addition to shops, it contains mosques, guest houses, and banks. It has access to the rapid transit system of the Tehran Metro through the stations of Khayam and Khordad 15th. The bazaar was added to the Iran National Heritage List on 24 October 1977, administered by the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran.

History

Trade and early markets in Tehran

It is hard to say exactly when the bazaar first appeared, but in the centuries after the Muslim conquest of Iran between 632 and 654 CE, travelers reported the growth of commerce in the area now occupied by the current bazaar.

Research indicates that a portion of today's bazaar predated the growth of the village of Tehran by the time of the Safavid Empire, although it was during and after this period that the bazaar began to grow gradually. Western travelers reported that, by 1660 CE and beyond, the bazaar area had still been largely open and only partially covered.

Development

An 1873 illustration of the Grand Bazaar of Tehran

Much of the bazaar itself was constructed much later. However, under the reign of Reza Shah, as Tehran began to grow and reform exponentially in the early 20th century, the changes brought by this rapid development saw much of the bazaar disappear. The old sections of the bazaar are generally similar in architectural style, while the parts added in the 20th century often look different. Critics say that little consideration had been given for the construction of these new sections.

Bazaari

Main article: Bazaari

The bazaar is viewed as a force of conservatism in the Iranian society, providing strong links between the clergy and the middle class traders. The 1979 Revolution received strong backing from these forces, and the Grand Bazaar of Tehran was a center for pro-revolutionary feeling and finance.

There were several reasons why the bazaar class worked hard to help advance the revolution. The government of Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was anathema to the bazaaris, who seemed set to lose out as the country was being industrialized, and they feared that they would be left behind and their status in society would be reduced. Similarly, another concern for the bazaar class, not just in Tehran but throughout Iran, was that these traditional economic forces did not benefit from the 1974–1978 oil boom, and were thus even more inclined to aid the revolution. As such, the Grand Bazaar of Tehran was a hotbed of support for the revolution, which positioned itself opposite the monarchy.

The Grand Bazaar continues largely to support the establishment, particularly as conservative political forces often adopt a low tax, laissez-faire approach to the bazaaris. Today, much of the city's trade and finance has been moved to parts of northern Tehran.^{[citation needed]}

Gallery

• 
  Entrance to the bazaar
• 
  Stained glass inside the bazaar
• 
  Shah Mosque is located next to the bazaar
• 
  The Shah Mosque's entrance to the bazaar
• 
  Inside a corridor at the bazaar
• 
  Ceilings of a corridor at the bazaar
• 
  Carpet shops inside the bazaar
• 
  An underwear shop inside the bazaar
• 
  Saray Roshan
• 
  The bazaar during an economic protest strike in 2018
• 
  North entrance
• 
  Tapestry shop inside the bazaar

See also

• Iran portal
• Architecture portal

• Economy of Iran
• Iranian architecture

References

1. ^ "Some Places of Interest in Tehran". Iransaga.
2. ^ "Tehran bazaar feels winds of change". BBC News.
3. ^ "About Tehran Bazaar in Tehran province". Iran Tourism and Touring Organization. Archived from the original on July 6, 2006.
4. ^ "Abbas Bazaar, the achievement of the Islamic civilisation. A short history of the Tehran Bazaar". The Newsletter of Chamber of Commerce. Chamber of Commerce, Industries & Mines of the Islamic Republic of Iran. February 1994. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
5. ^ "Iran Oil Revenues and the Acceleration of Modernization, 1960-79". Photius.com.
6. ^ "Who is the mayor of Tehran?". BBC News.
7. ^ "Tehran Grand Bazaar To Get Facelift". Iran Daily. October 12, 2005.

External links

• "Tehran Grand Bazzar" (Map). Google Maps.