The Grand Bazaar (, : Bāzār-e Bozorg) is a market located in
Isfahan
Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...
,
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
, also known as the Qeysarriyeh Bazaar (), Qeysarie bazaar or Soltani bazaar.
The
bazaar
A bazaar or souk is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, North Africa and South Asia. They are traditionally located in vaulted or covered streets th ...
was one of the greatest and most luxurious trading centers during the
Safavid era. It was built in 1620 on the northern side of
Naqsh-e Jahan Square
The Naqsh-e Jahan Square (), also known as the Shah Square () prior to 1979, and sometimes known as the Imam Square, is a maidan, square situated at the center of Isfahan (city), Isfahan, Iran. Constructed between 1598 and 1629, it is now an impo ...
. It connects the Naqsh-e Jahan Square to the
Kohneh Square and the
Seljuk part of Isfahan.
History
It was originally constructed during the 11th century on the southwest wing of the
Jameh Mosque and
Kohneh Square, but various arcades and rooms were later added.
The bazaar, one of the oldest and largest in the
Middle East
The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.
The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
, dates to Seljuk and Safavid eras and is the longest roofed market in the world. The site has been destroyed several times before the current bazaar was constructed in the 17th century. The bazaar is a vaulted two-kilometre street linking the old city with the new.
In the Middle-East, bazaars were typically situated in close proximity to the mosque and the Isfahan Bazaar is no exception. The Bazaar of Isfahan is located in downtown old Isfahan, in the northern section of the
Naqsh-e Jahan Square
The Naqsh-e Jahan Square (), also known as the Shah Square () prior to 1979, and sometimes known as the Imam Square, is a maidan, square situated at the center of Isfahan (city), Isfahan, Iran. Constructed between 1598 and 1629, it is now an impo ...
. The main entrance called Qeisarieh stretches through to Jameh Mosque, the oldest mosque in Isfahan, and one of the oldest in Iran.
See also
*
List of the historical structures in the Isfahan province
References
Bibliography
* A. Bakhtiar: ‘The Royal Bazaar of Isfahan’, Studies on Isfahan, ed. R. Holod, 2 vols, Iran. Stud., vii (1974), pp. 320–47
* H. Gaube and E. Wirth: Der Bazar von Isfahan (Wiesbaden, 1978)
*
External links
Iran Chamber Society on Architecture of the Bazaar at Isfahan
Buildings and structures completed in the 10th century
Buildings and structures in Isfahan
Isfahan
Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...
Tourist attractions in Isfahan
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