The Grand Bazaar () is a

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 ...

, located in Central

Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...

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 ...

. Split into several corridors that are over in length, each specializing in different types of goods, the bazaar has several entrances, with Sabze Meydan being the main entrance. In addition to shops, it contains

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

s, 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 The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...

, 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

Much of the bazaar itself was constructed much later. However, under the reign of

Reza Shah Reza Shah Pahlavi born Reza Khan (15 March 1878 – 26 July 1944) was shah of Iran from 1925 to 1941 and founder of the roughly 53 years old Pahlavi dynasty. Originally a military officer, he became a politician, serving as minister of war an ...

, 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''

The bazaar is viewed as a force of

conservatism Conservatism is a Philosophy of culture, cultural, Social philosophy, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, Convention (norm), customs, and Value (ethics and social science ...

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.

Gallery

Bazaar de Teherán, Teherán, Irán, 2016-09-17, DD 45.jpg, Entrance to the bazaar Grand Bazaar, Tehran 14.jpg,

Stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

inside the bazaar Mezquita Shah, Teherán, Irán, 2016-09-17, DD 47.jpg, Shah Mosque is located next to the bazaar Bazaar Tehran 3.jpg, The Shah Mosque's entrance to the bazaar Bazaar de Teherán, Teherán, Irán, 2016-09-17, DD 55.jpg, Inside a corridor at the bazaar بازار تهران 20.jpg, Ceilings of a corridor at the bazaar Tehran farsh bazar.jpg, Carpet shops inside the bazaar 2011 Grand Bazaar Tehran 5984717290 by Kamyar Adl.jpg, An underwear shop inside the bazaar Tehran Bazaar 2002.jpg, Saray Roshan Tehran Bazaar protests 2018-06-25 06.jpg, The bazaar during an economic protest strike in 2018 Bazar de Téhéran, entrée.jpg, North entrance File:Bazar de Téhéran (5).jpg, Tapestry shop inside the bazaar

References

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External links

* {{Tehran Province

Buildings and structures in Tehran Buildings and structures on the Iran National Heritage List Buildings of the Qajar period Safavid architecture Tourist attractions in Tehran Zand dynasty