A bazaar in Tabriz, Iranian Azerbaijan, Iran.
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Tabriz Bazaar

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The magnificent, labyrinthine, Unesco-listed Tabriz bazaar covers some 7 sq km, with 24 caravanserais (sets of rooms arrranged around a courtyard) and 22 impressive timches (domed halls). Construction began over a millennium ago, though much of the fine brick vaulting dates to the 15th century. Hidden behind innocuous shopfronts, it's surprisingly easy to miss, but the open Ferdosi mall is a good entry point. Take a GPS waypoint below the tourist information office, then abandon yourself to the closest laneway.

There are several mozaffareih (carpet sections) according to knot size and type. The Amir bazaar, with gold and jewellery, is immediately behind the tourist-information office. The spice bazaar has a few shops selling herbal remedies, henna and natural perfumes. A couple of hat shops (in the Kolahdozan bazaar) sell traditional papakh (Azeri hats) made of tight-curled astrakhan wool. Other quarters specialise in leather, silver and copper, general household goods and fruit and vegetables.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Carpet Bazaar

0.04 MILES

Inside the Tabriz bazaar, the mozaffarieh is one of the best places in Iran to buy a carpet.

2. Shoe Bazaar

0.08 MILES

Within the Tabriz bazaar, whole laneways are dedicated to footwear.

3. Amir Bazaar

0.09 MILES

The surefire way locals protect themselves against inflation is with a chunk of the yellow stuff from the jewellery section of the Tabriz bazaar.

4. Masjed-e Jameh

0.12 MILES

At the bazaar’s western end an exit passage hidden by a curtain leads to Tabriz’ impressive Seljuk-era Masjed-e Jameh, with a magnificent brick-vaulted…

5. Spice Bazaar

0.15 MILES

One of the best in Iran, Tabriz' spice bazaar has a huge selection of dried herbs, spices, natural remedies and henna.

6. Fruit Bazaar

0.18 MILES

A burst of sunshine beckons you out of the warren of the Tabriz bazaar past whiffy fruit and delectable juices onto Motahhari St.

7. Constitution House

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This charming Qajar-era (1868) courtyard house is historically significant as a headquarters during the 1906–11 constitutional revolution, but, although…

8. St Mary's Church

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Dating from the 12th century, St Mary’s is a still-functioning Armenian church that was mentioned by Marco Polo. It was once the seat of the regional…