Iran/Tehran (World's largest Bazaar1) Part 14

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Tehran / Grand Bazaar world's largest Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar also known as Tehran's Grand Bazaar (Persian: بازار بزرگ تهران Bâzâr Bozorg-e Tehrân) is a historical market situated in the capital of Iran, Tehran. Throughout its history, in addition to shops the Grand bazaar has contained banks and financiers, mosques and guest houses.
Traditionally, the Tehran bazaar was split into corridors, each specialising in different types of goods, including copper, carpets, paper, spices, and precious metals, as well as small traders selling all types of goods.Today, modern goods are available as well, in addition to the many traditional corridor traders that still survive. It is located In Arg Square and the main entrance is Sabze meydoon.
The Grand Bazaar is located in southern Tehran; its many corridors are over 10 km in length. There are several entrances, some of which are locked and guarded at night.
The Grand bazaar is still an important place of commerce for Tehranis, Iranians, travelling merchants and - increasingly - tourists. However, much of the trade and finance in the city has moved to the north of the city, leaving the bazaar somewhat decreased in importance. Still, in addition to the traditional goods on sale, the market for watches and local jewellery is apparently growing, most likely for the benefits of tourists. As is in keeping with the market spirit, tourists are encouraged to haggle. The bazaar is busiest around midday, and between 17:00 and 19:00.As of October 2005, plans are in place to construct a hotel in the southern section of the bazaar for the benefit of tourists, in a bid to make the bazaar more hospitable and to regain some of its importance.
History
While the current bazaar is most associated with the 19th century onwards, its roots go back much further.
The area around Tehran has been settled since at least 6,000 BCE, and while bazaar-like construction in Iran as a whole has been dated as far back as 4,000 BCE, Tehran's bazaar is not this old. It is hard to say exactly when the "bazaar" first appeared, but in the centuries following the introduction of Islam, travellers reported the growth of commerce in the area now occupied by the current bazaar. The Grand bazaar is a continuation of this legacy.Research indicates that a portion of today's bazaar predated the growth of the village of Tehran under the Safavids' dynasty, although it was during and after this period that the bazaar began to grow gradually.Western travellers indicated that by 1660 BCE and beyond, the bazaar area was still largely open, and only partially covered.