By the formation of civilization, cities and villages, good exchange became a crucial part of culture of societies and the bazaars gradually appeared.

Grand Bazar of Tabriz, Tabriz, Azerbaijan Sharqi (East) Province, Iran
Photo by Rei nikoo via Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-4.0

Bazaar is an economic-social unit which can be architecturally indoor or outdoor, periodic or permanent, geographically urban or suburban. In large cities, bazaar is an indoor complex with sale units and relevant buildings which are held permanently.

The bazaars start from out of city gates and continue till the city center. The structure of market consisted of different parts including: rasteh (Part of a market containing a series of shop) as the main elements which create charsou once intersecting each other, rasteh (where guilds are located), corridor and hall (trading company), khanbaar, as a place to store and analyze goods, store, homogeneous and qeysarie trading company, as the workplace of craftsmen like jewelers. There were some others units like mosques, bathrooms, café, restaurants, service or cultural units to fulfill needs of traders, seller and buyers who use the services of a bazaar.

Grand Bazar of Tabriz, Tabriz, Azerbaijan Sharqi (East) Province, Iran
Photo by Kianooshmohebian via Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-4.0

Bazaar, an urban news center

Bazaars as an economic- social unit had close relation with society since it was always the urban news center, official information and news were firstly published in main bazaar and then spread all over the city. Holding official ceremonies like national- religious celebrations or mourning is another representation of cultural relation between bazaar and populace. Norwruz is an occasion which annually boosts bazaars, on the other hand closing bazaars to take part in mourning or any other important religious occasion has an old background. Also, bazaar and some of its rasteh like bookseller’s rasteh is the circle of scientists, philosophers, poets, and other thinkers, sometimes these people were among craftsmen. Besides, in all political- social movements like Mashrouteh movement which occurred in Iran a trace of marketers can be observed.

The indoor bazaar of Tabriz has been registered in UNESCO as the representative of Iran in bazaar architecture and economic – traditional system.

All cities of Iran have traditional bazaars like Tehran bazaar, Isfahan bazaar, Shiraz bazaar and Tabriz bazaar. The architectural structures which have attracted tourists in addition to preserving economic approach.

The indoor bazaar of Tabriz has been registered in UNESCO as the representative of Iran in bazaar architecture and economic – traditional system.

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The mountains of central Alborz including known summits such as Damavand surround the north of Tehran. Because of altitude differences, Tehran has a considerable diversity of climates such that the higher the altitude, the higher the rainfall and the lower the temperature, and vice versa.

Tehran province is one of the oldest areas of Iran’s central plateau with human settlement dating back to the pre-Islamic period, the time of the Median Empire (678-549 B.C.). One of the most important historical cities of the region is Ray city placed near Tehran city in the current Tehran province. At the time, Tehran was in fact a large village located between Ray and the foothills of Alborz Mountain.

By the commencement of the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736), Tehran came to the attention of the Shiite Safavid rulers because of neighboring Imāmzādeh Hamzah tomb – the ancestor of Safavid kings – and the holy shrine of Abd al-Azim al-Hasani. The Safavid kings would accommodate in Tehran when going to visit the Shrine of their ancestors in Ray. The expansion of traveling to Ray convinced Shah Tahmasp Safavid to build watchtowers and fortification for Tehran.

During the Afsharid Dynasty (1736-1796), the significance of Tehran was boomed, leading   Karim Khan Zand to turn it into the center of his government for four years. It was finally chosen as the capital of Iran by Aqa Mohammad Khan, the first Qajar Dynasty’s (1796-1925) king and was entitled “Dar al-Khelafeh” meaning the capital of a country. Following the expansion of the Qajar government’s power, Tehran developed more and this has been continuing to the present. Of its natural attractions include Ski resorts of Tochal, Shemshak, and Darband Sar.

The Golestan Palace as the mansion of Qajar’s kings remained from Zand (1751-1794) and Qajar Dynasties dating back to 440 years ago and witnessing great historical events, was registered as the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Furthermore, there are more than 30 diverse museums with valuable collections in Tehran. For example, the National Museum comprising two sections of Ancient Persia and the Islamic Museum is one of the main museums of the capital. The Museum of National Treasury and the Carpet Museum are other popular museums of the city, while Azadi Tower, Tehran Bazaar, Milad Tower Cultural Complex, and Sa’dabad Museum-Palace are also among the attractions. The main attractions of Ray city also include Abd al-Azim al-Hasani shrine, Tughrul Tower, and Cheshmeh-Ali.

Among the various handicrafts of the province, it can be pointed out to vitreous enamel (Minakari), Jajim (a kind of rug), wood products, and painting on glass and leather. Of the examples of native foods are different kinds of kebab, Dizy (meat stew), Aush (a kind of soup), and Dampokhtak (rice and beans). Zakariyyā al-Rāzī (scientist), Jahān Pahlevān Takhti (wrestler), Fereydoon Moshiri (poet), and Ali Akbar Dehkhoda (linguist) are among the celebrities of Tehran province.

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