World Heritage Identification Number: 1346
World Heritage since: 2010
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Historic Cities & Urban Areas
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇮🇷 Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex: A Commercial and Cultural Hub Along the Silk Road
The Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex, located in the heart of Tabriz, Iran, is a testament to the city's rich history and significance along the ancient Silk Road. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, this extensive network of interconnected, covered brick structures serves as one of the most important commercial centers on this historical trade route.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Tabriz has been a place of cultural exchange since antiquity and its historic bazaar complex is one of the most important commercial centres on the Silk Road. Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex consists of a series of interconnected, covered, brick structures, buildings, and enclosed spaces for different functions. Tabriz and its Bazaar were already prosperous and famous in the 13th century, when the town, in the province of Eastern Azerbaijan, became the capital city of the Safavid kingdom. The city lost its status as capital in the 16th century, but remained important as a commercial hub until the end of the 18th century, with the expansion of Ottoman power. It is one of the most complete examples of the traditional commercial and cultural system of Iran.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (ii): Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex was one of the most important international trade and cultural centres in Asia and the world between the 12th and the 18th centuries, thanks to the centuries-old east-west trade routes. Tabriz Bazaar is an exceptional example of an architectural-urban commercial area, which is reflected in its highly varied and integrated architectural buildings and spaces. The bazaar is one of the most sustainable socio-economic structures, and its great complexity and articulation attests to the wealth in trade and cultural interaction of Tabriz.
Criterion (iii): Tabriz Historic Bazaar bears witness to one of the most complete socio-cultural and commercial complexes among bazaars. It is an exceptional physical, economic, social, political, and religious complex that bears an exceptional testimony to a civilization that is still living. Over the centuries, thanks to its strategic location and to wise policies of endowments and tax exemptions, Tabriz Bazaar has developed into a socio-economic and cultural system in which specialized architectural structures, functions, professions, and people from different cultures are integrated into a unique living environment.
Criterion (iv): Tabriz Historic Bazaar is an outstanding example of an integrated multi-functional urban complex in which interconnected architectural structures and spaces have been shaped by commercial activities and related necessities. A large number of specialized buildings and structures are concentrated and reciprocally connected in a relatively compact area to form what is almost a single integrated structure.
Encyclopedia Record: Bazaar of Tabriz
The Bazaar of Tabriz is a historic market in central Tabriz, Iran. It is one of the oldest bazaars in the Middle East and the largest covered bazaar in the world. It is one of Iran's UNESCO World Heritage Sites.Additional Site Details
Area: 28.9733 hectares
Number of Components: 3
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 38.0813888889 , 46.2930555556
Image
© Rei nikoo, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
