Shop of dried fruits and nuts in the Grand Bazaar of Tehran, Iran.
Wikipedia: The Grand Bazaar is an old historical bazaar in Tehran, Iran. It is split into several corridors over 10 kilometres ( mi) in length, each specializing in different types of goods, and has several entrances, with Sabze-Meydan being the main entrance. In addition to shops, the Grand Bazaar contains mosques, guest houses, and banks. The bazaar is viewed as a force of conservatism 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 as one of the most important bazaars in the country, 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, the Grand Bazaar is still an important place of commerce. However, much of the city's trade and finance has been moved to new gentrified and upscale parts of northern Tehran. In addition to traditional goods, the market for watches and local jewelry is apparently growing, most likely as a result of the growth of tourism. The bazaar is busiest around midday, and between 17:00 and 19:00.
Size: 7360px × 4912px
Location: Tehran, Iran
Photo credit: © Bert de Ruiter / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: bazaar, bazaari, bert, business, clients, commerce, commercial, de, dried, economical, economy, food, fruits, goods, grand, historic, historical, horizontal, iran, iranian, landscape, nuts, people, ruiter, shoppers, shopping, shops, tehran, tradition, traditional, travel
