Tabriz - The Great Bazaar, Iran (410/418)

Tabriz - The Great Bazaar, Iran (410/418)

In Tabriz, in the Iranian province of Azerbaijan, where the Silk Road crosses the Mehranrud, caravans once stopped to rest and to trade goods and beasts of burden. Today the old bazaar there is the largest in the world and surely one of the liveliest World Heritage sites.

Tabriz is famous for its Persian rugs and it is worth taking the time to wander through the halls and domes of the Great Bazaar complex to admire the most beautiful, hand-knotted carpets in Persia, some of which take years to make. The bazaar, however, is in danger, but not from the stones in the domed roofs. These have been repaired and renovated with awe-inspiring craftsmanship and patience. The local monuments authorities are doing everything they can with the resources available to protect this heritage site. The risk is actually coming from the unconditional commercialism that is changing life in the bazaar. Shops selling cheap, computer-woven rugs are moving in. And yet this new use of the old structure is also its only chance of survival. The search for the right balance between traditional and modern has only just begun in Tabriz.