Iran Tour Packages

Are you the kind of person who likes to experience both the history and the culture of the country you visit? Well, Qeysarie Bazaar might be the exact place for you. One of those historical spots in the city of Isfahan where you can find people from almost all social classes.

Qeysarie Gate

Qeysarie Gate is the entrance of the Bazaar on the north of Naqsh-e Jahan Square. It was built in the Safavid era by the genius architect of the time, Ali Akbar Isfahani. Also, Shah Abbas’s favorite artist, Reza Abbasi painted the murals on this gate. One of the murals displays Shah Abbas I in the battlefield fighting against Uzbeks. Another one pictures the hunting ground and the rest show foreigners in the royal court and the King eating and drinking. On the topmost part of the gate, you can see Sagittarius, the zodiac symbol of Isfahan on the tile works. An archer with the lower body of a tiger aiming at its own tail, which is a dragon. After defeating the Portuguese in Hormuz Island, Shah Abbas I brought a clock and a bell from there to Isfahan and they were installed on top of Qeysarie Gate.

Naqqarekhane

The current construction has 2 floors but it had a third floor in the past called Naqqarekhane. In this place instruments such as kettledrum were played to announce sunrise and sunset, new year, arrival of special goods and other important news.

Qeysarie Bazaar, Then and Now

Behind the gate, there is the Qeysarie Bazaar, also known as Grand Bazaar or Soltani Bazaar. While the Bazaar of Tabris is the largest covered bazaar in the world, Isfahan has the longest roofed market of the world. It functioned as the economical center beside other power centers that welcomed caravans every day and connected the new square to Kohneh Square and other markets. The second floor of the structure was for administrative and commercial affairs and the first floor consisted of stores for various jobs. Many of these stores and jobs still exist in their traditional form. Today, the bazaar is the best place for buying carpets and handicrafts.

Besides shops, there were several mosques, schools, handicraft workshops, teahouses, bathhouses available at every corner of Qeysarie Bazaar. Some of them such as Nimavar School, Sadr School, No mosque, Shishe mosque and Jarchi mosque still remain. No wonder some of the foreigners has called this bazaar “Indoor Gallery”.