The Bazaar of Kashan is one of the best-preserved historic bazaars in Iran, a continuous network of vaulted brick corridors running for several kilometres through the old city. It dates largely from the Safavid period, though its origins are older, and it connects the Jameh Mosque, the Agha Bozorg complex, the Amin od-Dowleh caravanserai, and the surrounding residential quarters into a single walkable whole.
Unlike some Iranian bazaars that have been converted largely to tourist trade, Kashan's remains genuinely functional — merchants still sell copper, textiles, spices, and the rosewater and dried flowers for which the city is famous. The caravanserai at its centre, with its large domed courtyard, gives a clear sense of what this trading hub once looked like at the peak of the Silk Road era.
The bazaar is best explored without a fixed itinerary — take a wrong turning and you will find yourself in the coppersmiths' section or a back alley piled with rose petals in sacks. The light in the vaulted corridors, coming through small oculi in the brick ceiling, is particularly good in the early afternoon.
Hours: Most shops open Saturday–Thursday 8am–2pm and 4pm–8pm; closed Friday mornings