The old bazaar of Sanandaj is a working market rather than a tourist attraction, and it is more interesting for that. The covered lanes near the Jameh Mosque contain spice sellers, dried fruit stalls, coppersmiths, and shops selling Kurdish textiles — the embroidered cloth, the baggy trousers of traditional Kurdish dress, and the handwoven kilims that are produced in the villages of Kurdistan Province.
Kurdish music culture is audible in the bazaar: shops selling tanbur lutes and daf frame drums are scattered among the food stalls, a reminder that Sanandaj is considered the capital of Kurdish classical music in Iran. The tanbur in particular has spiritual significance in the Yarsan (Ahl-e-Haqq) faith that has deep roots in this region.
The bazaar is most active in the morning; by early afternoon many of the food stalls have closed. Friday is the main day off.