Mercado de Abasto Tirso de Molina, Food market in Recoleta, Chile
The Mercado de Abasto Tirso de Molina is a covered market hall in Recoleta, on the northern bank of the Mapocho River, in central Santiago. The building has two commercial floors lined with stalls selling fresh produce, imported goods, and ready-to-eat food from several countries.
Vendors began gathering in this part of the city in the 1950s, drawn by a nearby tram stop. The current building opened in 2011, replacing earlier provisional structures that had shaped the traders' space over the decades.
Many stalls are run by families from Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, and other countries, who brought their own products and dishes with them. Walking through the aisles, you find spices, ingredients, and prepared foods that are hard to come across elsewhere in Santiago.
The market sits right next to a metro station, making it easy to reach from different parts of Santiago. Inside, the stalls spread across two floors, so getting around is straightforward, though the space can be busy during peak hours.
The roof is made of transparent panels resting on tall steel columns, which lets daylight fill both floors without the need for artificial lighting during the day. This makes the space noticeably brighter than most covered markets of a similar size.
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