Saint John City Market, Market hall in Saint John, Canada

Saint John City Market is a covered market hall in downtown Saint John, Canada, spanning an entire city block with two open levels lined with vendor stalls. Large windows run along the sides of the building, and a curved wooden roof overhead lets natural light reach the whole interior.

The market was built between 1874 and 1876, and when a major fire swept through Saint John in 1877 and destroyed much of the city, the building survived intact. It remains one of the few structures from that era still standing in its original form.

Many vendors come from families that have held the same stall for generations, giving the place a familiar, rooted feel. Shoppers and producers meet face to face here in a way that is rare in modern city centres.

The market connects directly to an indoor walkway network that links several downtown buildings, so it can be reached without going outside. Most stalls are open during morning and early afternoon hours, which is when you will find the widest choice of goods.

The roof trusses are made of wood and were reportedly built by unemployed ship carpenters of the day, giving the interior its inverted ship's-keel profile. The floor also slopes with the natural grade of the land, so the aisles rise gently from one end of the hall to the other.