Grand Bazaar, Islamic bazaar in Tianshan District, China

The Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar is an Islamic-style bazaar complex near Erdaoqiao on South Jiefang Road in Ürümqi, completed in 2002 and opened in 2003. Its buildings, with brick facades in earth-red and white, form a concave plan around a central square holding the 70-metre Silk Road Tower. The site covers 40,000 m² with about 90,000 m² of floor space, including a 1,000-seat theatre and the Erdaoqiao Mosque.

The bazaar opened in 2003 and was built as a modern trading and cultural center inspired by the historic marketplaces that once lined the Silk Road through Urumqi. The city had served as a key stop along that network for centuries, connecting China with Central Asia and points farther west.

The bazaar features domes and geometric patterns typical of Islamic architecture, visible on its facades and above its main entrances as you walk through. At certain spots inside, groups from different local communities perform traditional music and dance that visitors can stop and watch.

Entry to the main shopping areas is free, though certain parts of the complex such as the observation tower require a separate ticket. The internal walkways are long, so comfortable shoes make it much easier to get around.

The Silk Road Tower, over 70 metres tall, borrows its column forms from ancient Egypt, Rome and Babylon, its top from Bukhara's Kalyan minaret and its shaft from the Sugong and Lukchun minarets. Inside, a spiral stair is decorated with paintings of the ancient Silk Road, and the top floor holds copies of the Kizil cave murals.