Old Spitalfields Market, Market hall in Tower Hamlets, England.
Old Spitalfields Market is a covered market hall in Tower Hamlets that stretches across several interconnected indoor spaces and hosts dozens of vendor stalls. High glass ceilings span the main aisles, where stands selling textiles, crafts, furniture, and food alternate with permanent shops and restaurants along the edges.
The site received its first trading license in 1638, when Charles I allowed the sale of meat and vegetables here. Between 1885 and 1893, the brick buildings with their iron frameworks were built and continue to shape the appearance of the place today.
The name comes from the medieval St Mary Spital hospital that once stood nearby and cared for travelers and the sick. Today, Londoners browse the aisles for clothes and homewares or meet friends at the small cafés tucked between the stalls.
The market sits a short walk from Liverpool Street station and opens every day, with different vendors depending on the weekday. Visiting in the morning or early afternoon tends to be quieter and makes it easier to move between the stalls.
On Thursdays, a specialist antiques fair takes place that draws collectors and dealers from across London. There are also regular record events where music lovers browse and swap vinyl from different decades.
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