Malls & Markets

Modern shopping centres and traditional bazaars across Qum — from Saraye Irani to the historic Bazaar Buzurg.

Many shopping centres in Qum mimic Western malls in their structure, design and environment — enclosed, climate-controlled spaces with escalators, parking, washrooms and ATMs. While many malls in Qum do not entirely fit this description, there is a noticeable trend towards this ideal, particularly in newly built malls such as Bazar Shahr Mall. Some useful shopping centres in Qum include:

Saraye Irani

Established in 2015, Saraye Irani is a massive store specialising in a wide array of home furnishings and essentials. It has become a popular destination for those looking to furnish their homes quickly, without shopping at multiple locations. It offers furniture, carpets, household appliances, bedding, digital goods and more — at competitive prices and under one roof, with free delivery.

Musa ibn Jafar Shopping Centre

Conveniently located a short walk from the shrine of Lady Masumah (a), this is one of the older shopping centres in Qum and a popular destination. It has a diverse array of shops catering to many needs, from clothing and electronics to fabrics and accessories. A number of tailors on the second and third floors can create custom-made garments, make alterations or repair clothes at reasonable prices.

Al-Ghadir Commercial Centre

One of the largest shopping centres in Qum, spanning five storeys. It features numerous gold and silver stores specialising in rings and Islamic jewellery, as well as clothing, bags and shoe retailers. Many jewellers offer custom handmade rings with stones recommended in Islamic literature, such as aqiq (agate) and firozah (turquoise). At the heart of the mall lies the shrine of Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi, the renowned transmitter of hadith and author of Tafsir al-Qummi.

Passage Zahra

A highly popular destination for electronic devices, SIM cards, mobile phones and accessories. This older building spans four floors and houses over 100 units dedicated to the sale and repair of mobile phones, accessories and software installation. Nearby is the newly opened Bazar Salam, offering similar goods in a more modern setting.

Traditional bazaars

Traditional Eastern markets (bazaars) are characterised by open-air or semi-covered spaces with narrow, winding alleyways. Unlike malls with their fixed, labelled prices, bazaars focus on traditional commerce and personal interaction, where haggling is common and, in fact, quite expected. Well-known bazaars in Qum include:

• Bazaar Buzurg — the Grand Bazaar, a historical and cultural landmark built across the Qajar, Seljuk, Safavid and Ilkhanid eras. It offers spices, textiles, bedding, handicrafts, carpets and household items, often cheaper than modern shops. Several malls such as Hujjat Mall connect to it, and it houses one of the few remaining traditional public bathhouses in Iran.
• Bazaar Qadeem — the Old Bazaar (also Bazaar Kohneh), over 600 years old and a national cultural heritage site. About a kilometre long, it houses workshops for traditional crafts such as dyeing, knife-making, woodturning, carpentry, blacksmithery and inlay work, and leads to the bustling Kohneh Square.
• Weekly Bazaar — temporary markets (bazaar hafteh) held at different locations on different days, offering fresh produce, clothing and household items at lower prices.

Weekly bazaar locations

Weekly bazaars are not held on Wednesdays.