The Alpujarra mountain range, was important for the production of silk, where silkworms feasted on the leaves of the Mulberry trees. The raw material was then transported by mules, to Granada,where the silk threads were woven, then sold, either in bales, or made into clothing etc.
In the centre of Granadas' city, a bazaar was built , consisting of a grid like network of streets, with merchants shops, and inns, for the merchants to sleep, eat and conduct business. (The Corral del Carbon was originally a merchants inn - see my tip for further info).
Arched Gateways led into the bazzar, which were locked at night, while night watchmen guarded the area.
Originally, this bazaar covered the area from Plaza Nueva to Plaza Bib Rambla, and was a very important trading area.
However,
on the night of 19th July 1843, a fire started in a shop that made
matches, and the entire bazaar was destroyed. The area was soon
re-built, but on a smaller scale.Today, the bazaar still operates as a centre for trading, but mainly goods sold are souvenirs or crafts. It is an interesting place to wander around. Besides looking at the goods for sale, there are some good examples of Islamic architecture, and tiled wall decorations.
