XINJIANG- A number of journalists from some Asian, European, and African countries visited Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, the capital of China’s northwest Xinjiang Province.

Visiting this bazaar (market) was a part of their one-week trip to Xinjiang arranged by the China International Press Communication Center (CIPCC), and sponsored by China Global Television Network (CGTN) in a program named “China Up Close” initiated by the CGTN.

Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar is the largest bazaar in the world by scale, combining Islamic culture, architecture, ethnic commerce, tourism and entertainment. It is also one of the most famous landmarks in Urumqi and in Xinjiang.

The construction of the bazaar was completed in late 2002; it was opened to public on 26 June 2003. 

The Grand Bazaar is located in Tianshan District, Urumqi City, with a construction area of nearly 100,000 square meters and 3,000 stores.

The Architectural style of Grand Bazaar is magnificent and extremely Islamic, which reflects the unique characteristics of the Western Regions. A variety of exquisite ethnic souvenirs are overwhelming. Coming to the Grand Bazaar is like walking through a market in Central Asia, where you can fully feel the charm of ethnic minorities.

Walking into the Grand Bazaar, we can see a round tower about 100 meters high in the center of the square, which is the most famous attraction in Grand Bazaar and named the Silk Road Sightseeing Tower. Paintings and exhibitions are showing the historical story of the Silk Road on each floor of the tower. Atop the tower, you will have a panoramic view of the Urumqi City.

The Uighur-style pedestrian streets are distributed on both sides of the square. A variety of delicious Xinjiang dried fruits are sold here, as well as some ethnic musical instruments, handicrafts and painted tambourine, etc. The local Uighurs play their folk music in front of the shops.

Naan Museum is another major attraction in this bazaar. Naan has a long history in Xinjiang, and it is the staple food of the ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. The Naan Museum in Grand Bazaar displays more than 100 naans from all over Xinjiang.

The Grand Bazaar is a gathering place for all kinds of local cuisine in Xinjiang. When the lights on the pedestrian street light up at around 22:00, Xinjiang Grand Bazaar will show you a different view at night.

As previously mentioned, visiting Xinjiang was organized by China International Press Communication Center (CIPCC).

CIPCC, under the China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA), has initiated a program to build a platform for the media from countries around the world, especially developing countries, to observe China and study development in this country.

In each edition of the program, journalists from all around the world gather together to get familiar with the modern China and exchange their experiences in the field of journalism.

In 2024 edition of the program, started in late February, over 100 journalists from more than 90 countries are participating.

Photo By Mahnaz Abdi