Mercato delle Cure

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Mercato delle Cure (Le Cure market)
Piazza delle Cure
Florence, December 2024

Galleria Centrale

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Galleria Centrale “Eat & Meet”
Via Emilia San Pietro
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“The Galleria Centrale (Central Gallery) of Reggio Emilia was built in 1927 based on a project by the architect Prospero Sorgato. The original layout is structured on a central nave and two lateral ones. The building was conceived as a food market with a popular character, but a few years after its inauguration it was converted into a shopping mall. The architectural language expresses the transition period between Neoclassical and Art Nouveau. If the external facade shows the grandeur of the neoclassical, the atmosphere changes progressively when entering the building, showing the influence of other styles such as Liberty and Eclecticism.” (A Century of History, Eat & Meet)

Mercato della Ghiaia

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Mercato della Ghiaia
Piazza Ghiaia
Parma, May 2024

“This is the largest covered market in the city and is one of the most characteristic places. You can find all sorts of things here, from clothes to wickerwork items and household goods. The most attractive stalls are those selling fruit and vegetables or flowers. The city looks like a garden of color with these rows of brightly colored stalls. Most of the stall holders are ‘real’ local people.” (Mercato della Ghiaia, CitySeeker)

Vinegar Yard

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Vinegar Yard
St Thomas Street, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Within striking distance of London Bridge station, Vinegar Yard is a new eating, drinking, shopping and art space. Featuring art installations (including an unmissable train carriage!), pop-up shops, bars, street food traders and an open-air garden area with seating for hundreds of people, Vinegar Yard is a must-visit destination for after-work drinkers, weekend fun-seekers and anyone seeking fabulous street food.” (Vinegar Yard, Visit London)

Mercado de Salamanca

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Mercado de Salamanca by Daniel Rubio Sánchez, 1925
Calle San Bartolomé
Málaga, March 2024

“A building with one central aisle and two identical entrance porticos that are of particular interest. The side façades are formed by double lines of vendor stalls open both to the inside and to the outside. More or less centred in the lateral walls there are secondary entrance portals. The interior is decorated with tiled images of poultry, fish and fruit. Almost all the decorative elements of the building are concentrated around the main entrance porticos, which are topped by a triangular pediment framed with various different layouts of masonry and ceramics. In terms of style the Salamanca Market is Neo-Moorish with strong exotic oriental traces, reminiscent of the Arab souks.” (Salamanca Market, Diputación de Málaga)

Piazza del Mercato

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Wooden and brick canopy, 1886
Piazza del Mercato
Siena, April 2024

“The Market Square (Piazza del Mercato), located in the medieval city of Siena in Tuscany, is a historic square known for its vibrant market activities and scenic views. Nestled behind the prominent Camp Square (Piazza del Campo) and adjacent to the back of the Pubblico Palace (Palazzo Pubblico), this square has been a central marketplace for centuries, playing a pivotal role in the city's daily life. Historically, the Market Square served as the cattle market, referred to as the Foro Boario, and was characterized by its unpaved ground and abundant trees. Over time, the square evolved to accommodate a broader range of market activities. By the late 19th century, it had transformed into a general produce market, with specialized areas for flower and vegetable vendors as well as poultry sellers, evidenced by an awning constructed in 1886 to shelter chicken and rabbit vendors. Today, the Market Square continues to function as a flea market on Wednesday mornings, offering a plethora of goods ranging from local produce to household items, maintaining its tradition as a bustling center of commerce. The square also provides exceptional views over the surrounding countryside and features elegant loggias at the rear of the Pubblico Palace, adding an architectural appeal to its historical and functional significance. This makes Market Square not only a place for local shopping but also a tourist attraction that captures the essence of Siena's medieval heritage.” (Piazza del Mercato, GPSMyCity)

Mercado de Atarazanas

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Mercado de Atarazanas
Calle Sagasta
Málaga, September 2023

“The Mercado de Atarazanas is one of the buildings which best represent the architecture of the nineteenth century in Malaga. It's one of the most important shopping centres in the city where every day the people of Malaga come to buy fresh produce, one of the hallmarks of this market. Many of the visitors come for the tapas and fresh “pescaíto" (typical small fried fish) in the bars in the market, or just to stroll through this building which has been able to preserve its traditional essence. The market dates back to the 14th century and was originally occupied by a Nasrid boatyard. After the Christian Conquest, the building began to be used as a warehouse, an arsenal, a military hospital and a barracks. It was in 1870 when the project by architect Joaquín Rucoba for the construction of a new central food market was approved. Intervention by the San Telmo Academy of Fine Arts in Malaga made it possible to save the old monumental gateway, which became the gate of the main façade, which at that time led directly to the sea. The Mercado Atarazanas was declared of to be of Cultural Interest in 1979 and it was completely refurbished to recover its original design.” (Mercado de Atarazanas, Andalucía)

Mercado Central

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Mercado Central (Central Market)
Plaza del Mercado
Valencia, September 2022

“If you love food, then you will enjoy the fresh produce, their colour and flavour, and if you value richness, variety and quality in the kitchen, then the Central Market in Valencia is a paradise you cannot miss out on. It is an essential place to visit in the city, with an enormous collection of modernist architecture containing fresh produce from the Valencia orchard and all the flavour and aromas from the Mediterranean. Don't doubt about it, visit Central Market. Your senses will thank you!It is the largest market with fresh produce in Europe and it stands out for its rich and varied cuisine. It is located in one of the most emblematic modernist buildings in the city. It is 8,000 m2 and full of decorative references to the orchard and gardens in Valencia. Its structure, formed by iron columns, remind us of the Eiffel Tower; tile and stained glass make it an attractive architecture that is a must to see. When you visit it, you will not only love what you see, but also the colours, aromas, smells...it is full of Mediterranean life. It is a place where you can buy traditional products, yet it is also a space where more and more tourists visit. This Valencia agora has more than 1200 stalls with fresh fruit and vegetables, especially oranges, tomatoes and beans. Meat, cheese, spices, nuts, spices fish, seafood are just some of the other products on offer, yet it is the live eels that seem to catch everyone's attention. If you do not want to buy anything, but you want to taste the food, you can stop at the Central Bar, the Central Market's traditional bar at the hands of chef Ricard Camarena, where you can have tapas, assorted dishes and sandwiches. Whether you want to buy products or enjoy the cuisine, the Central Market is a magical place.” (Central Market, Visit Valencia)

The Market Building

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The Market Building
Covent Garden
London, September 2014

Kago Sushi

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Kago Sushi
Hala Koszyki (Koszyki Hall)
ulica Koszykowa
Warsaw, September 2018

“Hala Koszyki was purchased in 2009 by Avestus Real Estate which hoped to revitalize the object. It was subsequently demolished, with the exception of the two side wings and the northern wall of the arcade facing Koszykowa Street. Its complete redevelopment and reconstruction began after Griffin Group purchased the site in 2012. The market hall was redesigned by JEMS Architekci and reopened in October 2016. All of the original structural elements were reincorporated into the new mixed-use building. The venue inside offers restaurants specializing in haute cuisine, bars, pubs, cafeterias, bookstores and designer shops.” (Hala Koszyki, Wikipedia)

Koszyki Hall

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Hala Koszyki (Koszyki Hall)
ulica Koszykowa
Warsaw, September 2018

“The exterior was decorated with sculptures and carved cartouches featuring the mermaid, a symbol of Warsaw, and animal or food-related themes. The main central hall was 77 meters in length by 27 meters in width at the time of its completion. The two entrance wings were 15 meters by 15 meters each. The building was considered extremely modern for its time and possessed all the necessary conveniences; the steel-framed arcade had booths and cubicles specifically designed for each individual trade – butchers were provided with marble tabletops for cutting meat, fishmongers with pools and grocers were equipped with cold rooms and coolers. Despite this, little space was designated in the 'cour d'honneur' for horse carts and wagons which transported the stock food to the Hall. A considerable problem was also the size of Koszykowa Street, which was narrow and soon became overcrowded, thus limiting access to the market.” (Hala Koszyki, Wikipedia)

Hala Koszyki

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Hala Koszyki (Koszyki Hall)
ulica Koszykowa
Warsaw, September 2018

“Hala Koszyki (pronounced Ko-shi-kee), also known as Koszyki Hall in English, is a historic market and food hall located on 63 Koszykowa Street in south-central Warsaw, Poland. Initially opened in 1909, it has been since redeveloped into a mixed-use retail and commercial facility with offices, bookstores, elegant bars and gourmet restaurants. The heritage shopping arcade was designed in an Art Nouveau style.” (Hala Koszyki, Wikipedia)

Santa Caterina Market

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Santa Caterina Market
Avinguda de Francesc Cambó
Seen from Plaça de Joan Capri
Barcelona, March 2017

“The refurbishment of Barcelona's first covered food market by the architectural practice of Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue was completed in 2005. The old Santa Caterina food market revealed a gleaming, undulating and brightly coloured roof designed to be seen from the air. The roof is attached to the building by a wooden structure, and a vast mosaic of coloured ceramic pieces, representing fruit and vegetables, boldly breaks with the traditional look of a market. The market has always been characterised by a desire to innovate. Santa Caterina Market was built in 1845 to provide the neighbourhood's blue-collar community with foodstuffs. The spacious, modern market building was constructed on the former site of the Convent of Santa Caterina, from which it takes its name. During the post-Civil War period, Santa Caterina became the main food supplier to the towns on the outskirts of Barcelona. People from Sant Adrià, Santa Coloma and Mataró came on the tram to buy food in this market in times of shortage. Today, the market is still worth a visit: the modern exterior ushers us into a traditional market with food stalls and restaurants which serve outstanding-quality produce.” (Santa Caterina Market, Turisme de Barcelona)

Mercato delle Pulci

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Mercato delle Pulci (Flea Market)
Largo Annigoni
Florence, January 2020

“Late October saw the official opening of the new Mercato delle Pulci, or flea market, in largo Annigoni. Nearly four years have passed since the stalls were moved from piazza dei Ciompi, which they had occupied for more than six decades, but until last month their housing in the clearing near the Sant’Ambrogio market was no more than temporary tenting. The permanent new structure, which was inaugurated by mayor Dario Nardella, is instead made of steel and is intended to invoke the covered markets of 19th-century Italy. Designed by Florentine architect Alberto Breschi and costing around one million euro, it certainly makes the stalls look less nomadic, but has put pay to any hopes their tenants might have had of returning to their original home.” (Flea-ing the piazza, The Florentine)

Fulton Market

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Fulton Market
Fulton Street
South Street Seaport, Lower Manhattan
New York, September 2007

Nagyvásárcsarnok

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Great Market Hall (Nagyvásárcsarnok) by Samu Pecz, 1897
Fovám tér
Budapest, September 2017

Traffic People

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Traffic People shop
Old Spitalfields Market
Spitalfields
London, September 2015

“Old Spitalfields Market is a covered market in Spitalfields, London. There has been a market on the site for over 350 years. In 1991 it gave its name to New Spitalfields Market in Leyton, where fruit and vegetables are now traded. In 2005, a regeneration programme resulted in the new public spaces: Bishops Square and Crispin Place, which are now part of the modern Spitalfields Market. A range of public markets runs daily, with independent local stores and restaurants - as well as new office developments.” (Old Spitalfields Market, Wikipedia)

La Boqueria

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Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria
La Rambla
Barcelona, March 2017

“The Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, often simply referred to as La Boqueria, is a large public market in the Ciudad Vieja district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, and one of the city's foremost tourist landmarks, with an entrance from La Rambla, not far from the Liceo, Barcelona's opera house. The market has a very diverse selection of goods.” (La Boqueria, Wikipedia)

Zsolnay Tiling

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Colourful Zsolnay tiling from Pécs
Great Market Hall (Nagyvásárcsarnok) by Samu Pecz, 1897
Fővám tér
Budapest, September 2017

“Pyrogranite refers to a type of ornamental ceramics that were developed by Zsolnay and placed in production by 1886. Fired at high temperature, this durable material remains acid and frost-resistant making it suitable for use as roof tiles, indoor and outdoor decorative ceramics, and fireplaces. Architects that used the material in their buildings include Miklós Ybl, Ödön Lechner, Béla Lajta, Samu Pecz, and Imre Steindl. It can be seen in buildings such as Matthias Church, the Hungarian Parliament Building, the Museum of Applied Art, the Geological Institute, the Kőbánya Church, the Gellért Baths (all these buildings are in Budapest), the Town Hall in Kecskemét and many buildings, like the Post Office Palace, in Pécs.” (Zsolnay, Wikipedia)

Borough Market Hall

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Market Hall by DLA Architects, 2013
Bedale Street / Borough High Street
Borough Market, Southwark
London, September 2016

“DLA have transformed a pocket of Southwark into a new city garden and gathering space for Borough Market through the refurbishment of The Market Hall. Borough Market was established in 1754 and is London's oldest food Market. With its roots based firmly in the local community, an Act of Parliament stated that Borough Market should remain ''an estate for the use and benefit of the local community forever''. The Market Hall strengthens this Act by promoting food education and sustainability, whilst engaging the local community. DLA have helped the Trustees of Borough Market achieve this through the development of the brief and a series of distinctive architectural interventions including a vertical herb garden, scented planter seating, a mobile olive orchard, hop planters, a demonstration kitchen and a CNC engineered timber cladding design which represents the Market through the four seasons. Located opposite London Bridge Station and the Shard, the Market Hall is a piece of urban design which for the first time in the Market's rich history stiches together the existing Market and Borough High Street, whilst providing a frontage where Market activities will be visible and education events promoted. Locals and visitors to Borough Market will now be greeted with an ever changing calendar of events and activities throughout the day and year. The flexible community hall will function as a public square, garden, education space and dining room.” (The Market Hall, Architecture.com)