Three-hundred-year-old market in Bucharest

In Bucharest, there's a large market, pronounced "Obor" by locals simply.

Obor Market has stood here for over 300 years, the heart of the city's eastern half. Its two-story facade divides the world into fresh and processed goods, while outside, it's a surreal scene of life, with people carrying baskets and laughter echoing through the smoke.

Obor isn't a staged market for tourists; it's a place where city dwellers buy everyday necessities, from buckets of fish bait and garden vegetables to brooms, baskets, shoes, and seeds. Everything in this market is authentic, authentic in its smells, sounds, and colors.

As you venture a little deeper, you'll find fruits and vegetables from the surrounding orchards stacked so tightly that the wooden tables can barely hold them. Rows of cabbages the size of watermelons line the market, red and yellow peppers dangle above the vendors' heads, and eggplants are packed tightly in wooden boxes. No one attempts to make the arrangements "photogenic," but the beauty of the scene is purely due to its authenticity.

Obor Market has existed for over three centuries, beginning in the 18th century in Wallachia, when Bucharest was a wooden city and the central market was the heart of every neighborhood. It endured wars. Through the communist government and the 1989 revolution, it has never disappeared from the lives of the people.

Inside the main two-story building, warm light reflects off bright red tomatoes. The aroma of vegetables mingles with the smoked ham from the upper floors wafting down. Tables are lined with cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and white cauliflower. Each stall has a small table number, like the breath of life passed down from generations.

Leaving the building, on the other side, the outdoor market moves at its own pace. Fabrics, sweaters, shoes, and household items line both sides. The wind blows through the tents, the hum of footsteps, and the sounds of life that don't demand attention.

Obor Market is a reflection of Bucharest, a living, breathing city. It's not a fictionalized tourist destination, but a city where people still eat, live, and laugh.

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Post by Mr. Choon | Oct 5, 2025