Çarshia

Çarshia is the Albanian word for a market or bazaar. In wider use, it designates a town’s historic commercial district, typically centered on a square or main street where goods are sold and social life concentrates. The term derives from Ottoman Turkish çarşı, itself from Persian and Arabic roots, reflecting the Ottoman influence on urban planning in Albanian-speaking regions.

Historically, Çarshia was laid out around a central market and connected by arcaded streets, with mosques, caravanserais, baths, and inns forming the surrounding neighborhood. It functioned as the economic and social heart of the city, hosting weekly markets, crafts, and public gatherings.

In modern times, Çarshia often remains the site of markets and street vendors in Albania and Kosovo. Some districts have been preserved as heritage areas with restored architecture, while others have been redeveloped into pedestrian streets and cultural venues, blending commerce with tourism.

The name persists in toponyms that designate historic market areas, such as Çarshia e Vjetër in Shkodër.