Central Market | |
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General information | |
Town or city | Paramaribo |
Country | Suriname |
Coordinates | 5°49′24″N 55°09′32″W / 5.82334°N 55.15898°W |
Completed | 1969 [1] |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Peter Nagel |
The Central Market is a marketplace on Waterkant in the centre of Paramaribo, Suriname. The building has two floors. The ground floor contains the food market where fruits, vegetables, meat and fish are sold. [2] The top floor is a generic retail market where clothing, cigarettes, CDs and other consumer goods are sold. [3] The market is located on the Suriname River, [2] and is open Monday to Saturday. [4]
In July 1959, the city council decided to create a central, permanent market in the city which could accommodate 950 stalls. The design was difficult, because the Suriname River has a large tidal range and a strong currents. [2] The market was constructed with European Union subsidies. Even though Suriname is known for its timber reserves, the wood used was imported from the EU. The roof has a double arch allowing plenty of ventilation inside the building. The building was completed in 1969. [1]
The Central Market is one of the busiest part of the city. In the early morning, trucks and boats arrive supplying their goods to be sold at the market. [5] The Central Market used to be known for illegal stalls outside the terrain, [4] and the money changers which resulted in the nickname "Central Bank". [5] In 2015, a renovation project started, [6] and illegal stalls are no longer tolerated. [7] During the COVID-19 pandemic the market was closed, and reopened in January 2021 with a one-way system with specific entrances, and exits. [8]