Red Market

The Red Market was built in 1936 in red brick with an art deco clock tower, and it remains what it was built to be: three floors of fresh market, with fish and live poultry below, meat above and vegetables and dry goods around, serving residents rather than visitors. It is one of the few surviving buildings of its period and style in the city and is protected. Early morning is when it works hardest.

History

The architect Júlio Alberto Basto planned the market in 1934 and it was built in 1936, named after its red bricks, with a clock tower in the middle and a watchtower at each corner. It once stood by the waterfront, where sellers bought straight from the docks, and it is protected as architectural heritage (Wikipedia, Red Market (building)).

What you'll find

• The brick building - a 1936 art deco market with its corner clock tower.
• The fish floor - the wet market at ground level, working from before dawn.
• The upper floors - meat, vegetables and dry goods above.
• The working use - a market for residents rather than visitors.

When to go

Early morning is when the market is fullest and liveliest. It winds down by early afternoon. October to December is the most comfortable season.

Practical notes

This is a working wet market: it is loud, wet underfoot and includes live poultry and butchery that some visitors find difficult. Nothing is aimed at tourists. It empties by early afternoon.

Nearby

Three Lamps District is west, and Kun Iam Temple is north.

Key facts