Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, holds many surprises, perhaps the greatest of which is its age. Sitting within an ancient land, it feels timeless. At dawn and dusk, amid enveloping folds of wood smoke, some of the street scenes are practically biblical. Yet this city was founded as recently as 1886. It is 40 years younger than Salt Lake City.

Another surprise, in this fiercely proud country, is that the legacy of five years of Italian occupation (from 1936 to 1941) persists more than 70 years later. You’ll see it in the blue and white Fiat taxis, in the colonial architecture, in the local fondness for spaghetti and in the name of the city’s huge market district: Mercato.

Mercato is more than just a market. It is the beating heart of Addis Ababa. While in other parts of the city the planners attempted to impose formality, with wide avenues and ceremonial squares, in this labyrinth of dusty streets and alleys chaos seems to reign.

It is only when you immerse yourself in the place you begin to recognize the underlying order. Mercato is subdivided into distinct areas dedicated to particular products or produce. One moment you are surrounded by vendors selling succulent fruit and vegetables, then the aroma of spices and coffee beans bombards you, then you move into streets specializing in computers and electronics. Be prepared to haggle. Every transaction is an elaborate ritual of offer and counteroffer.

Mercato claims to be the largest open-air market in Africa. Deep within its warren of alleyways, it’s hard to argue. No map will help you find your way out. You need to trust your sense of direction and at all costs try to avoid looking like a lost tourist. Besides a boggling array of merchandise, you’ll also find the city’s highest concentration of pick-pockets, scammers and muggers. You need to be permanently on your guard.

But the risks are worth it. You can’t say that you know Addis Ababa until you’ve jostled through the crowds of Mercato. When people tell you that you can buy anything here, they mean it. If you’re looking to buy, say, a rocket launcher, you’ll probably find someone here with one to sell.

After a visit to Mercato, surrounding Addis Ababa — a hectic metropolis of more than 3 million people — feels positively sedate.