DK Travel : Istanbul : Grand Bazaar

Grand Bazaar

3.0 /5 (1 vote)

Rate it

Review this attraction

Are these details incorrect?

From the painted arches to the shopfronts gleaming with lanterns, piled with carpets or heaped with spices, the Kapalı Çarşı is a fantasy of Eastern opulence. Founded in 1461 by Sultan Mehmet II, the bazaar was designed as the trading heart of an empire. In addition to shops, banks, storerooms and cafés, it had travellers’ accommodation, a bathhouse, mosques and a school. Destroyed several times by earthquake and fire, it has always bounced back. It offers a compelling and entertaining – if potentially expensive – day out.
The hotels, school and bathhouse that were once part of the bazaar have gone; now the market has a police station, ATM machines, public toilets and other necessities for keeping its droves of visitors happy. There are small tea and coffee shops scattered throughout the market, as well as several good kebab shops, a couple of restaurants and a range of upmarket cafés. For tips on shopping See Shops and Markets For tips on carpets See Facts about Turkish Carpets Taxis near the Grand Bazaar have a bad reputation; some drivers charge up to ten times the going rate.

Top 10 Features

1. İç Bedesten

This was the bazaar’s first building, a Byzantine structure converted in 1461 into a sturdy lockup in which jewellery was traded and slaves were auctioned. Today it is used to sell precious goods such as antiques and rare icons.
2. Jewellers’ Street (Kalpakçılar Başı Caddesi)

2. Jewellers’ Street (Kalpakçılar Başı Caddesi)

The bazaar’s widest street runs along the southern edge of the market, its shop windows piled high with jewels and precious metals. Around 100,000 kg (220,460 lb) of gold is traded in the bazaar each year. Gold jewellery is sold by weight, with a little added for craftsmanship.
3. Carpet Sellers

3. Carpet Sellers

The bazaar is home to some of Istanbul’s finest carpet dealers, as well as lesser traders prepared to sell you a hall runner or a bedside rug. Carpet shops are scattered throughout the market, with a concentration near the İç Bedesten.
4. Outdoor Stalls

4. Outdoor Stalls

Surrounding the covered market is a maze of tiny lanes, with stalls selling carpets, souvenirs, clothes and vegetables. Locals shop here.
5. Street Names

At one time, each part of the bazaar had its own specialism, as indicated by the street names. Look for the terlikçiler (slipper-makers), aynacılar(mirror-makers), fesçiler (fez-makers), yorgancılar (quilt-makers), kazazcılar (silk-thread-makers) and kürkçüler (fur-makers).
6. Fountains

6. Fountains

Two marble and copper fountains provided drinking water for the market traders before modern plumbing was installed. According to an 1880 survey, there were also 16 drinking-water posts, 1 fountain reservoir, and8 wells for fire-fighters.
7. Sandal Bedesten

In the southeast corner of the bazaar, the 15th-century Sandal Bedesten, its roof of 20 brick domes propped up by pillars, is the former antiques market. It now hosts a carpet auction every Wednesday at 1pm.
8. Gates

8. Gates

Twenty-two gates lead into the covered bazaar from all directions. The Beyazıt Gate, rebuilt after an earthquake in 1894, is marked with the tughra (imperial sign) of Sultan Abdül Hamit II, and the happy assurance that “God loves tradesmen”.
9. Zincirli Han

9. Zincirli Han

The hans provided accommodation, food and stables for travelling traders. This one, the oldest of 40 in the area, has been lovingly restored and is now occupied by Şişko Osman Halıcılık, a leading carpet dealer.
10. Valide Han

Constructed in 1651, this building (the largest caravanserai in Istanbul) has been sadly neglected. Today it contains a mix of residential, gallery and workshop space.

Practical Information

The hotels, school and bathhouse that were once part of the bazaar have gone; now the market has a police station, ATM machines, public toilets and other necessities for keeping its droves of visitors happy. There are small tea and coffee shops scattered throughout the market, as well as several good kebab shops, a couple of restaurants and a range of upmarket cafés. Open 8:30am–7pm Mon–Sat (surrounding street markets usually open longer) Free www.kapalicarsi.org.tr