Grand Bazaar

Step through one of the ornate gates of the Grand Bazaar and you enter a city within the city. Known in Turkish as Kapalıçarşı, the "Covered Market", it is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, with more than sixty vaulted streets, a network of historic caravanserais and around 4,000 shops selling everything from carpets and jewellery to lamps, ceramics, leather and spices.

History

The bazaar grew around a core built soon after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. Between 1455 and 1461 Sultan Mehmed II commissioned the Cevahir Bedesten, a solid domed hall where valuable goods such as jewels, weapons and fine textiles could be stored and traded safely; its rental income supported Hagia Sophia, newly converted into a mosque. A second hall, the Sandal Bedesten, was added later, and over the following centuries the streets between and around the two halls were roofed over, creating the labyrinth we see today. Fires and earthquakes, notably those of 1766 and 1894, damaged the market many times, and each time it was repaired. Trades were traditionally grouped by street, a pattern still reflected in names such as Kalpakçılar (fur-cap makers) and Kuyumcular (jewellers).

What to See

• Cevahir Bedesten – the fifteenth-century heart of the bazaar, today home to antiques, old silver and jewellery.
• Kalpakçılar Caddesi – the main street, lined with glittering gold and jewellery shops.
• The hans – historic inns such as Zincirli Han and the Büyük Valide Han, where workshops and courtyards hide behind the main streets.
• Carpets and kilims – hand-woven pieces from all over Anatolia, best chosen with time and patience.
• Lamps and ceramics – colourful mosaic lanterns and İznik-style tiles and bowls.
• Nuruosmaniye Gate – the grand entrance facing the Baroque Nuruosmaniye Mosque.

Visitor Tips

The bazaar is generally open from Monday to Saturday and closed on Sundays and religious holidays. Entry is free. Bargaining is part of the experience in most shops: take your time, compare a few prices and keep the conversation friendly. Many shops accept cards, but small purchases are easier in cash. It is easy to get lost, so note the name of the gate you entered through, and keep an eye on your belongings in crowded corridors. Mornings are calmer than afternoons, especially on Saturdays.

If you plan a larger purchase such as a carpet, gold or a piece of jewellery, ask the shop for a written invoice and, where relevant, a certificate describing the material and origin. Shipping can usually be arranged for heavy items. Between shopping stops, rest in one of the traditional tea houses tucked inside the hans, where tea is still carried to the shopkeepers on swinging brass trays.

The Grand Bazaar is only a short walk from Sultanahmet and from the Süleymaniye Mosque, and the streets of Mahmutpaşa lead downhill from it to the Spice Bazaar in Eminönü. A guided Istanbul tour with Inca Tour helps you understand the history of the market and its trades, then leaves you free time to shop at your own pace.