The Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı)

 

Grand Bazaar is the oldest and biggest closed bazaar of the wolrd in the center of the city of Istanbul.

 

The Grand Bazaar was founded in 1461. Like an enormous labyrinth, it is a spectacular and unique part of Istanbul with 60 streets and over 4000 shosp in an area of 30,700 square meters. This site; which resembles a city has grown and developed over time. It now includes ffive mosques, seven fountain, one stream, one public fountain, eighteen gates and forty public houses. Many streets named after occupations such as Altuncular, Aynacılar, Basmacılar, Çuhacıhanı, Fesçilar, Hılıcılar, İplikçiler, Terlikçiler, Terziler and Yalıkçılar and many others used to be in this bazaar but only their names exist now. Two structures covered with thick walls and a series of domes in the 15th century were covered and additions were built in later centuries.

 

This place wes a bazaar where each occupations handicrafts were strictly suprvised and commercials morals were respected. All types of germants, gewelry, guns and antiwques were offered for sale by families that specialized in their fields for generations. Although the Grand Bazaar was restored back to its former shape after earthquakes and fires at the end of previous centuries, its past characteristics have changed. There are jewelers on the street which is considered to be the main avenue of the bazaar and there are gold sellers on the side streets of this main avenue. These stores, which are small in size, offer different prices and different posibilities.

 

The Grand Bazaar preserves its collor and attraction.

 

The Grand Bazaar is always crowded all day. Craftsmen insistently call customers to their stores. Almost all products produced in an exported from Turkey are sold in big stores. Handwoven carperts and ajewelry are valuable examples of Turkish art. They are sold with their certificates of quality and exported all around the world. Turkish silver, carpert and jewelry copper and bronze s ouvenirs decorative articles, ceramics, onyx and leather products and high quality Turkish souvenirs constitute a rich collection. Western writers often mention the Grand Bazaar their memories and travel journals. The gates called Beyazıt, Çarşıkapı, Çuhacıhan, Kuyuc ular, Mahmutpaşa, Nuruosmaniye, Örücüler, Takkeciler, Tavukpazarı and Zenneciler constitute all the entrances and exits of the bazaar.

 

The animation of trade in Istanbul shows itself in the shopping that goes on the complicated streets of the Grand Bazaar, secret countyards and corridors that provide passages. The main public houses of the Bazaar are Ağa, Alipaşa, Astarcı, Balyacı, Bodrum, Cebeci, Çukur, Evliya, Hatipemin, İçcebeci, İmamali, Kapılar, Kaşıkçılar, Kebapçı, Kızlarağası, Mercan, Perdahçı, Rabia, Safran, Sarnıçlı, Sarraf, Sepetçi, Sorguçlu, Varakçı, Yağcı, Yolgecen and Zincirli Public Houses.