Grand Bazaar

From silk ribbons to ornate carpets, from delicate Turkish teapots to ornate Ottoman lamps, the lantern-lined alleys of İstanbul’s Kapalı Çarşı or Grand Bazaar are home to the city’s finest treasures. In this historic shopper’s paradise, the arched doorways are covered from wall to wall with traditional Turkish antiquities, mementos of your visit and produce.  

There are 22 gates leading into the covered bazaar from all directions. The Beyazıt Gate is marked with the tuğra (imperial sign) of Sultan Abdülhamit II and the assurance that “God loves the merchants". 

A stroll through the hive of activity of the vendors and sellers haggling and bargaining like their life depended on it all the while sipping tea brings as much wonder and delight as a little entertainment. The Bedestens or warehouses date back to the prosperous times of the 15th century, when Sultan Mehmet proposed the construction of the Grand Bazaar to promote economic progress and the crossroads of trade in the city at the time. Today, the bazaar is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, its winding labyrinth filled with up to 4,000 shops and spanning nearly 61 shopping streets and alleys is a feast of retail therapy for the hardy tourist and locals alike.

Liking the buzz? Visit Spice Bazaar as well >

More information about the Grand Bazaar: https://istanbul.goturkiye.com/grand-bazaar