Kırkkaşık Bedesten, Ottoman covered market in Tarsus, Turkey
Kırkkaşık Bedesten is a covered market from Ottoman times with a rectangular footprint, five domes, and eighteen separate rooms that serve as individual shops. The entire structure spans roughly 600 square meters (6,500 square feet) of floor space.
Ibrahim Bey of the Ramazanoglu family commissioned this market in 1579 to generate revenue for Tarsus Grand Mosque. The building has been maintained through different periods since its founding.
The name comes from lotus flower carvings on the building's cornice, which medieval observers mistakenly saw as forty spoons. This folk etymology remains part of the place's local identity today.
You can enter through two gates on the eastern and western sides, which makes navigation straightforward. Inside, the five domes provide natural light and keep the shopping environment comfortable throughout the year.
The building underwent major restoration work in 1960 and 1961, followed by a special recognition award from the Historical Cities Union in 2005. This honor acknowledged its importance as a preserved example of Ottoman market architecture.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
