Grand Bazaar, Covered market in Fatih, Turkey
The Grand Bazaar is a covered market in Fatih, Istanbul, with more than 60 streets filled with shops selling carpets, lamps, ceramics, jewelry and spices. Vaulted brick ceilings let daylight through small openings, and winding lanes lead to open squares where fountains from the Ottoman era stand.
Sultan Mehmed II ordered the first stone halls built starting in 1455 to secure the textile trade and collect revenue for the upkeep of Hagia Sophia. Over the following centuries the market grew through fires, earthquakes and reconstructions, eventually becoming the center of long-distance trade between Europe and Asia.
The name Kapalıçarşı means covered market and refers to the vaulted stone arches that give shade and coolness to every passage. Shopkeepers sit at the entrance to their stalls and greet visitors with a wave or an invitation for tea, while the smell of leather, spices and freshly brewed coffee fills the air around them.
The entrance near Nuruosmaniye Mosque is close to the Çemberlitaş tram stop, while the entrance near Beyazıt Mosque is within walking distance from Beyazıt Square. The narrow lanes and steps inside can be difficult for wheelchair users, so it is advisable to check for accessible routes beforehand.
Inside there are two old bedestens, stone trading halls with thick walls and heavy iron doors that once served as secure storage for gemstones and silk. Today you find antique dealers there showing old coins, handwoven carpets and Ottoman artwork.
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