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Istanbul Grand Bazaar |
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Covered Bazaar / Kapali Carsi):
Kapalicarsi take the first place to visit Istanbul for foreigners. Millions of different objects that are sold in thousands of shops seem charming for especially Western Visitors. Although it is far from its oriental appearance of nearly 100 years ago, it is still one of the most important places to be visited. The Grand Bazaar has often been restored after big fires and earthquakes. Each time it has enlarged more and during the last century it took the appearance it has today. The Grand Bazaar has faced 12 strong earthquakes and 9 big fires heretofore and the restorations after the earthquake in 1894 and the fire in 1954 resulted in the most comprehensive works. The Grand Bazaar covers a total area of 30ha. There are approximately 3500 shops and 15000 trademen in 80 streets and roads inside it. Of the 18 gates of the Bazaar, the most important ones are Nuruosmaniye Gate, which , on its pediment, has a rigging of weapon, bookbooks and flags. Also the Bayezid Gate on which "God loves tradesmen" writes and imperial sign of Abdulhamid II is embroidered. The Grand Bazaar includes 7 fountains, one well, one mosque and twelf masjids (small mosques). The school and the bsath were omitted during the restorations after the earthquake in 1894. During the Ottomans, the grnad Bazaar had not only been a shopping and trade center, but also a place serving as ex-change offices and banks and where economy was organized. It was the vanguard of similar covered markets in Eastern countries. At those period its street would smelling spices, cloth or wood depending on the type pf goods sold in the surrounding. Until mid 19th-century it had also served as a slave market. At the beginning of that century people running away from the RUssian revolution brought antiques with them as well as the valuable belongings of sultanate and dynasties. These had been sold in the Covered Bazaar. The first lace works, cloth and bed spreads, imported from Europe, were sold here at the same period. (Open daily except Sundays) |
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