Grand Bazaar

The history of the Grand Bazaar, which is located in Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey, goes to the mid -15th century to the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Period. According to the foundation system, which is one of the most important practices that kept the Ottoman institutions alive, another income -generating structure was created in order to meet the various needs of mosques such as repair and maintenance costs. The most important of these income -generating structures were bazaars and the foundation of the Grand Bazaar was laid in 1461 with the structures built by Fatih Sultan Mehmet to bring income to Hagia Sophia and grew gradually with the additions made over the years. Over time, the Grand Bazaar, which has become the most important commercial center of the whole region, hosts the richest tradesmen of Istanbul, and the trade of jewels and precious jewelry from all over the world, served as a bank and financial center in these years.

At the same time, because it is seen as one of the places that reflects Istanbul and the eastern life in the eyes of Europeans, the fact that it is located in many travel books and painters in the paintings of the painters also proves the historical and cultural importance of the Grand Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar, which is defined as the world's oldest but the largest shopping center, is based on an area of ​​45,000 square meters and has a exact 3,600 shops. The Grand Bazaar, which is the place where the heart of the economy throws the heart of the economy during the Ottoman Period, where even this number has a shop and occupies a wider area, is the first visit to those who come to Istanbul and want to shop. The number of visitors sometimes reaches even 500 thousand people a day.

Here you can find everything from carpet to bag, textile products to gold and silver jewelry, from antiques to tiles and souvenirs that will keep your memories forever. Even if you take your whole day into a ride, the Grand Bazaar, which is large enough to explore all parts, contains the old, traditional and modern, like all of Istanbul. For this reason, some products sold can be described as Ottoman heritage and others as the returns of the modern world. There are many places to shop in the immediate vicinity of the Grand Bazaar. On the street between the bazaar and the Nur-u Osmaniye Mosque, shops selling authentic materials, especially the carpets, are lined up.

You can find handmade souvenirs in Arasta Bazaar behind Sultan Ahmet Mosque. Sultanahmet and its surroundings are another place where you can see all different products together, apart from handcrafted gift products. We recommend the old book enthusiasts to visit the Sahaflar Bazaar between Beyazıt Mosque and the Grand Bazaar.