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BAZAARS |
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The
Grand Bazaar (or Covered Bazaar, Turkish: Kapaliçarsi ("Covered Bazaar")) in
Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world with more than 58 streets
and 4,000 shops, and has between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. It is well
known for its jewelry, pottery, spice, and carpet shops. Many of the stalls in the
bazaar are grouped by type of goods, with special areas for leather coats, gold
jewelry and the like. The bazaar contains two bedestens (domed masonry structures
built for storage and safe keeping), the first of which was constructed between
1455 and 1461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. The bazaar was vastly
enlarged in the 16th century, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent,
and in 1894 underwent a major restoration following an earthquake.
Major sections
The Grand Bazaar is a massive labyrinth of 4000 shops lining up the flanks of 58
covered streets.
Inner Bedesten : It was the first building to rise in Kapaliçarsi, actually
it is the Old Bedestan which forms the backbone of the bazaar. The names of the
gates are: Bouquinistes, Hat Shops, Jewelry Shops and Costume Shops.
Sandal Bedesten : It has the most number of domes in Kapaliçarsi. At present
it can be accessed through two gates, one is through the main gate and the other
is through the Nuruosmaniye district.
Other sections of the Grand Bazaar: The architectural design of the roads
making up other sections apart from the two bedestens is not symmetrical and geometrical;
it has a scattered nature due to its formation which took many centuries with new
parts being added. In this way, it stays away from the closed bazaar style of the
West and has a character of an Oriental bazaar. This laid back settlement and scattered
nature prevents the bazaar from being dull, and at the same time gives it a romantic
flavour. Such a complicated structure and settlement not only maintains the monumental
state of the bazaar, but also makes it a palace for shopping.
Gates
The Grand Bazaar has four main gates situated at the ends of its two major streets
which intersect near the southwestern corner of the bazaar. One street combines
the Bayezid II Mosque and Bayezid Square with Nuruosmaniye Mosque
To watch the movie of Grand Bazaar, please
click...
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The Spice Bazaar, (Turkish: 'Misir Çarsisi', Egyptian Bazaar) in Istanbul,
Turkey is one of the oldest bazaars in the city. Located in Eminönü, it is the second
largest covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar. There are different accounts
regarding the origin of the name of the bazaar. Various spices from the Orient were
offered here in the past, Egyptian Bazaar was so named because the spices used to
be imported from Egypt. On the other hand, in the Byzantine period, the site of
the Spice Bazaar was the centre of corn trade. And the word misir has a double meaning
in Turkish: "Egypt" and "corn".
The Spice Bazaar was designed by
the chief court architect Koca Kasim Aga, but completed by architect Mustafa in
1660.
To watch the movie of Spice Bazaar, please
click...
The open-air bazaars in Istanbul are named either according to the
neighborhood or according to the day on which they are held. All kinds of good quality,
low-priced goods from clothing to kitchen utensils can be bought in these bazaars.
The bazaars in Etiler and Yesilkoy begin early in the morning and last until sunset.
There are bazaars in Bakirkoy and Besiktas on Saturday, in Fatih on Wednesday, in
Kadikoy on Tuesday, and in Findikzade on Friday.
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