Blue glass eye shop in the Grand Bazaar Istanbul - 2010 European Capital of Culture - Turkey
The Grand Bazaar (or Covered Bazaar, Kapalicarsi in Turkish) in Istanbul (at 41° 28°) 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 bedestans, or 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. Technically, the correct translation of the Turkish name Kapalicarsi is "Covered Bazaar" and not "Grand Bazaar", simply because the Turks do not call it "Grand Bazaar". In Turkish kapali means "covered" and carsi means "market" or "bazaar". INNER BEDESTEN was the first building to rise in Kapalicarsi, actually it is the Old Bedestan which forms the backbone of the bazaar. The names of the gates are: Bouquinistes, Hat Shops, Jewellery Shops and Costume Shops. SANDAL BEDESTEN has the most number of domes in Kapalicarsi. At present it can be accessed through two gates, one is through the main gate and the other is through the Nuruosmaniye district. The architectural design of the roads making up the other sections 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 flavor.
Size: 2048px × 1536px
Photo credit: © Ali Kabas / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: None
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