The largest and oldest covered markets in the world Grand Bazaar (Kapali Çarşı), 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops which attract between 350,000 and 600,000 visitors daily‘ should be any dedicated shopper’s first port of call in Istanbul. Crammed in among chaotic covered streets and alleys, its thousands of stalls hold all manner of items, such as carpets and kilims, leather, suede and denim clothes and accessories, ceramic tiles, bowls and vases, hand-beaten copper and brass lamps, coffee-grinders and samovars, gold and silver jewellery (beware imitations) and much more.
Much of the current prosperity comes from gold (of which nearly 100 tons is sold in the Grand Bazaar each year), coachloads of ‘black bag’ shoppers.(so called because of their habit of filling bin sacks with cheap clothing) and tourism. But, among t he sea of mantlepiece trinkets, nasty leather jackets, no-label jeans and hippie-wear, there • ire attractive quality goods to be had. To take time out I rom the constant hard sell, head for the Şark Kahvesi, a fine old-style coffee house on the prominent Yağlıkçılar Caddesi.
A paradise for some, the crowds and hawkers, and indeed the sheer size of the bazaar, can render the experience quite nightmarish for others. As a result, some shoppers prefer the smaller Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) in Eminönü. As well as offering the typical souvenirs found in its larger cousin, the Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar) also sells vast quantities of herbs and spices, as well as delicious candies and mixed nuts. It’s also a good place to buy a nargile (water pipe) and accompanying fruit-flavoured molasses.
Although the shops are now mainly geared towards tourists, the Grand Bazaar still retains a great deal of its oriental flavour in the blackened corners and arched courtyards of its bans (merchants’ inns), as well as in the workshops and stalls of traditional blacksmiths and bronzesmiths, jewellers and fabric merchants, miniature painters and antiques dealers.
Istanbul was always one of the world’s most important trading centres, with extensive open markets in Byzantine times. The Ottomans ushered in a new economic era, with the city at the) centre of an empire that stretched from the Arabian deserts almost to the European Alps. In 1461 Mehmet the Conqueror ordered the construction of a bedesten, a great lock-up with thick stone walls, massive iron gates and space for several dozen shops. This survives in modified form as the Old Bedesten (If Bedesten), at the very heart of the bazaar. It remains a place where the most precious items are sold, including the best old silver and antiques. The Sandal Bedesten was added later, named after a fine Bursan silk and filled with textile traders. It now hosts a carpet auction at 1pm every Wednesday, well worth attending as an audience spectacle.
It is as easy to lose track of time in this covered labyrinth as it is to lose oneself in its hectic, meandering alleyways. Don’t be afraid to put the map away here, as part of the fun is getting lost, although making your way through the crowds amid the persistent cajoling of shopkeepers can certainly take its toll.
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The Grand Bazaar is an overstimulating labyrinth of endless shops…
This is a must do experience in Istanbul. I was concerned about getting lost but the streets are named and the numbers of the stores do run consecutively so take a note where you start from. When you wander down a side street just remember where you started from.
While visiting Istanbul never forget to visit this place. There are too many shops and too many buyers. Rates can be bargained. Start with 25% of the asking price and you may end paying 40% of the initial asking price. Anything on the world is available here. Toilets are paid @ one Lira per use.
Not a bazaar as you know it but more like lots of avenues to get lost in with shops either side. As I had already done some research this wasn't a surprise to me. Nevertheless I'm glad that we went just for the experience of seeing it.
As the word says : proof lies in eating the pudding ! Well, that's what me and my family did when we were in Istanbul last year, July 2009.
The first impression to enters this amazing place with all the hundreds of thousands of small shops, was the most exciting feeling.
Go here for little presents, great quality product like leather carpets or bath robes / cotton – the bazaar has it all. Prepare your visit by selecting stores you want to visit beforehand to make it worth your while. Great people!
For those for whom "shopping" is an emotional experience, a visit to Istanbul cannot be complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar. Given, this is no longer a visit to historical Istanbul. Even I, who first visited the Grand Bazaar in the late '60s can see how commercialized and unauthentic it has become since then.
Thousands of shops, thousands of employees, tens of thousands of shoppers. This is a necessary stop in Istanbul for shoppers but I found it overwhelming. How many leather jackets can one buy?
I loved my experience at the Grand Bazaar. I love a bargain and shop keepers know it…they are just waiting for an opportunity to indulge me. Good deals are everywhere but remember, this place is huge. Chances are if you try to find a better price on something specific you won't remember the place where you first saw it.
Despite a great sense of direction I got lost twice but the shop owners were very helpful in directing me out even though language was a barrier. I found the traders to be polite and respectful and was pleasantly surprised that I was not hastled to buy in any great way. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate and you will find good bargains.