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The Grand Bazaar
Turkish:
Kapalıçarşı, meaning Covered Bazaar) in
Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in
the world, with more than 58 covered streets and over 1,200
shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors
daily. Opened in 1461, it is well known for its jewelry,
pottery, spice, and carpet shops. Many of the stalls in the
bazaar are grouped by the 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.
The Spice Market,
There are several documents suggesting the
name of the bazaar was first "New Bazaar". However, due to
the fact that many spices were imported via Egypt in the
Ottoman period, the name "Mısır Çarşısı" was favoured by the
public. The word mısır has a double meaning in
Turkish: "Egypt" and "maize". This is why sometimes the name
is wrongly translated as "Corn Bazaar". The bazaar was (and
still is) the center for spice trade in Istanbul
For information and contact e-mail.info@turkeyephesustour.com
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