How to visit and what to buy at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul (experiences)

When organizing a trip to Istanbul It is very likely that you will include in your itineraries a visit to the Grand Bazaar since it is one of the most attractive places in this city of Türkiye.

And not only for go shopping, but also to know and observe what has been one of the most important social institutions in the city for more than five centuries.

El Grand Bazaar perfectly embodies the commercial character of istanbul that has been continually adapting, for centuries, to new circumstances.

Now many of the shops are designed for tourists and in this big market in istanbul They remain less and less dedicated to local clientele, but nevertheless their essence remains intact.

Where is and how to get to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

The Grand Bazaar you find it in Fatih district, from west to east between the mosques of Beyazit y Nuruosmaniye, and get to the Grand Bazaar It is very easy since there is a stop (Beyazit-Kapali Çarsi) on the T1 tram line, very close to one of its main entrances.

Un tour of this souk It can be easily included in any city route and combined with other attractions in the city. monumental area of ​​istanbul.

It must be remembered that its original name is Kapali Carsi, which should be translated as Covered Bazaar.

How to visit the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

The best way to visit this Istanbul Souk It is walking without a specific objective, letting yourself be carried away by the stimuli you receive at all times, absorbing the environment, without trying to visit each and every corner.

It must be taken into account that it is crossed by 65 streets or corridors and has 11 entrances, which gives you a clear idea of ​​the dimensions of this istanbul market.

If you observe a map of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, it is seen that the complex follows a very regular design, with corridors that intersect perpendicularly.

This regularity makes it difficult to orient yourself since the intersections can be very similar to each other. Getting lost is part of the fun of the visit.

How many shops does the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul have?

It has always been described Grand Bazaar like a real city.

A record from 1880 states that at that time it contained 4.399 stores, 2.195 workshops, 497 stalls, 12 warehouses, 18 fountains, a mosque, plus 12 small mosques, a school and a funerary monument.

It's been a long time since this list has to add half a dozen restaurants, several tea shops, bank offices, a police station, toilets, etc...

Curiosities about the history of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

El Grand Bazaar It was one of the fundamental institutions of the Ottoman Istanbul.

In fact, it was organized by himself. Sultan Mehmet II in 1461, a few years after the conquest, probably on the ruins of a previous byzantine market.

Over the years it has suffered several fires, earthquakes, modifications and expansions, but it largely maintains a structure that is already several hundred years old.

The central core of this great istanbul souk They remain, after centuries, two bedesten (covered markets that are fundamental elements in Ottoman urban planning).

Around them a network of covered streets was created that together form the Grand Bazaar that we know today.

What to see when visiting the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

Although many of the goods for sale have changed, there are still merchants who are still grouped according to the items they offer, and it is possible to find the carpet area, the jewerly, the furnitureEtc. ...

La street grouping of similar businesses It allowed buyers to go to the area that suited them.

The names of the streets or corridors that run through it, such as those of the Turban Manufacturers, they continue to refer to the unions that were grouped together centuries ago even though they no longer exist.

Old Bedesten in Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

In the central part of the Bazaar is the Iç Bedestani (o Cevehir Bedestani), which could be translated as Indoor Covered Market, although it is normally known as the Old Bedesten.

El Iç Bedesten It is one of the original structures surviving from the times of Mehmet II.

It has always been the area where the most valuable goods such as jewelry, miniatures and antiques.

In fact, the area could be closed at night and have special surveillance.

If you leave the Iç Bedesten awarded by the Jewelers Gate, above the portal you can see the relief figure of an eagle in the Byzantine style.

It is a curiosity that has allowed us to think that part of the structure of the Grand Bazaar It's from the times of Byzantine Empire, although it is most likely that the entire set was raised in the ottoman period.

La Jewelers Gate opens to the Pearl Merchants Street.

If you then turn right you will reach the Bedesten sandal, Bedesten of the Silks, originally dedicated to fabrics.

New Bedesten in Istanbul Grand Bazaar

It is also known as New Bedesten, although it was built in the 16th century.

Here it is interesting to observe the structure, with 20 brick domes supported by 12 thick pillars.

The variety of products for sale in this area of ​​the great Istanbul Souk It is overwhelming: carpets, jewelry, antiques, tiles, cloths and fabrics, clothing and leather objects, coins, sweets and nuts, clothing, lamps, soaps, souvenirs for tourists and a long etcetera.

The periphery of the bazaar is formed by a belt of he, the places that in other times functioned as accommodation and warehouse where merchants rested and stored their goods.

They are closed spaces normally organized around a patio, so they are not places of passage, and to know them you have to enter them.

Many have been recently restored and converted into small bazaars with several shops dedicated to one type of merchandise, such as tapestries, silver, sweets, etc.

There may also be a cafe or a small restaurant.

Tips for shopping and haggling at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

It goes without saying that if you want buy something of some value, it is convenient before compare prices in various stores to calculate the most suitable one.

And, of course, it is always expected that there will be a little bargaining before finalizing the transaction (here are some tips for haggling in Morocco, which will surely be useful for your visit to the Grand Bazaar)

All of this is part of the shopping ritual in the Grand Bazaar.

It is also very common for them to offer you a cup of tea or coffee if a conversation is started, or a bargaining on some object with a minimally important price, all to make the moment more pleasant.

On the other hand, the ability of salespeople to speak an infinite number of languages ​​in an acceptable manner never ceases to surprise.

There are certain products, such as antiques, which must be purchased with caution.

Most are clearly sold as imitations, and no one pretends that they are pieces from centuries ago and they are very well made.

In fact, the artisans who make them belong to the same guild and use the same techniques and tools as their predecessors.

It is often the case that the counterfeits of branded products, like watches and bags, they have them outside the Grand Bazaar.

If you find a seller of this type of merchandise, you will have to accompany them to a nearby warehouse and there choose between the objects offered.

Obviously this is a practice that cannot legally be recommended, but that many tourists carry out at their own risk.

Visiting times Grand Bazaar of Istanbul

The Istanbul Grand Bazaar visiting hours They are, from Monday to Saturday, from 8,30:19 a.m. to XNUMX p.m., and on Sundays it is closed.