GRAND BAZAAR OR KAPALI ÇARŞI The place where the first price must be lowered by bargaining

(Patria) - The Grand Bazaar or Kapali Çarşı has a history of over five centuries and is among the most significant cultural heritage sites of Istanbul. It is one of the oldest and largest bazaars in the world, with inns, cafes, and shops.

The Grand Bazaar, six days a week, welcomes thousands of visitors who come for business, to visit artisan workshops, or to buy handmade, authentic, and luxurious products, from jewelry to silk fabrics and carpets.

“Living Human Treasures of the Grand Bazaar”

The Grand Bazaar was built in 1461 to generate income for Hagia Sophia. It is located on the historic peninsula between the Nuruosmaniye, Mercan, and Beyazıt neighborhoods. The Grand Bazaar complex includes 22 gates covered with flat roofs with domes. The streets, of which there are more than 60 within the bazaar, were named after the artisans who worked in them – jewelers, fez makers, and carpet weavers, to name a few.

Built on an area of 45,000 m² with its 563-year history, this massive complex is a living museum and one of the most picturesque locations in Istanbul. With 3,600 shops, the bazaar is open from 08:30 to 19:30 in the summer and from 08:30 to 19:00 in the winter. Various crafts and products are exhibited, including textiles, leather goods, and carpets. However, the bazaar is also known for its role as an incubator for artisans and its centuries-old master-apprentice tradition – especially in jewelry and other Turkish handicrafts such as ornamentation and calligraphy. Artisans would enter the Grand Bazaar as apprentices, become journeymen over the years, and eventually continue in their chosen craft as masters, training dozens of their apprentices. These artisans are considered the "living human treasures of the Grand Bazaar."

A Natural Film Location

In addition to the permanent artisans and handicrafts sold within its gates, the Grand Bazaar is characterized by its labyrinthine structure. It is easy to get lost in the vastness of the bazaar and its numerous corridors and passages, but it is equally easy to stop at a shop, where visitors are offered cups of tea or Turkish coffee. Another aspect of the Grand Bazaar is its bargaining culture – the unwritten rule is that the first price can always be lowered!

As a symbol of Istanbul, the Grand Bazaar has been featured in numerous films and television series. In the 1963 film From Russia with Love, Sean Connery wanders the bazaar in the role of British agent James Bond, while in Skyfall, released in 2012, Daniel Craig, as Bond, crosses the bazaar's roof on a motorcycle. In the spy film Argo, Ben Affleck visits the Grand Bazaar, as does Russell Crowe in the 2014 film The Water Diviner. The most recent appearance of the bazaar is in the 2024 series Veil, a detective thriller starring Emmy-winning Elisabeth Moss in the lead role.
Gastronomic Discoveries

This famous market is also known for its historic restaurants. In these establishments, you can try traditional Istanbul dishes or visit cafes and pastry shops located among the shops of the Grand Bazaar.