Istanbul Grand Covered Bazaar

The Grand Covered Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the world’s largest and oldest covered markets. Turkish control of major trade routes between Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean made it unequaled for its abundance, variety, and quality of products.

History of the Istanbul Grand Covered Bazaar

In 1455, just two years after Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II (The Conqueror) conquered Constantinople, Mehemet founded the Grand Covered Bazaar as part of his plan to stimulate the city’s economy and make it a center of world trade.

Over the years, many fires and earthquakes damaged the bazaar. Sometimes, one section, sometimes many, required repair and renovation. By the 17th century, the Grand Covered Bazaar took on its final configuration, which we see today.

Istanbul Grand Covered Bazaar Map

Visiting the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul

The Grand Covered Bazaar of Istanbul covers some 30,700 square meters (100,722 square feet). It has 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops, making it one of the largest covered markets in the world. Between 250,000 and 400,000 people visit the Grand Bazaar every day. It even has its own postal code.

You can become pleasantly lost in the labyrinth, so maps are available at each entrance to help you navigate. The streets inside are also signposted to help you find what you are looking for and orient yourself. And, of course, the merchants are willing to help after a brief sales pitch. Even if you don’t need to shop, visiting the Grand Covered Bazaar is an interesting and fun experience you will never forget.

One of the streets inside the Grand Covered Bazaar. — One of the 61 streets inside the Grand Covered Bazaar. The streets are organized into sections according to what is being sold. It’s easy to get lost in there! Maps are available at the entrances, and the streets are signposted, so you can find your way around.

The Grand Covered Bazaar has four main gates, one on each side: north, east, south, and west. The shops are divided into sections according to what they originally sold (not necessarily what they sell now). The free maps, in English, show where you can buy what you want.

Kalpakçılar Caddesi (street) has jewels and gold bracelets
Kuyumcular Çarşısı has gold and gold jewelry
Divrikli Caddesi has furniture
Sahaflar Caddesi has carpets
Perdahcılar Caddesi has leather goods
Bit Pazarı has leather and other types of clothing.

Besides the shops, the Grand Covered Bazaar also has

18 fountains
A large mosque
12 Mescits (prayer rooms)
Banks and ATMS
Restaurants
A police station
A post office
A police station, and
An information center.

Bargaining

Bargaining is both expected and welcome. The merchants will offer you tea as you negotiate. If you find something you want, don’t show too much interest. Look at everything they have as if you are not really interested in anything. Of course, the first price they quote will always be too much! So give a counterbid of, perhaps, half that much, then negotiate to the middle. Always be willing and ready to walk away and shop elsewhere.

Gold bracelets on display in the Grand Covered Bazaar. — The gold shops in the Grand Covered Bazaar are all in a more secure area in the center, so you can visit multiple shops in the same place.

If you are shopping for name-brand products, first go online and see how much they are available for. That way, you will already have a good idea of their value.

The Bazaar District

Exit through the Sahaflar Kapısı (Secondhand Bookseller’s Gate) on the north side of the Grand Covered Bazaar and walk down the hill through the warren of shops towards the Golden Horn Estuary. Here you will find hundreds more shops that deal more with the locals than foreign tourists. It is also so big that you might call it the Grand Uncovered Bazaar! There is something interesting to see in every direction you look, not to mention the sounds and smells of the place. When you get to the bottom of the hill, you can visit the Egyptian Spice Bazaar on the shore of the Golden Horn Estuary.

Where Is the Istanbul Grand Covered Bazaar?

For the larger Google custom map, click here.

Istanbul’s Grand Covered Bazaar is in the Beyazit neighborhood of the Fatih district, 1.1 kilometers (.68 miles) south of the Hagia Sophia. Walk south along Divan Yolu (the main tramway). After around 15 minutes, it will be on the right. You can also take the tram and get off at the Beyazit-Kapalıçarşı stop.