Istanbul’s Top Sights - Istanbul - page 150

try your hand at the art of bargaining. Allow at least three hours for your visit; some trav-
ellers spend three days!
Check out our tips CLICK HERE on how to bargain in the bazaar.
A Tour of the Bazaar
There are thousands of shops in the bazaar, and this can be overwhelming for the first-
time visitor. By following this suggested itinerary, you should be able to develop an un-
derstanding of the bazaar's history, its layout and its important position as the hub of the
surrounding retail precinct.
Start at the tram stop next to the tall column known as Çemberlitaş ( CLICK HERE ). From
here, walk down Vezir Han Caddesi and you will soon come to the entrance of the Vezir
Han, a caravanserai built between 1659 and 1660 by the Köprülüs, one of the Ottoman
Empire's most distinguished families. Five of its members served as Grand Vizier (Vezir)
to the sultan, hence its name. In Ottoman times, this han would have offered travelling
merchants accommodation and a place to do business. Though gold manufacturers still
work here, the han is in a sadly dilapidated state, as are the many (some experts say hun-
dreds) of similar buildings dotted throughout the district. Look for the tuğra (crest) of the
sultan over the main gateway.
Continue walking down Vezir Han Caddesi until you come to a cobbled pedestrianised
street on your left. Walk along this until you come to the Nuruosmaniye Mosque ( CLICK
HERE ) . In front of you is one of the major entrances to the Grand Bazaar, the Nuruosmani-
ye Kapısı (Nuruosmaniye Gate, Gate 1), adorned by another tuğra .
The brightly lit street in front of you is Kalpakçılar Caddesi , the busiest street in the
bazaar. Originally named after the makers of kalpakçılars (fur hats) who had their stores
here, it's now full of jewellers, who pay up to US$80,000 per year in rent for this high-
profile location. Start walking down the street and then turn right and take the marble
stairs down to the Sandal Bedestenı , a stone warehouse featuring 20 small domes. This
warehouse has always been used for the storage and sale of fabric, although the current
range of cheap textiles on sale couldn't be more different from the fine sandal (fabric
woven with silk) that was sold here in the past.
Exit the Sandal Bedestenı on its west (left) side, turning right into Sandal Bedestenı
Sokak and then left into Ağa Sokak, which takes you into the oldest part of the bazaar, the
Cevahir (Jewellery) Bedesten , also known as the Eski (Old) or İç (Inner) Bedesten. This
has always been an area where precious items are stored and sold, and these days it's
where most of the bazaar's antique stores are located. Slave auctions were held here until
the mid-19th century.