Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is one of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets.
The market’s origins reach back to the Ottoman period after Constantinople was conquered in 1453. Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror ordered an inner bazaar, and the commercial complex expanded around it as streets, shops, and covered sections developed.
The Grand Bazaar became a major marketplace for merchants selling textiles, jewelry, leather goods, carpets, ceramics, and other products. Its many small shops illustrate how clustered retail districts can support specialized local traders.
It is sometimes confused with Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar, which is a separate historic market near the Golden Horn. The Grand Bazaar is also known by its Turkish name, Kapalıçarşı, meaning “covered market.”