Spice Bazaar, Istanbul

No visit to Istanbul is complete without stopping by the atmospheric Spice Bazaar, one of the largest and most famous bazaars in Istanbul, located near the Galata Bridge in the Emin枚n眉 quarter of the Fatih district. While the Grand Bazaar may be the largest and most popular covered shopping complex in the city, this spice market is by far the most colorful, fragrant, and often the most fun.

Built in 1664, as part of the Yeni Camii (New Mosque) complex, it is known locally as M谋s谋r 脟ar艧谋s谋, which is sometimes translated to either "Egyptian Bazaar" or 'Corn Market' (as m谋s谋r in Turkish means both 鈥淓gypt鈥� and 鈥渃orn鈥�). There are several documents, however, suggesting that initially the place was called "New Bazaar" and eventually got the name "Egyptian" because its construction was subsidized with proceeds from the Ottoman eyalet of Egypt in 1660. As part of the New Mosque, the revenues obtained from the shop rentals within the bazaar were used for the mosque upkeep.

Traditionally, this place has been the center of spice trade in Istanbul, although in recent years it has seen more and more shops of other type move in. Currently, the bazaar has a total of 85 shops under its roof selling spices, Turkish delight and other sweets, dried fruits and nuts, tea, Turkish coffee, pottery, jewelry, and souvenirs. Overall, the market is a wonderful place to stroll and enjoy the sights, smells and, of course, tastes. Of course, as in all tourist destinations, the discussion of price here is essential, so haggling is welcome.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Istanbul. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Spice Bazaar
Sight Location: Istanbul, Turkey (See walking tours in Istanbul)
Sight Type: Shopping
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Istanbul Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Istanbul, Turkey

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