Tag: Grand Bazaar

A facelift for Istanbul’s aging bazaar?

CNN’s global series i-List takes you to a different country each month. In December, we visit Turkey and look at changes shaping the country’s economy, culture and social fabric.

Istanbul (CNN) — Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s oldest shopping meccas, is facing a dilemma: How to modernize without losing its unique character.

The bazaar — a huge covered market with 60 streets and some 4,000 shops known for their carpets, jewelry, ceramics, spices and antiques — is in need of restoration, according to shopkeepers.

They complain of a leaking roof, bad smells, broken toilets and failing air conditioning.

Mustafa Demir, the mayor of Istanbul’s Fatih district, said he is planning to spend around $100 million to restore the bazaar and has enlisted a team of surveyors to make sure it’s done properly.

He said: “We can’t change the shape of the Grand Bazaar. But the Grand Bazaar needs something.”

Gallery: Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar

The bazaar, or Kapalicarsi in Turkish, is steeped in history.

An important trading center since the 15th century when it was built for Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, it was enlarged during the 16th century for Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

Art historian Claire Karaz says the bazaar was formed when Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror made Istanbul the capital of the Ottoman empire.

She said: “One of Mehmet’s aims was to bring the populations back to the city that could revive commerce. Who were they? Of course they were Turks, Armenians, Greeks, Jews and Levantines — that means people from Italy.

“They would bring their wares here and may even sell to some of the shops located on the lower floor.”

The bazaar has been restored several times over the centuries after fires or earthquakes. The last time it was repaired was after a fire in the mid-1950s, according to the Istanbul mayor’s office.

Karaz wants to be sure the latest facelift doesn’t alter the bazaar’s character.

She said: “When you’re talking about the actual structure of the Grand Bazaar, let’s hope it doesn’t end up being completely rebuilt in a kind of Disney-ish way.”

Today, the bazaar is a giant labyrinth covering 31,000 square meters with 22 gates. It has shops, workshops, inns, cafes, restaurants, fountains, wells, mosques, a school, a police station and a bath.

The bazaar attracts around 300,000 visitors a day. Some estimates put the combined value of the shops at $1.5 billion.

Muzaffer Biber, whose family has sold carpets in the bazaar for generations, said: “It is the heart of Istanbul. It is the heart of Turkey. Everyone comes from around the world to visit Turkey and meet the people.”

via A facelift for Istanbul’s aging bazaar? – CNN.com.

December 14, 2010
550-year-old story of the Grand Bazaar in this exhibition

21 November 2010, Sunday / FATMA TURAN , İSTANBUL

A sentence written with care in a notebook by the Grand Bazaar’s governing board talks of how the products and the people who fill the corridors of the historic covered shopping center are “citizens of Istanbul and the goods of all Turkey.”

These days, the 550-year history of this famous İstanbul site is on display in an exhibition called “10 Adımda Kapalıçarşı Sergisi” (The Grand Bazaar in 10 Steps), which is on display at the İş Bankası Museum, containing original documents connected with the history of the Grand Bazaar and engravings, as well as jewelry and calligraphy — much of it boasting dazzling gold and silver work. At the same time, there are 360 degree displays from various vantage points in this ancient covered shopping bazaar available for viewing. The show was curated by Professors Önder Küçükerman and Kenan Mortan.

The opening for this new exhibition was hosted by İş Bankası CEO Caner Çimenbiçer and İş Bankası General Manager Ersin Özince, and İstanbul Governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu was in attendance. Noting that İstanbul was home to a wealth of different cultures and civilizations, Çimenbiçer said he believed that the exhibition would contribute on an aesthetic level to the transformation of the city into the financial center of the region. Özince noted that a shopping center where 4,000 merchants function in harmony as in the Grand Bazaar exists nowhere else in the world. The ancient shopping center was constructed during the era of Fatih Sultan Mehmet and has maintained its level of activity for the past six centuries.

The 10 parts of this new exhibition include the Ottoman market, the Ottoman merchant, İstanbul hans (inns), the trade zone of the historic peninsula, various eras of the Grand Bazaar, the market’s inns and caravansarays, the streets of the area, İş Bankası in İstanbul and the World Financial Center. The Grand Bazaar has 16 doors. It is estimated that the combined worth of the 3,285 businesses it hosts is $1.5 billion, and there are 24 inns, one mosque, two mescits, seven fountains, one water tank, one coffee house, five restaurants and four cafeterias in the Grand Bazaar. Visitors will be able to tour this exhibition until Feb. 27.

Since 1460

An important trade center for hundreds of years now, the Grand Bazaar is, as shown in this new exhibition, also a place where designs and products are developed, as well as being a significant financial center. The exhibition, which features many documents, products and presentations from the Grand Bazaar Foundation, spotlights the various eras of this important shopping site, built in 1460, its economic and architectural developments, its role in Istanbul trade life and its cultural and artistic heritage for Turkey.

Giving his heart to leaves: “The leaves on the branches were alone as they fell to the ground, but this loneliness was ended by a love for art. He blew new life into these leaves by a special calligraphy done on dry leaves.” If you have a chance to visit this new exhibition, you can see motifs drawn by Grand Bazaar merchant Nick Merdenian, who has worked at the ancient shopping site since 1968.

via Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news.

November 21, 2010
Exhibition presents history of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar

The history of Istanbul’s famous Kapalıçarşı (Grand Bazaar) is now on display at the exhibition ‘Grand Bazaar in 10 Steps,’ which opened Monday at the İş Bankası Museum. The event, which runs until Feb. 27, displays original documents and gravures, golden calligraphy and illuminations on leaves, other golden and silver works, jewelry and textiles

The exhibition 'Grand Bazaar in 10 Steps' is being curated by Professor Önder Küçükerman and Professor Kenan Mortan. AA photo

The exhibition ‘Grand Bazaar in 10 Steps’ is being curated by Professor Önder Küçükerman and Professor Kenan Mortan. AA photo

A new exhibition featuring the 550-year history of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı), long recognized as one of the world’s longest continual shopping locations, opened Monday at the city’s İş Bankası Museum.

“I don’t think there any other shopping center in the world with 4,000 business places as in the Grand Bazaar. Some 4,000 different merchants operate in harmony like a union,” İş Bank General Manager Ersin Özince said during Monday’s opening ceremony.

The exhibition “10 Adımda Kapalıçarşı” (Grand Bazaar in 10 Steps) will make an intellectual and aesthetic contribution to the works regarding the Istanbul, İş Bank Executive Board Chairman Caner Çimenbiçer said.

The Grand Bazaar was a common market and finance complex where the foundations of modern banking were laid not only in Turkey but also in the West, said Çimenbiçer, adding that Istanbul was a world city home to various civilizations, cultures and colors.

Özince said the history of the Turkish Republic and its economy could be seen at the İş Bankası Museum while the pre-Republic period could be seen at the Grand Bazaar exhibition.

The Grand Bazaar, the world’s oldest finance center, was built by Mehmet the Conqueror and has continued to survive in all its magnificence for the past six centuries, the İş Bank general manager said, adding that the exhibition was a very short summary of the bazaar’s history and that further information could be found in various publications.

Istanbul a center of finance yesterday and today

“We hope that Istanbul will embrace trade and finance,” said Istanbul Gov. Hüseyin Avni Mutlu during the ceremony, adding that Turkey’s largest city had also become an international brand. “The Grand Bazaar was the center of finance in the city. I believe that it will maintain this mission in the future, too.”

Hasan Fırat, the chairman of the Grand Bazaar Merchants’ Association, said the covered market was still one of the most important finance centers in the world.

Following the speeches at the ceremony, Fırat presented a golden key of the Grand Bazaar to Çimenbiçer and Özince.

History of Grand Bazaar

The exhibition “Grand Bazaar in 10 Steps” is being curated by Professor Önder Küçükerman and Professor Kenan Mortan, the writers of the book “Çarşı, Pazar, Ticaret ve Kapalı Çarşı” (Shopping, Bazaar, Trade and Grand Bazaar), published by the Kültür Publications.

It displays original documents and gravures showing the history of the Grand Bazaar, golden calligraphy and illuminations on leaves which were produced in the bazaar and reveal the different use of works in gold, works in silver, jewelry and textiles.

Famous orientalist painter Amadeus Preziosi’s “Grand Bazaar” painting is also on display at the exhibition, as well as 360-degree photos taken in various parts of the bazaar, Grand Bazaar kitsch and other artifacts.

The exhibition will continue until Feb. 27.

November 12, 2010
Turkish Delight—Now is the time to visit Istanbul

Istanbul is actually an extremely interesting city.(Source: Global Times/IC)

By Harvey Dzodin

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhuanet) — Istanbul is by far the most exotic megacity I have ever experienced. Every time I visit this metropolis, which uniquely straddles Asia and Europe, I am always, without fail, blown away by the sounds, sights and smells of this gem mounted in its unique setting on the Bosporus strait. And as luck would have it, the best time to visit this tourist Mecca is the next few months.

Istanbul has about the same number of people as Beijing, but it is completely different. Both cities are full of history and grand archeological monuments, but they feel worlds apart.

The city’s character stems from its rich history. Once part of the Roman Empire, the Emperor Constantine made it his capital, Constantinople, in 324. That Byzantine Empire lasted a thousand years. In 1453 it became the Ottoman Empire, which for several centuries encompassed much of the Middle East, North Africa and southeastern Europe. In the 20th century, Constantinople became Istanbul and the Turkish Republic was established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on October 29, 1923.

I remember when I first visited in 1997, what struck me was the special nature of the city. At the same time neither completely European nor Asian, Istanbul is an exotic mixture not to be found anywhere else on earth.

Istanbul’s majestic mosques are some of the grandest places of worship on earth. The 17th-century Blue Mosque is renowned for the beautiful blue tile work adorning its walls. The Suleymaniye mosque, built a century earlier, dominates the skyline with its four minarets (or towers).

Now a museum and before that a mosque, the Hagia Sophia started off as a Christian house of worship and was the world’s largest cathedral for nearly a millennium. It is thought by many to be the epitome of Byzantine architecture.

And then there were the sounds. According to tradition, worshippers are called to prayer five times a day from dawn until two hours after sunset. The call is distinctive and from the heart. Because there are so many mosques, it seems like a thousand calls punctuate the air.

The smells too have been firmly wedged somewhere between my nose and brain. The strongest ones are to be found in the Spice Ba

Another thing that Istanbul has that Beijing doesn’t is an abundance of water. Water separates Europe from Asia. The Bosporus connects to the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. You can take a ferry or tour boat up the Bosporus to the Black Sea, passing many fine homes, restaurants and such monuments as the Fortress of Europe, which dates from 1452. Another leisurely trip goes to the four Princes’ Islands, once a place of exile but now a traffic-free paradise of horse-drawn carriages a short boat ride from Istanbul on the Sea of Marmara.

Another must-see spot is the world-famous Topkapi Palace, the home of the sultans for much of the Ottoman Empire. My favorite part is the beautifully decorated harem. Men can go there in safety now, but in former times only eunuchs were permitted. The famous Iznik ceramics there are a memorable highlight. Close by is the sultans’ collection of 2,000 exceptional pieces of Chinese porcelain, which survived the hazardous journey by ship from Chinese ports to Europe.

Istanbul is a city for shoppers. Some of the most modern and elegant shopping centers to be found anywhere are there. Call me old-fashioned, but my favorite place to shop is the Grand Bazaar opened in 1461. It has 58 covered streets and hundreds of shops. Fine carpets, antiques and jewelry are specialties. Bargaining is a must so all of us here in Beijing will feel right at home. Most merchants will offer you a Turkish coffee, tea or my favorite, apple tea, while you sit comfortably in their shop.

Living in Beijing, I appreciate the fact that Istanbul is safe. In fact, its overall crime rate is lower than that of other cities of a comparable size. Not only that but I am always made to feel welcome by the Istanbullus, who go out of their way to be hospitable and welcoming.

It is little wonder then that this year Istanbul was designated by the European Union as the European Capital of Culture. I hope you can go and experience this special place for yourself. It will certainly be a trip that you will never forget.

(Source: Global Times)

, 30.08.2010

September 1, 2010