Spice Bazaar Claimed

The Spice Bazaar, one of the important historical and touristic trade centers of Istanbul, was built as the bazaar of the New Mosque complex in order to meet the expenses of the mosque. Its construction was started in 1660 by the Chief Architect of the Imperial Palace Kazım Ağa upon the order of Turhan Sultan, the mother of Sultan IV. Mehmet, and was completed in 1664 by the Chief Architect of the Imperial Palace Mustafa Ağa.

The bazaar was referred to as the New Bazaar and the Valide Bazaar by 17th century historians. However, the bazaar, which was built with taxes collected from Egypt, began to be called the Spice Bazaar from the mid-18th century onwards because the products sold in its shops were mostly goods and spices coming from Egypt.

In its early years, the bazaar was allocated to herbalists and cotton merchants. The six-door bazaar, the Fish Market, Hasırcılar and Ketenciler gates were allocated to herbalists; the New Mosque, Haseki and Çiçek Pazarı gates were allocated to cotton merchants. The upper floors of the main entrance gates at both ends of the bazaar were used as Commercial Courts, which dealt with legal problems experienced by bazaar merchants with the public and among themselves.

In the bazaar, there are wooden platforms at the front of the shops, and a warehouse and workshop at the back. Some shops have symbols such as a fire tower, boat, ostrich egg, scissors, tassel, etc. symbolizing the shop on their eaves, making it easier to recognize the shops.

The Spice Bazaar has suffered two major fires in its history. The bazaar, which has a history of approximately 400 years, was restored in 1940-1943 and 2015-2018. In 1941, the Spice Bazaar and the New Mosque were separated from each other when a road was built through the courtyard of the New Mosque.

Welcoming thousands of local and foreign visitors every day, the Spice Bazaar currently houses shops selling mostly spices and Turkish delight, as well as jewellery and souvenir shops.