Shopping / The Grand Bazaar

The area of Grand Bazaar was a trade center during the Byzantine period.  Two bedestens were built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror to enrich the economic life in the city.  Later on as people needed more place for their trade , they also added parts outside these bedestens.  Throughout the Ottoman period, the bazaar underwent earthquakes and fires and was restored several times. Today, the atmosphere of the Grand Bazaar is very interesting and has consequently become a very popular place for tourists to explore a labyrinth of streets and passages housing eighteen entrances and more than 4.000 shops.