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The Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar, is probably the largest market
of its kind in the world, It was originally founded by Mehmet II in
1461.The bazaar was enlarged during the reign of Suleyman I
in 1701.
A small city in itself. There are more than 3500 shops of various kinds,
storehouses, workshops, stalls, hans, restaurants, lunch counters, cafes
and tea houses, mosques, mescid and fountains. There are a total of 65
streets totaling 30.702 m², altogether employing more than 20.000
people.
Members of the same trade set up their shops
in the same area, still reflecting in the names of the street's tassel
makers, cobblers, purse makers, belt makers, skullcap makers and so on. Today these divisions are less clear but they still
remain in principle.
The grid is centered on the Old Bedesten, one
of the original structure surviving from the time of Mehmet II. It was
used to house the most precious wares, for it can be securely locked and
guarded at night. There is another building of similar type known as the
Sandal Bedesten, a lofty hall covered with twenty domes supported on
twelve great stone piers.
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