Spice Market

Gokce Nacar

Dec 29 642 read

Spice Market:

It is also called the mısır çarşısı, where a few meters from the Egyptian market smells of spices mixed with the smell of Turkish coffee. The second-largest market in Istanbul, where it comes after the covered market.

The Egyptian market is located in the Eminonu district, directly opposite the new Yeni Cami mosque in the European part of Istanbul. It was initially called the new market, Yeni Çarşısı, and later took the name of the Egyptian market, Mısır Çarşısı.

The Egyptian market takes the shape of the letter L and consists of 88 domed rooms, 21 of which are devoted to selling gold and copper, 10 for gifts and luxuries, 4 for clothing, and the rest for spices, herbs, spices, nuts, cheese, sausages, dried fruits, jams, and seeds. In the Egyptian market, there are also many shops selling Turkish gold, fabrics, carpets, glass, and copperware decorated with Ottoman drawings and Arabic inscriptions. As well as textile clothing and bathroom. The tour of the Egyptian market is a tour through ancient times, where its stone floor, antique walls, ceilings, ornate domes, clothing stores decorated with Ottoman drawings and inscriptions, copper pots decorated with Ottoman inscriptions, Arabic inscriptions, and colorful lantern stores take you back to ancient times, especially the Ottoman era.

The history of the Egyptian market:

It is said that there was an ancient Byzantine market called Marco Anfalos in the place of this market. The history of the Egyptian market indicates that it was built during the rule of Sultan “Murad III” by order of the mother “Sultana Turhan” in 1597 AD to finance the construction of the new Yeni Gami mosque, located directly opposite the market, which took nearly 60 years to build, and the market was officially opened in 1664 AD during the reign of Sultan Mehmed III.

The market was exposed to fire twice in 1691 AD, and it was called the Egyptian market because of the stability of spices, herbs, and coffee imported from Asia and India in Egypt first until it reached Istanbul via the Mediterranean Sea, and it took its current shape after the restoration work carried out by the Istanbul Municipality in 1940 AD. In 1947, after the Second World War, and due to the country’s economic crisis, the modern Turkish government added many food products after only spices, medicinal herbs, and coffee were sold in the Egyptian market.

The history of the covered market:

The main section of the market was built during the reign of Sultan “Mohammed the Conqueror”, but the largest part of it was built during the reign of Sultan “Suleiman the Magnificent”, as it was built of wood and after this wooden market was exposed to three fires in 1546 AD and 1651 AD during the reign of Sultan “Murad IV” In 1710 AD, during the reign of Sultan Mustafa II, the market was rebuilt from stone.

The area of the market is 30,000 22, and the cover system in it is painted with lead and the roof consists of an unlimited number of domes. On the other hand, the place called Jawaher Badistan, which occupies a rectangular area of 48 by 36 m 2, which consists of 15 domes and 8 legs, is said to be from the Byzantine era.

The market was restored many times and suffered the greatest loss in the earthquake that struck Istanbul in 1894 AD. This market still hosts daily many visitors from different languages and cultures for commercial and tourism purposes.