Spice Bazaar

This is the entrance to the Egyptian Bazaar, Istanbul’s famous spice market. It’s a must-see on any trip to Turkey! Here, you can sample the country’s spices, nuts and sweets – it’s a real feast for the senses. Rows of overflowing stalls tempt you to indulge in all kinds of delicacies and goodies. There’s a total of 88 shops, each topped with a beautiful dome that truly adds to the fairytale-like beauty of the market. The Spice bazaar dates back to 1663. That same year also saw the construction of the New Mosque, just a few steps away. That’s actually why this large covered spice market was built in the first place; they used the rent from the stalls to help finance the mosque. It was Turhan Hatice Sultan who came up with the idea. She was one of the most powerful women in the Ottoman Empire, and the only one to have legally ruled it! Her life was anything but ordinary. Captured as a child by the Tatars during a raid in Slavic countries, she was sold into slavery, and then brought to the imperial harem of Topkapi. There, she bore a son to the sultan who was murdered shortly thereafter and, after many twists and turns, she found herself acting as regent for her son. But back to the spices! You must be wondering why Turks call this market the Egyptian bazaar. The answer is simple: the money to build it came from taxes collected in Egypt during Ottoman rule. The very first traders here were Venetians, who had secured agreements and privileges from the Ottomans over the centuries. Then came Armenians, Greeks, and Muslims, all setting up shop at this Silk Road crossroads. Today, the bazaar is as charming and colorful as ever, filled with treasures beyond your wildest dreams!