Spice Bazaar

The Spice Bazaar (Turkish: Mısır Çarşısı, meaning “Egyptian Bazaar”) is one of the largest bazaars in Istanbul, located in the Eminönü quarter of the Fatih district. It is the most famous covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar.

Originally called “New Bazaar,” it received the name “Egyptian Bazaar” because it was built with revenues from the Ottoman province of Egypt in 1660. The word “mısır” has a double meaning in Turkish: “Egypt” and “maize,” which is why the name is sometimes mistranslated as “Corn Bazaar.”

The structure was designed by court architect Koca Kasım Ağa, but construction began under the supervision of another court architect, Mustafa Ağa, in the last months of 1660, following Istanbul’s Great Fire of 1660 that lasted approximately 49 hours.

The construction was completed in 1664, initiated originally by Safiye Sultan in 1597 but overseen to completion by Valide Sultan Turhan Hatice, mother of Sultan Mehmed IV. The building is part of the külliye (complex) of the New Mosque, with revenues from the rented shops used for the upkeep of the mosque. Designed in an “L” shape, the bazaar comprises 88 chambered rooms, six entrances, and two-storied sections around the Haseki entrance.

During the Ottoman era, the bazaar served as a vital hub for merchants bringing spices, herbs, and luxury items from the Silk Road, and was the last stop for camel caravans traveling from China, India, and Persia. During the Ottoman Empire, the bazaar also acted as a pharmacy for many years.