Why is the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul important?
Why is the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul important? At its prime, the Grand Bazaar was the center of trade for the entire Ottoman Empire, guarded by a hundred soldiers like a fortified castle. By the 1950s, the Grand Bazaar had 4,000 shops, bursting with everything from jewelry to silk and traditional copperware to exotic imports.
What is grand bazar called in Turkish?
Known locally as Kapali Çarsi (kah-pah-luh chahr-shuh; covered market), the Grand Bazaar sprawls over a huge area in Istanbul's historic city center.