This area, shaped by its proximity to the Golden Horn port, has long functioned like an open market that met countless everyday needs over the centuries. Even though commerce has changed and shopping malls now dominate many parts of the city, these historic inns still stand as witnesses to time, trade, and urban memory.
We had the chance to join the tour called “Inns and Bazaars of Istanbul,” organized by Fest Travel, guided by art historian Deniz Esemenli. We met in front of Mısır Çarşısı, the Egyptian Bazaar, better known as the Spice Bazaar, and began our walk through one of Istanbul’s most layered commercial districts.
There is a small mosque in front of the Spice Bazaar: Ahi Çelebi Mosque. What Evliya Çelebi tells about this 16th-century mosque is especially memorable. In his dream, while praying there, angels appear and then the Prophet asks whether he has a wish. Evliya Çelebi tries to say “sefaat” (intercession), but in his excitement says “seyahat” (travel) instead. The answer, according to the story, is that he will become a traveler—and so begins the legend of his journeys.
Our first stop in the inns and bazaars of Istanbul: the Spice Bazaar
Istanbul’s bazaars were traditionally organized around guilds and tradesmen selling similar goods. The Spice Bazaar was the place where spice and cotton sellers gathered. The moment you step inside, the scent of spices greets you. It truly feels like a passage carrying the smells of the East to the West.
As the second biggest covered market in Istanbul, the Spice Bazaar was built in 1663–64 as part of the complex next to the New Mosque (Yeni Cami) in Eminönü. In its early years it was known as “Valide Çarşısı” and “Yeni Çarşı,” but from the mid-18th century onward it became widely known as the Egyptian Bazaar because many of the goods sold there came from Egypt. For a broad historical overview of the market district, see Wikipedia’s entry on the Egyptian Bazaar.
At first, the Egyptian Bazaar was allocated to spice sellers, cotton sellers, and quilt makers. Beginning in the 1970s, many spice sellers gave way to jewelry shops, butchers, dried-fruit sellers, dry goods stores, and shoemakers. Even so, it remains famous for spices and herbs, and it continues to attract both Istanbulites and visitors.
From the Spice Bazaar we move toward Tahtakale Hamam, opposite Rüstem Pasha Mosque on Uzunçarşı Street. Once a Turkish bath, the building now functions as a bazaar. Built in the time of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, it is known as one of the oldest Ottoman buildings. Its original architectural structure remained well preserved until the beginning of the 20th century, after which it was turned into a warehouse and later adapted through restorations.
Balkapanı
We leave Tahtakale behind and walk toward Balkapanı, the Honey Scales. The streets are busy, and the district’s daily rush is in full force. The inn stood close to where sea customs operated in the Ottoman era, and as its name suggests, it was a commercial center where honey arriving through customs was stored and distributed. The word “kapan” means “scales.”
Balkapanı resembles a classical caravanserai with a large courtyard. Our guide described its rooms, arches, and corridors, though on the day of our visit we could only really see the yard, because many rooms were in use as depots. It is worth noting that Istanbul had two other “kapans” as well: Unkapanı, the Flour Scales, and Yağkapanı, the Oil Scales, associated with today’s Galata-Karaköy area.
We continue uphill through Mahmutpaşa, where the crowd streams past wedding dresses, dowry goods, and shopfronts full of invitations from sellers. After Kürkçü Han, the only surviving inn-caravanserai from the Fatih era, we stop between the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar at the Big New Inn and the Small New Inn.
Big and Small New Inns
Spread between Sandalyeciler Street and Çarkçılar Street on Çakmakçılar Slope, the Big New Inn is known as the largest caravanserai-inn structure in Istanbul after Valide Inn. It is said that Mustafa III commissioned it in the 18th century and that Tahir Agha, the chief architect of the period, built it. What distinguishes it from many similar structures is its three floors and its traces of baroque art.
Once home to weaving looms, the inn no longer serves that function. Today many of its units are shops, especially silver sellers, towel sellers, and kerchief sellers.
The Small New Inn, built of brick and hewn stone, differs from many other inns because it does not have an open courtyard. Its most striking feature is the mosque on the upper floor, reached by stairs.
Valide Inn
We continue to Valide Inn, also known in history as the Inn of Kösem Sultan. Divided into “the big” and “the little,” it lies between Çakmakçılar Slope and Fırıncılar Slope. Compared with other inns, it has a relatively low entrance, and its roofline is marked by historic chimneys.
In the 16th century, Kösem Sultan—the mother of Murat IV and Sultan Ibrahim, and the grandmother of Mehmed IV—was among the most powerful and wealthy women in Ottoman history. She held the role of regent during the early reigns of her elder son and her grandson.
According to a legend, Kösem Sultan’s secret treasure is hidden somewhere inside this inn. Historical sources mention 366 cell rooms, though it remains unclear how many are in use today.
From here our route leads to Çuhacı Inn, the Felt Seller’s Inn, built in the 18th century on the order of Damat Ibrahim Pasha. Its architect is unknown, but the building reflects baroque influences. Broadcloth was an important material in its day, especially for winter clothing used by the Ottoman army, and theft of broadcloth could even bring capital punishment.
Sahaflar Çarşısı
Sahaflar Çarşısı, the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Bazaar, is the oldest surviving book bazaar in Istanbul from the Ottoman era. It stands between the Fesçiler Gate of the Grand Bazaar and Beyazıt Mosque.
In earlier times the bazaar was known for handwritten, lithographic, and old-language books of historical value. Today its shops largely serve tourists and university students, though it is still possible to find old and antiquarian books in some of them.
At the entrance on the Beyazıt Mosque side, glass-fronted sections display lithographic materials from old printing houses. In the middle of the bazaar stands a bust of Ibrahim Müteferrika, remembered as the first Turkish typographer.
Nuruosmaniye Külliyesi
At the entrance of the Grand Bazaar rises Nuruosmaniye Mosque and its külliye, a symbol of a new era in Ottoman culture. Construction began during the reign of Mahmut I and was completed under Osman III. The architect was the Greek Simeon Kalfa. The mosque’s baroque characteristics are striking and unlike many examples elsewhere in Istanbul, or even Europe. Without its mosque lighting elements and shrine, one might think they had entered a very different kind of building.
The mosque’s inner courtyard is not quadrilateral and is covered with 14 domes, making it unusual among Ottoman mosques. Even more curious is the way the courtyard gate opens onto a precipice. Since mosque courtyards were generally designed for easy public use, this layout suggests the architect was guided strongly by aesthetic concerns. The Sultan’s platform, which allowed the ruler to enter on horseback, adds another distinctive feature.
Library
We leave the mosque and enter the library in the garden. Nuruosmaniye Library is one of Turkey’s notable examples of baroque design. It reflects Mahmut I’s love of books and contains numerous handwritten books and maps. The columns inside were brought from the Bergama Temples.
This library is open to the public every day except Sundays and Mondays. As schedules can change, it is best to check current details through official cultural sources such as muze.gen.tr.
Leaving the crowded streets behind, we end our tour in front of Beyazıt Mosque. These inns and bazaars have neither become fully modern nor fully preserved all their old characteristics, yet they still carry the feeling of movement, abundance, and continuity that defines this part of the city.
Why these old inns still matter
While Istanbul changes rapidly, these structures remain in place. They keep open a door to surprise for both residents and visitors. Walk through Eminönü, Mahmutpaşa, and Beyazıt and you feel how deeply commerce, architecture, and everyday life still overlap here. That is the lasting power of the inns and bazaars of Istanbul: they are not only monuments of trade, but living pieces of the city.
