Description of the attraction
A rare tourist leaves Istanbul without visiting its historically famous markets. Visitors to Istanbul are especially attracted by the oriental atmosphere prevailing in the markets. Here they usually buy gifts and souvenirs for family and friends. One of the most famous local markets is the Egyptian Market or Mysyr Charshysy. The Egyptian market is also known as the Spice Market. It is the second largest market in Istanbul after the Grand Bazaar. It is built in the shape of a mirror-reverse letter L and has 6 gates. The domes of the bazaar are covered with lead.
The Egyptian Market stands behind the New Mosque, famous for its pigeon square. It is located at the very edge of the shopping area, where it opens to the Golden Horn. This is the oldest market in the city of Istanbul. It was ordered by the mother of Sultan Mehmed the Fourth in 1660, together with the New Mosque. He was assigned a specific function: providing funding for the construction of the mosque. As the legends say, on the site of the existing one there was a market called "Marco Envalos", and this was during the heyday of the Byzantine Empire. It was called Egyptian or Cape, since the goods that were sold here were transported through Egypt, and ships arriving from this country unloaded their cargo near the market. If you believe this version, then the construction of the market was carried out with funds received from taxes in Cairo, the capital of Egypt. The very name "Egyptian Market" appeared, first of all, in the popular lexicon, and only then did it receive an official status.
The market survived two severe fires in 1691 and 1940, and it got its modern look after the restoration of the Istanbul administration. However, despite all these fires, the "Egyptian market" has retained its inherent features.
Initially, the market consisted of 86 stores, the so-called dukkans, where you could buy textiles and medicines. At the moment, there are about 105 shops and lounges inside the market. One part of the market is two-story. The upper floors used to host meetings of the merchant court, where feuds between the people and the merchants were resolved. The square where the two wings of the market meet - the long and the short one - is called the Prayer Square. It received this name because prayers were read from a small balcony on the second floor, bringing good luck to merchants.
The Egyptian Market has shops selling condiments and cotton. The market has its own unique smell. As soon as you enter it, you will be greeted by these unique scents. In the shops of the bazaar selling spices, you can buy bags of spices, ready-made, as well as by weight. Some spices (cinnamon, for example) were previously sold here literally worth their weight in gold. Stores selling dried fruits and nuts have no less mesmerizing effect. They contain all varieties of pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, figs, dried apricots, raisins and coconuts.
