Economic, cultural hub: Istanbul’s 400-year-old Spice Bazaar welcomes 60,000 visitors daily

Istanbul’s historic Spice Bazaar continues to serve as a vital economic and cultural hub nearly 400 years after its establishment in the Ottoman era, attracting an average of 50,000-60,000 visitors daily as a marketplace catering equally to global and domestic tourists.

Fehmi Yilmaz, history professor at Marmara University, told Anadolu that the structure, also called “Egyptian Bazaar,” earned its name because goods and spices from the Asia-Pacific were transported to Istanbul via Egypt.

Yilmaz stated that the bazaar operated as a key distribution center where arriving spice shipments were allocated evenly among merchants before being shipped across Anatolia in West Asia and Rumelia in Eastern Europe.

“Statistics show that an average of 40,000 people visit the bazaar per day, translating to around 1 million to 1.5 million visitors per month,” he said. “This place is not just a building made of bricks and stones but an important center showcasing our history and culture, and carrying them beyond Istanbul’s borders.”

He added that similar trade centers exist in other parts of the world, like in Egypt, Damascus, and the Balkans, as they were part of the Ottoman trade system.

Sami Koyuncu, president of the bazaar’s merchant association Misir Carsisi 1664, told Anadolu that the market operates seven days a week on an ingrained culture of mutual trust, while serving as an employment hub with each shop employing an average of seven to eight workers who speak multiple languages to accommodate the diverse clientele.

Koyuncu stated that the marketplace is home to around 120 shops with 80% of its retail space dedicated to the trade of regional nuts and exotic spices today.

“The bazaar is a crossroads — it’s a street, a culture, and a way of life, and it’s a place where people from many different nations gather, where one may meet anyone here,” he said.

17th-century architectural heritage

The bazaar also generates foot traffic in the surrounding neighborhood, helping adjacent fabric merchants, bead sellers, and traditional restaurants sustain their businesses.

Koyuncu stated that the Spice Bazaar survived a fire in 1940 before being fully restored and reopened in 1943, while its extensive modernization and restoration were completed in 2018, resulting in a site blending 17th-century architectural heritage with the demands of modern global tourism.

“People can find items and products here that aren’t found in local markets or other stores,” he said. “The bazaar offers products from all over the world — the local merchant community plays a key role in this and the newest merchants here have been in business for 20-25 years, as these stores are passed down from father to son, spanning generations.”

Koyuncu noted that the bazaar also promotes domestically produced products, as foreign visitors can taste and appreciate items like Antep or Siirt pistachios, turning the marketplace from a mere sales center to an exhibition space.

The Spice Bazaar continues to draw large tourist numbers from Spain, Greece, and Latin America, while the recent geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East have led to a slight decline in regional tourism. Meanwhile, major religious and cultural holidays like Ramadan and Eid al-Adha see surges in domestic and global tourists at the bazaar.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim