Spice Bazaar--Istanbul

The Istanbul Spice Bazaar has been in existence at this location since the building was constructed in the 16th-17th centuries(see sign in photo above). The building is owned by the Yeni Mosque next door, shown in the photo below. It is second in size only to the Grand Bazaar. It is L shaped; there is a long corridor with shops on either side, an arm and shops on the outside running up the west side of the building. There are still many spice shops but it has been infiltrated somewhat by tourist shops selling purses, souvenirs and such. Some of  the outside shops sell fish, cheese, fruit and veggies, as well as some fast foods.

The photos below are  typical shops that specializes in spices. One prominently features Turkish delight.

The photo above shows a shopkeeper weighing out a spice. There were a lot of locals buying in the spice bazaar.

The photo below is about halfway along the main corridor. As you can tell, there are many tourist type shops in this part of the bazaar.

 The shop above is featuring dried fruits.

This shop is featuring sponges and strings of red peppers..

Above is a kebab shop where the shopkeeper is cutting slices of meat to make a Doner Kebab. All over Europe you will find Doner Kebab shops run by ex-pat Turks. They are excellent!

Above is a fish market. This and the other shops below are on the west side of the market on the outside.
Below in order are a cheese shop, a fruit and veggie shop and a shop featuring olives.

The photo above shows a man with a large basket on his back talking with a shopkeeper. I couldn't tell if he was a shopper or a supplier.

This street vendor was cooking and selling corn on the cob.



We didn't buy any spices because we didn't know what the USDA regulations are regarding bringing spices into the country. It was very tempting, however.