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Best Places to Visit Country Facts Tourism Information Other Countries |
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Turkey Travel Guide:Best Places to Visit in Istanbul |
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| The Bazaars The Cistern and Hippodrome Area | |||
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Turkey | ||
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Best Places to Visit Country Facts Tourism Information Other Countries |
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Turkey Travel Guide:Best Places to Visit in Istanbul |
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| The Bazaars The Cistern and Hippodrome Area | |||
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| The Bazaars | Top of Page |
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The Grand Bazaar, reputed to be the oldest and largest covered bazaar in the world, opened in the 15th century and contains some 3000+ shops. Due to the high rents for space in the Grand Bazaar, there are few bargains to be found. If you know what you are looking for, there are interesting antiques, jewelry, metal work and beautiful carpets. The shops are scattered in all directions but are often grouped by specialty. Wander a while to appreciate the types and varieties of goods available. If you are not interested in buying, do not praise the quality of the goods, touch them or otherwise attract the attention of the shop owner. If you do, you have given the signal that you are interested in buying and the bargaining will begin. Your disinterest will be taken as part of your bargaining strategy. If you are interested in bargaining, it is unacceptable to walk away from an offer that has been spoken. Doing so, may result in the police being called. When you leave the Grand Bazaar, head downhill on Uzun Carsi Cadessi to the Spice Market, which was once part of the mosque complex. The Spice Bazaar explodes with delicious aromas and is a curiosity that most in the western world have not experienced, although spices are no longer the only item sold here. Uzun Carsi is a very popular shopping area for residents (see photo below) . If you dislike crowds, avoid this area. If not, join the fun. After all, its downhill to the Spice Market. The Spice Market and the Grand Bazaar are closed on Sunday but many other shopping area are open seven days a week.
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Containing, antiques, rugs, jewelry, copperware and just about any item you can think of, exploring the Grand Bazaar is fun but few bargains exist.
Thinking of shopping for a carpet? Be prepared for apple tea, as it is part of the routine.
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| The Cistern | Top of Page | ||||||
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The Hippodrome, the famous site of chariot races in old Constantinople, did not survive the ravages of time and is now the site of a park whose shape mimics the Hippodrome. There are several interesting sights here. Take some time to view the Egyptian obelisk dating back to the 15th century B.C. (from the Karnak Temple in Luxor - Thutmose III) and the Serpent Column from Greece dating from the 4th century A.D. Adjacent to the Hippodrome is the entrance to the city’s ancient waterworks built by Justinian in the 6th century A.D. The Yerebatan Palace or Basilica Cistern is a cavern supported by over 300 marble columns. When originally constructed, the cistern held 18 million gallons of water. In later times, it served as the water storage area for Topkapi Palace. You have probably seen the Yerebatan Cistern before in various movies (e.g. the James Bond Thriller "From Russia With Love") but it is an interesting and memorable diversion. Several of the columns have remarkable footings, such as the one resting on Medusa’s head, shown in the photograph on the right. Somewhat surprisingly, the cistern is used for the performing arts due to its excellent acoustics. The Cistern is closed Tuesdays.
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Medusa's head, used to support one of the columns in the Yerbatan Cistern.
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