Advantageously positioned at the intersection of two continents and two seas, Istanbul has played a key role in international commerce since antiquity. This three-hour walk through the city center, including a prolonged visit to the Grand Bazaar, looks at both modern and historic trade and commerce.
A tour of the Grand Bazaar in Context
During this three-hour walk of Istanbul we will look at the theme of commerce and how the city has acted as a center of trade for the last 2000 years. Along the way we'll visit a number of local merchants and learn how Istanbul continues to occupy a central role in the clothing, carpets, jewelry, and other crafts.
We will begin with the booksellers who occupy a small market near the university and look at how their presence through the ages has defined, and been defined by, the role of Istanbul University. Winding through the maze of streets in this part of town (not far from Sultanahmet) we'll arrive at the Grand Bazaar, arguably one of the more vibrant markets in the Middle East. As we trace this course, our docent will discuss how Istanbul's strategic position on the Bosphorus and along the Silk Road connecting Europe with the East, has placed the city at the center of trade and commerce for the last 1500 years. This is still very much the case, with most Middle Eastern businesses setting up shop here in order to trade with the West. Of course, in the background there is the Bosphorus, which continues to see several million tonnes of cargo pass through it each year.
In the Grand Bazar, our docent will discuss the creation of this space by the first Ottomans, and its current life. After visiting some of the better, more authentic vendors, we'll stop for some tea or lemonade before setting you loose to shop on your own.
Depending on time, our walk may conclude with a continued stroll downhill to the Spice Bazaar down near the Golden Horn, constructed in the 17th century and an important market for international traders and the Ottoman rulers. By the end our docent will have drawn a vivid portrait of Istanbul as a crossroad of global trade and exchange, past and present.