Grand Bazaar and Turkish Diversity - Essay Example

Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey belongs to the collection of the world's most fascinating landmarks. That is the only place which combines magnificence of centuries old architecture with seething flows of people seeking for a bargain. So incredibly busy the place has always been. Istanbul lies almost between Europe and Asia, overlooking the Bosphorus, The Black Sea and the Sea of Marmora, which is an ideal place for the world trading centre. The unique geographic position made sure of Istanbul's deepest involvedness into the issues of cultural mix, trade a war. Much desired because of its favorable location, the city has often been a reason for military tension. It has also changed several names, such as, for instance, Byzantium, Nova Roma and Constantinople. Another interesting fact is that it has been a capital of two powerful empires - the Byzantine and the Ottoman. The old wooden Grand Bazaar was built by Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered Constantinople, the capital of Byzantine Empire in 1453, and also named the city Istanbul. The Bazaar was getting bigger quickly. Presently it covers 30 hectares, and comprises about 4000 shops, forming a real labyrinth with its numerous arched passages. There are also banks, mosques, police stations, fountains, and restaurants. Twenty two gates lead into the Bazaar out of different streets (Historical places of Istanbul). Mark Twain depicted the place as follows: "We went to the grand Bazaar in Stamboul, of course, and I shall not describe it further than to say it is a monstrous hive of little shops--thousands, I should say--all under one roof, and cut up into innumerable little blocks by narrow streets which are arched overhead". For a tourist it must seem very difficult not to get lost, however, there is no need to panic: the street signs and tourist information signs are everywhere. The Bazaar also plays a role of unofficial financial centre: different currencies are exchanged by most shopkeepers. At Grand Bazaar one feels overwhelmed with opportunities: there is a vast number of ways to go, things to buy, cafes and restaurants to dine at. The Turkish are very hospitable and sociable. Every vendor would invite you to visit his shops, often offering free food and drinks. The most frequently offered drink is apple tea, which most travelers find superb. The vendors try to attract customers by telling history of the buildings construction, local legends, suggesting the most interesting places to visit and to take pictures of. Some European tourist might feel tired with the constant invitations. Travel guides claim it is better to say thank you and firmly make through crowd ahead, in case you are not interested. If one tries the free drinks and talks to the vendors it does not mean, though, he has to buy the goods. Bargaining is expected and often it is possible to lower the price about 20%. It is a good idea to learn the local price for the items you wish to buy, for once it is discovered you do not have a clue, you are likely to pay the so called tourist price. Grand Bazaar seems all sparkling and glittering. Jewelry stalls with gold and silver, as well as displays of colourful lamps and lanterns make it like this. Flickr and other servers are full of the bright images of such stalls, uploaded by the thrilled travellers. It is believed that Grand Bazaar offers the biggest variety of jewelry in the world. Olivia Wells in her "Secrets of the Grand Bazaar" names best jewelry shops. She describes Kafkas as the most luxurious one, where it is possible to purchase true treasures without being afraid of swindle, and where the security and anonymity is guaranteed: "From the outside, Kafkas looks much like the hundred or so other jewelry stores lining the street, though I'm keenly aware of the suited men (alertly) loitering outside the closed door as Serkan pulls out a necklace of Kafkas's own design: forty-one carats of rose-cut diamonds scattered around the neck of its black velvet display form". She also finds the price attractive, claiming it to be the third of what it would be in New York. According to Olivia's observation locals often shop in Sait Ko, it is by far not so expensive as Kafkas. There it is possible to choose the precious stones and they will make a ring out of them during two or three days. The shop often fulfills requests of customers from Philadelphia, Boca Raton and New York too. Obviously, the greater amount of tourists head for Grand Bazaar in search of traditional goods, such as hand made carpets and kilims. The carpets are often sold with certificates of quality and authenticity. No less tempting seem to be traditional caftans and all kinds of fake designer coats. Olivia Wells also provides a vivid description of the Grand Bazaar vendors special manner to teat customers: "Though it's a cold day and I'm marshmallowy in four layers of sweaters, he sizes me up and, with just the slightest flourish, pulls a petite black buttery suede knee-length jacket from a rack of hundreds of coats: it fits like the proverbial glove. In business here since 1968, Ilyas Ko turns out limited--production runs for Cavalli and other designers whose labels, once attached, send the prices skyrocketing." She says most vendors are good psychologists and she is absolutely delighted with their hospitality. That is how she describes the vendor's performance as she visited a shop of traditional clothes: "He smiles indulgently, calls a nearby shop to deliver tea for us and sends his daughter, Nurdan, and Anjela, a seamstress who restores the antique garments, scurrying to try some on. The young women parade for me in a blood-red Ottoman bride's costume woven on royal looms and worn at the ceremony known as "henna night," the evening before a wedding, and a cerulean caftan the bride might wear the day after". The customers could not help being absolutely fascinated. There is another interesting observation made by Olivia Wells: the locals are very proud of their place and are very protective, when it comes to their favourite places to shop. Thus, a woman in a shop points out to Olivia with a wink to its owner: "Please don't write about this place: terrible coats, and you'll get even worse service." One definitely can not skip cevahir Bedesteni, the Old Bazaar, at the center of the market, whose stores are arranged in two rings. Stil Inci on the bedesten's exterior ring is tiny and can be left out even by people, who often stroll in the area. The shop is hung with beads. These beads, according to Olivia Wells, are "South Sea pearls, raw sapphires, citrines, peridots and amethysts". The shop's owner, Ali Karabasoglu, has been in the business for a long time, and local ladies bring their sketches of jewelry and dispute with him about the choice and placement of pearls and stones. Their order is always ready by the end of the day. The prices are surprisingly low by anyone's standards: a sixteen-inch strand of pearls starts at about $300; a three-strand necklace of raw sapphires, around 150 stones, may sell for $300. It is always interesting to watch local women by choosing jewelry, bags or clothes, as their manicured hands clutch Fendi and Gucci. They always go firmly to particular shops, taking no notice of other invitations. Of course, tourists can not feel the same confident at this large unknown place. So if one looks not only for souvenirs to bring friends and relatives, it makes sense to hire a local shopping guide. The goods at the Grand Bazaar are commonly grouped, and certain street is dedicated to the certain type of goods. Go to the textile district, even if you are not going to buy anything there. It is a real feast for eyes. There you can also make nice shots of spectacular colours and all kinds of patterns. It was Mark Twain's favourite district too: "The place is crowded with people all the time, and as the gay-colored Eastern fabrics are lavishly displayed before every shop, the great Bazaar of Stamboul is one of the sights that are worth seeing". Eyyup, Nazende, a shop at the end of the row, was recently renovated to expose the bricks in the arched ceiling, which belong to the original Byzantine structure that housed the horses of Mehmed II, the founder of the Bazaar. "Designs using the family's stones are hung sparingly on the newly paneled walls, whose coffers are lled with turquoise totems", observes Olivia Wells. There is, no doubt, even more of the old architecture to see at Grand Bazaar. The charm of the place is hard to resist. When wandering through its streets it feels as if in a fairy tale about Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. However, not everybody appreciates the special local flavor. Some visitors, especially from Western countries often feel apprehensive. Mark Twain speculating about attractions and threatens of Grand Bazaar and Istanbul ironically noted: "A street in Constantinople is a picture which one ought to see once--not oftener." A plenty of travell blogs devoted to Grand Bazaar warn about pocket-pickers and bag-slashers. Some of them even suggest not to reveal one's country of origin, claiming that citizens of "prosperous" countries are often overcharged. The other even agitate not to buy anything in the place, defining it as a tourist attraction rather than a market with reasonable prices (Top 4 Grand Bazaar Tourist Mistakes). It is true that Grand Bazaar is much tourists oriented, and as it is fairly mentioned by Olivia Wells in "Secrets of the Grand Bazaar", one needs to know the places and to discover them might take time. However, many tourists do not bother and feel very happy with their purchases. They gladly buy all kinds of souvenirs: amulets, lamps, authentic musical instruments and whatever that would remind them of the trip: "What I really like about The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, is that it isn't primarily a tourist market. It's like a 600 year old shopping mall that sells anything that's portable enough to be carried away. This is not a historical relic but a thriving business centre" (Reviews of Grand Bazaar). While Olivia Wells finds the vendors manner very appealing, some bloggers report the salesmen tactless behavior: "One hawker yelled out in plain English to my boyfriend 'hey, do you want to buy this for your fat girlfriend' Now, I am by no means fat, but I was so offended by this, and ended up in tears after we left the Bazaar, as soon as possible I might add" (Reviews of Grand Bazaar). Surely, people are people everywhere and no wonder, that at such a place as Grand Bazaar, which represents the mixture of all the social layers, one is likely to meet very different ones. Whoever prepared to be tolerant and attentive, when visiting Grand Bazaar, and to thoroughly explore it, is sure to have an unforgettable adventure. Moreover, there are much more positive comments about the bazaar then negative. "It was clear to us that their friendliness wasn't just a ploy to get us to buy, as it continued well after the sale, even when we made it clear that we wouldn't be back in Istanbul for a long time, if ever", says another blogger (Reviews of Grand Bazaar). Mark Twain wrote about Grand Bazaar: "It is full of life, and stir, and business" Not much has changed since that. Grand Bazaar is still the busiest place in the world, which is worth seeing. The place keeps inspiring artist and photographers, who try to reflect its striking vividness and brightness in their works. Grand Bazaar is seen as a significant part of Turkish historical heritage. An international workshop was held at the Eminn District by Agency of European Capital of Culture, Directorate of Urban Applications, highlighting the problems of the Grand Bazaar and the historical business buildings. It was the first project with international participation, the goal of which was to revitalize the ancient buildings and use the rich potential of the region. The results of the workshop with the participation of the students of Siegen University, Germany; Yldz Technical University, Department of Architecture of Istanbul Commercial University were announced on June 16, 2008. Architectural solutions for maintaining the functioning of the historical business buildings of Grand Bazaar, as well as of the centuries old roads and pedestrian walkways, were offered. It was admitted that the objects constitute the crucial point for Turkish economy and need constant attention. Another project was the "Local Design Workshop", which was to train students to combine new structures with the old ones. The workshop was directed by: Ulrich Exner, PhD (Dean of Siegen University - Architect), Ik Aydemir, PhD, Dr. Ebru Erdnmez, Assistant Professor, Asl Kyak ngin, Senior Architect, Ebru Omay, Senior Architect, Dietrich Pressel, Senior Architect and Petra Klein. The event was actively supported by the Municipality of Eminn, the Grand Bazaar Retailers Association and the Association of Human Settlements (Historical Caravanserais and International Architecture Workshop for the Covered market). The workshop demonstrated a great interest of the community to the problem and, apparently, it is still to grow. Grand Bazaar is of greatest importance for Turkish culture and economy and it still has many problems. It has survived numerous disasters: during the fire of 1546, 1660, 1695, 1701 and 1750. It was nearly devastated by the earthquakes of 1766, 1791, 1826 and1894 and much authentic items were destroyed. Contemporary architects and local government leaders puzzle over the problem of preserving this rich historical heritage. This task is getting more and more complicated under the condition of the constant flow of people to the Bazaar, which attracts between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily; on the other hand the arrival of tourists and functioning of the Bazaar is vital for Turkish economy and can not be avoided. Grand Bazaar perfectly catches the spirit of Istanbul, a city standing at the crossroads of trade routes, which literary separates Europe in Asia. Turkey aspires to enter European Union and many of its people try to adjust their attitudes and welcome globalization. The others cling to the past and remain conservative. The mosaic of colourful goods and people from all over the world at Grand Bazaar fully reflect this diversity. To sum up, Grand Bazaar is by all means worth visiting. Bargaining at the bazaar should not be rendered as an exploitative act against customers, but as a part of old tradition. Many branches of world-wide known brands, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses have been opened in the bazaar in recent time. Thus, the Grand Bazaar is associated with the traditional Turkish tastes, great variety of tea and coffee, nargile smoking. It is destination of numerous tourists and a place to discover Turkish hospitality. Works cited: 1. Globe Hoppers: Grand Bazaar Observations by Mark Twain. 2009. June 23, 2009 http://www.globe-hoppers.com/grand-bazaar.html 2. Globe Hoppers: Constantinople Through the Eyes of Mark Twain 2009. June 23, 2009 http://www.globe-hoppers.com/constantinople.html 3. Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture. Historical Caravanserais and International Architecture Workshop for the Covered market. 2008. June 21, 2007 http://www.istanbul2010.org/en/news-detail/article/istanbul-2010dan-eminonu-bolgesi-icin-mimari-acilim-tarihi-hanlar-ve-kapalicarsi-ic/tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=64&cHash=05bceb6bee 4. Historical places of Istanbul. Grand Bazaar. 2009. June 23, 2009 http://www.istanbulhistoricalplaces.com/grand_bazaar.asp 5. Qupe.Istanbul. Reviews of Grand Bazaar 2008. June 22, 2009 http://www.qype.co.uk/place/175106-Grand-Bazaar-Istanbul 6. Travelogue. Travelvice. Top 4 Grand Bazaar Tourist Mistakes 2007. June 22, 2009 http://travelogue.travelvice.com/turkey/top-4-grand-bazaar-tourist-mistakes/ 7. Wells O. "Secrets of the Grand Bazaar". Town&Country Travel. 2007. June 21, 2009 http://www.townandcountrytravelmag.com/vacation-ideas/shopping/shopping-istanbul-grand-bazaar-fall07 Read More