Arasta Bazaar (Turkish name: Arasta Çarşısı) is one of the historical bazaars (markets) in Istanbul.
Arasta Bazaar is one of the most visited places in Istanbul, and this is also due to the fact that the market is located in the historical center of the city (near Blue Mosque), where it is always crowded.
Arasta Bazaar appeared in the 17th century in the complex of the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque) on the site where the Grand Palace of the Byzantine period used to be.
During the Ottoman Empire, the bazaar was known as the Sipahiler Bazaar (Sipahiler Çarşısı).
The bazaar was destroyed by fire in 1912, after a long time was not used and has been restored since 1980.
Today, Arasta Bazaar is not the most popular market in Istanbul, when compared with the larger and more famous bazaars of the city, such as Grand Bazaar and Egyptian bazaar. But Arasta is a very quiet place where you can take a walk, without any inconvenience to look at the goods and, if desired, buy something.
Arasta is one small street, on both sides of which there are cozy shops selling things, textiles, carpets, dishes, Turkish goods, spices, pottery, souvenirs, hookahs, sweets, etc.
The fact that the bazaar is located on the site of the former Grand Palace is indicated by the pieces of mosaic preserved on the paving stones. You can also see colored tiles.
From the Arast Bazaar there is an exit to the Museum of mosaics of the Grand Palace (Büyük Saray Mozaikleri Müzesi) with an exposition of mosaics from the time of the Byzantine Empire (period 450-550 AD), discovered during excavations at the site of the Grand Palace of Constantinople.
Entrance to the museum is paid. Also in the mosaic museum there is a museum map of Istanbul (Museum Pass Istanbul) and a museum and tourist map Istanbul E-pass. More about the Museum of mosaics of the Grand Palace...
Practical information
Arasta Bazaar is located on the south side of the Blue Mosque; on the European side of Istanbul, in the old part of the city, in the Sultanahmet district, near Hagia Sophia Mosque.
Arast Bazaar Address: Sultan Ahmet, Mimar Mehmet Ağa Cd. No:2, 34122 Fatih/Istanbul, Turkey.
You can get to the Arast Bazaar and the Blue Mosque on foot from the ferry piers near the Galata Bridge; from the tram stop T1 "Sultanahmet"; from the metro station Vezneciler (green line M2) on foot about 1.8 kilometers. You can also get there by taxi, rented car, or by taking a tour on the Istanbul Hop-On Hop-Off tour bus (there are tickets for 1, 2 or 3 days).
Tickets for the Istanbul sightseeing bus can be purchased here →
Entrance to the Arast Bazaar is free.
There is a cafe near the bazaar.
All accommodation facilities in Istanbul, including in the historical center, on the European and Asian sides of the city, can be viewed and booked here
