Native Name: Arasta Çarşisi
Arasta Bazaar is located in Kabasakal Avenue . It is one of the most attractive shopping centers of
Istanbul
and the most historical one that was open from the 17th Century during the Ottoman period where Cavalrymen stuff were being sold there and hence was known as (Sipahiler or cavalarymen) . Today , the bazzar is used for touristic purposes . The Bazaar is small and simple market with shops on both sides of a street . Shops there offer handmade carpets and rugs that are coming from all over Turkey . Some of those carpets are antiques and others are resemblance of the original models . Also various souvenirs made of leather , golden or silver along with natural stones such as meerschaum are sold there .
Fires have burnt down the bazaar many times and it was left in ruins for a long time until the eighties of the 20th century when it was converted into shops to support the restoration works of the Blue mosque .
Arasta Bazaar is open daily .
