Saturday, February 4, 2012

The Fourth Wonder: Galata Tower and Grand Bazaar


The Galata tower is located north of  the Golden Horn and opposite of the Historical District of Istanbul.  It was built in 1348 by Genoese colonists to control the Bosphorus and  Golden horn. It looks like a stone cylinder. At that tower you can see 360o panoramic view of Istanbul. You can admire Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, the Bosphorus, and the entertainment district of Taksim. You will feel that you are looking toward the city like bird.


Another wonder of Istanbul is the Grand Bazaar, which is also known as the “Covered Bazaar,” a center of Ottoman commerce and today also the center of Turkish Jewelry, diamond, ceramic, carpet and ornaments. It is the oldest and largest covered market in the world; it is a shopping paradise.


The Grand Bazaar was opened in 1461, during the reign of Sultan Fatih Mehmed. It was the first shopping mall ever built in the world.

In the Grand Bazaar there are 59 covered streets and over 4.000 shops. With these shops the Grand Bazaar everyday looks merry and noisy, it has unique architecture in unusual bright streets. There is magical atmosphere that takes you to the Orient’s shiny and wealthy world.

Moreover in the Grand Bazaar, you can see different unique sales techniques, for example they can ask you about your country and they can talk about a story about your country and befriend you before you buy something.

No comments:

Post a Comment