Sahaflar Carsisi (secondhand book bazaar)
About the place
- Country : Turkey , Istanbul
- Address : Beyazıt Mh., 34126 Fatih / Istanbul, Turkish
- Category : Markets and Commercial Complexes
- Establishing Date : 1460
Sahaflar Carsisi (secondhand book bazaar)
Overview:
Sahaflar Carsisi is a marketplace for displaying and selling old books. The market dates back to the 15th century.
The market is located in the old courtyard located between the stone lands on the left side of the Bayezid Mosque and between the gateway of Sedefçiler which leads to the Covered Market.
The market is one of the oldest in Istanbul. The newspaper and paper shops are close to the school in order to help students find school supplies easily.
This market was one of the most prominent markets for selling books in the Ottoman era. Due this historic significance, it must be preserved for tourists to enjoy watching and buying books.
They can find documents, newspapers with old prints, dictionaries for all languages, Turkish literature, international literature, Islamic religious books and even the Qur’ans as well.
Historal overview:
After the completion of the construction of the covered market in 1460 AD, they transferred these shops into the market.
When the earthquake struck Istanbul in 1460 and 1894, the shops remained there. Afterwards, they moved the shops to the current market location.
Long time ago, that poets, princes, and ministers visited this market, not only the Turks, but everyone. It is mentioned that the French writer "Antoine Galland", who was a translator at the French embassy in the seventeenth century, bought from this market a colored manuscript and gave it to the French king. This manuscript is still on display at the National Library of France.
It was also mentions that the famous traveler Awliyā Chalabī wrote in his books about the market and stated that it had 50 shops and 300 newspapers in the seventeenth century.
In the 1950s, the market was set on fire, and the Istanbul municipality converted wooden shops into concrete as it’s currently.
In addition, there is a statue in the middle of the market commemorating İbrahim Müteferrika, who is the owner of the first printing house in Turkey.
Today the market hosts 17 two-story shops and 23 regular shops.
Resources:
Turkpress website
Almrsal website
