After rare silence, Istanbul's Grand Bazaar prepares to reopen

Share this contentISTANBUL: An eerie silence has fallen over Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, one of the world's oldest, largest and most visited markets, where a raucous mixture of languages, cultures and commerce has buzzed for centuries.

The market is usually visited by 150,000 people every day – and by 42 million last year – while traders shout out deals in dozens of languages to lure tourists into their stores.Now the stores are all shuttered, except for about 20 stock exchange offices and jewellers' shops that have remained open for economic reasons, with only special customers received by appointment.

"I have faith that our country will begin receiving tourists from mid-June by paying attention to hygiene rules," he said inside the historic market.Kurtulmus added that while not much activity is expected in the first weeks,"I believe tourists will fly to Istanbul by the end of June because they cannot do without ... the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque."

"Our Grand Bazaar – the heart of the economy, culture, history and tourism has never been shut down except for natural disasters," Kurtulmus said. A deserted passage in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, which is set to reopen on Jun 1, 2020 for the first time in two months. The bazaar will reopen under strict rules laid out by the health ministry, which include the mandatory use of face masks and a limit on the number of customers allowed inside.

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