Batılı Seyyahlar ve Klasik Dönem Şairlerinin Tanıklığında Osmanlı Çarşısı
Kent kültürünün ve gündelik hayatın oluşumunda önemli rol üstlenen kamusal alanlar, aynı zamanda toplumun her kesiminden insanın bir arada bulunduğu ve sosyalleştiği yerlerdir. Osmanlı’nın hayat damarı olarak adlandırılan ve bir toplumsal kaynaşma mekânı olan çarşılar da bu kamusal alanlardan biri olarak kent kültürü ve Osmanlı sosyal yaşamına dair hemen her şeyin iç içe geçtiği, toplumun ihtiyaç ve beklentilerini karşılayan, ayrıca ticaretten siyasete pek çok meselenin görüşülüp tartışıldığı alanlardır. Osmanlı’nın zengin ve hareketli ticaret yolları üzerindeki konumu sebebiyle İmparatorluktaki üretim ve tüketim faaliyetlerinin atar damarı olan çarşılar; türlü esnaf, zanaatkâr ve tüccarın başrolünde olduğu karmaşık ancak kendi içinde bütünlüklü bir yapıyı temsil etmektedir. Bu çalışmada, Osmanlı sosyal yaşamına kaynaklık eden Batılı seyyahlar ve klasik dönem şairlerinin tanıklığında, kent kültürü ve sosyal yaşantıya paralel olarak toplumun her kesimine açık ve dolayısıyla bir karşılaşma ve kaynaşma mekânı olan çarşı söz konusu edilmiştir. Seyyahların ve şairlerin imparatorluğun başkenti İstanbul’daki Bedesten ve Kapalıçarşı’ya dair kayıtları; çarşının fizikî yapısı, çarşının hengâmesi, çarşı esnafı, çarşıda satılan ürünler, çarşıda asayiş şeklindeki başlıklar altında ele alınmıştır. Seyyahların ve dönem şairlerinin çarşıya dair gözlemlerinin paralelliği üzerinden sunulan veriler, sosyal tarih ve edebiyat metinlerinin Osmanlı sosyal yaşamını ve edebiyat-toplum ilişkisini değerlendirmeye olan katkılarını ortaya koymaktadır.
The Ottoman Bazaar Through the Eyes of Western Travelers and Poets of the Classical Period
Public spheres, which play a significant role in the formation of urban culture and daily life, are places where people from all walks of life come together and socialize. Among these public spheres, bazaars stand out as vibrant centers of social integration and commerce – long regarded as a backbone of the Ottoman Empire. These bazaars represent a space where nearly every aspect of urban culture and Ottoman social life intersect. Not only did they serve the needs and expectations of society, but they also posed as venues for discussions of various public matters, from trade to politics. Due to the Ottoman Empire’s strategic position on rich and dynamic trade routes, bazaars became vital hubs for the empire’s production and consumption activities. Dominated by a wide array of tradesmen, artisans, and merchants, these bazaars represented a complex yet cohesive system. This study explores the Ottoman bazaar as a space of encounter and social integration - accessible to all segments of society- through the accounts of Western travelers and classical period Ottoman poets, whose witness offer key insights into Ottoman social life. The records of travelers and poets regarding the Bedesten and Grand Bazaar in İstanbul, the capital of the empire, are analyzed under themes such as the physical structure of the bazaar, the bustle of the bazaar, the tradespeople in the bazaar, the goods sold there, and the maintenance of order in the bazaar. The presented data highlights the contributions of social history and literature to the evaluation of Ottoman social life and the relationship between literature and society through the parallels found in the observations of travelers and period poets regarding the bazaar.
Public spheres, which play a significant role in the formation of urban culture and daily life, are places where people from all walks of life come together and socialize. Among these public spheres, bazaars stand out as vibrant centers of social integration and commerce – long regarded as a backbone of the Ottoman Empire. These bazaars represent a space where nearly every aspect of urban culture and Ottoman social life intersect. Not only did they serve the needs and expectations of society, but they also posed as venues for discussions of various public matters, from trade to politics. Due to the Ottoman Empire’s strategic position on rich and dynamic trade routes, bazaars became vital hubs for the empire’s production and consumption activities. Dominated by a wide array of tradesmen, artisans, and merchants, these bazaars represented a complex yet cohesive system. Before cities transitioned to an increasingly multi-centered urban structure, bazaars were considered one of the three foundational components of the traditional Ottoman neighborhood, symbolizing commercial life.
The Ottoman Empire’s possession of key strategic routes connecting Europe with the Middle East and the Far East -including segments of the Silk Road and Spice Road- granted the empire strategic economic importance. As a result, essential trading spaces such as inns, caravansaries, and bedestens – both open and closed markets were established along intercity routes and within urban centers. In addition to reflecting Ottoman culture and dynamics, the bazaar complex brought together various tradespeople from different ethnicities and religions, further reinforcing its central role in urban life. This dynamic was particularly evident in the 16th and 17th centuries when Western travelers visiting İstanbul, the Ottoman capital, and classical period poets who were adept at observing Ottoman social life frequently incorporated the bazaar into their works. Travelers recorded their impressions of the bazaar with astonishment and admiration in their journals. Meanwhile, poets integrated their observations of İstanbul’s central bazaar -located in the imperial capital where the Ottoman sultan resided- into their works, aligning them with classical poetic aesthetics. In doing so, they not only enriched their poetry, but they also contributed valuable material to social history. Based on these insights, this study examines the physical structure of trade spaces like the Bedesten and Grand Bazaar in İstanbul, the tradespeople, the goods sold in the bazaar, and the maintenance of order through the witness of these two key cultural pillars.
Under the subheading of the physical structure of the bazaar, the architecture of the Bedestens, with their domed structures, thick stone walls, labyrinthine streets, fountains, and decorations, is discussed through quotes from travelers’ notes and examples of poetry. The second section describes the harmonious yet chaotic crowd of the Bedesten and Grand Bazaar. This section examines not only those who visited the bazaar for shopping but also those individuals who visited for other reasons, highlighting the bazaar’s role as a place of social interaction and integration. The third section of the study focuses on the tradespeople active in the sale and marketing of goods in the bazaar. In this part, the roles of merchant partners, brokers, apprentices, and town criers are discussed, with particular attention given to the distinct customs, manners, and approaches of Muslim, Jewish, Greek, and Armenian merchants. The fourth section describes the valuable and luxurious products, such as fabrics, jewelry, and weapons, that were displayed and sold in the Ottoman bazaar. In the second part of this section, special emphasis is placed on Western travelers’ notes concerning the slave market and its sales methods. The final section, titled “Maintenance of Order in the Bazaar,” explores how security was maintained in the Bedestens, which housed invaluable products, and describes the punishments imposed on tradesmen who engaged in dishonest practices.
This trade center, which was the focal point of both local and foreign merchants due to its unique vibrancy, colors, and textures, became a place where the splendor of Eastern culture and art was showcased. It was not only a must-see destination for travelers visiting Ottoman lands but also an area where locals enjoyed spending time and observing daily life. In this sense, the subheadings created through the witness of Western travelers and poets, as well as the data presented under these headings, emphasize the commercial, economic, and sociological significance of İstanbul’s bazaars as a vibrant center connecting three continents. These findings shed light on economic and social history, as well as the relationship between literature and society, while also revealing the interrelated wholeness of Ottoman culture and civilization from multiple perspectives.
