A market place in the ottoman empire: avrat pazarı and its surroundings

In the Ottoman Empire, the bazaars were considered among the most important places in a city. Here the appearance of people from various levels reflected the pluralistic side of the Ottoman society. On the other hand, bazaar areas, such as Avrat Pazarı (the Women’s Market) in Konya or Bartın were those areas where women also could be present and contributed to the commercial activities. Because Ottoman women’s relationship with the communal spaces remained limited, Avrat Pazarı was an important urban area for the spatial perception of women. Women’s relationship with the public spaces could be summarized in two aspects: Women who used the space, and women who sponsored the construction of architectural works. The only means of space creation for women in the Classical Period could be by beneficiary facilities, such as a foundation of religious külliyes. Royal women, such as the mother, wives or daughters of the Sultan might initiate a waqf in order to contribute to social life for Allah’s sake. In doing this, they proposed to raise their prestigious status and to be remembered eternally by the pious. These charity works in İstanbul Haseki Complex played an important role. Before its construction there were some waqf works built by other female benefactors, such as Keyci Hatun, Gülbahar Hatun or Gevher Sultan, and probably provided for female users. Another area for women was the Avrat Pazarı in the district, where the shops or removable desks took place. The bazaar once occupied the former Byzantine Forum of Arcadius, which was a large square on the imperial street, Mese, until the sixteenth century. The Forum also included the Column of Arcadius, where historical war scenes were carved. When the city views from the 15th and 16th centuries are investigated the various transformations, the Forum survived could be perceived. For example, Matrakçı Nasuh’s İstanbul map reflects the architectural development of this part of the capital, depicting the shops and domed buildings next the Arcadius Column. Although the Avrat Pazarı does not exist today, its remains could be traced up until the 1912s.In the 19th century maps, not only the bazaar area, but also neighboring public and religious buildings, the street pattern and the environment were extant. To conclude the Haseki district, including the Avrat Pazarı, acquired its urban identity through the architectural works of the benefactors who were mostly women. Through this effort, women founders acquired prestigious status and an immortal name on the one hand, and on the other hand, the district appeared as an area where the public works for women were varied and enriched.

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Market Place ,

Ottoman Empire ,

Avrat Pazarı ,