A market place in the Ottoman Empire: Avrat Pazari and its surroundings.

Abstract

In the Ottoman Empire, the bazaars were considered among the mast 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 Pazari (the Women's Market) in Konya or Bartin 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 Pazari 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 kulliyes. 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 Istanbul Haseki Complex played an important role. Before its construction there were some waqf works built by other female benefactors, such as Keyci Hatun, Gulbahar Hatun or Gevher Sultan, and probably provided for female users.

Another area for women was the Avrat Pazari in the district, where the shops or removable desks took place. The bazaar once occupied the farmer 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, Matrakci Nasuh's Istanbul map reflects the architectural development of this part of the capitol, depicting the shops and domed buildings next the Arcadius Column.

Although the Avrat Pazari 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.