Behind Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, where traditional crafts endure

Dubai: For centuries, Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar has been more than a bustling marketplace. Hidden behind its crowded passageways is a world of skilled artisans whose work has helped sustain the bazaar’s rich craft tradition.

In workshops and narrow streets surrounding the historic market, craftsmen continue to cast, engrave, polish and restore a wide range of objects. Molten metal is shaped over open flames, intricate patterns are carved by hand and finished pieces are polished until they shine. In some cases, a single object passes through several specialists before reaching a merchant’s counter.

Much of this painstaking work remains largely unseen. Artisans work in small, crowded rooms filled with tools, machinery and the marks of years spent around dust, smoke and heat.

The craftsmen’s quarter is also a close-knit community. Tea is shared in workshops and courtyards, while artisans gather for lunch, play backgammon or take a break with a water pipe between jobs.

Yet this centuries-old world is changing. Some production has shifted from Istanbul’s historic centre to larger, modern workshops, while technology has transformed traditional methods. At the same time, some crafts are struggling to attract younger generations willing to spend years mastering skills passed down through families.

For now, behind the Grand Bazaar’s famous storefronts, Istanbul’s artisans continue to keep an enduring tradition alive.

Photos: AP