Fodor's Expert Review Kapalı Çarşı

The vast complex behind Ulu Cami comprises many adjoining hans (kervansarays, or inns for merchants) surrounding a bedesten (the central part of a covered bazaar, which is vaulted and fireproofed). Bursa sultans began building bazaars in the 14th century to finance the construction or maintenance of their schools, mosques, and soup kitchens. The precinct was soon topped with roofs, creating the earliest form of covered bazaar, and, late in the century, Yıldırım Beyazıt perfected the concept by building a bedesten with six parts connected by arches and topped by 14 domes. The complex was flattened by a massive earthquake in 1855, and sections were badly burned by fire in the 1950s, but the Kapalı Çarşı has been lovingly restored to provide a flavor of the past. Best buys here include gold jewelry, thick Turkish cotton towels (for which Bursa is famous), and silk goods.