Galata Bedesteni faces vandalism and neglect in Beyoğlu

The historic Galata Bedesteni, located in the Perşembe Pazarı district of Beyoğlu, is facing significant deterioration due to neglect and vandalism. Originally constructed during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Fatih Sultan Mehmet to generate revenue for the Hagia Sophia Mosque, the nine-domed structure was historically a marketplace for textiles and precious goods.

Today, the site—now known as Fatih Çarşısı—is primarily occupied by hardware shops. Archaeologist Ömer Faruk Yavaşçay has noted that the exterior walls of the approximately 1,000-square-meter masonry structure have been covered in graffiti, creating visual pollution in a major tourism hub.

Yavaşçay has called for urgent restoration and a functional repurposing of the site. He suggested that the building could be converted into a museum, an exhibition space, or restored to its original purpose as a textile market to better serve the area's tourism needs.