A Look Inside Konya's 'Women's Market': Where History, Culture, and Food Converge

In Konya, the historical Melike Hatun Bazaar, known as the Kadınlar Pazarı (which translates to “Women’s Bazaar”) among the locals, has been vibrant for a century with its sections selling local delicacies as well as fresh fruits and vegetables.

In Konya, the capital of the Seljuk Empire, the historical Melike Hatun Bazaar, located in the most crowded and central area of the city and known as the "Women's Market" among the locals, has been vibrant for a century.

Although today this marketplace has moved away from its original concept, now housing a larger majority of male vendors, it is a remarkable place with colorful stalls where you can find 100% organic fruits, vegetables and other farm goods. In addition to this, you’ll also see vendors with various spices, dried snacks, cheese, olives and other goods that are not easy to find elsewhere. Every stall and shop at the bazaar is solid proof that Turkish marketplaces are artisanal masterpieces and the most vivid color palettes of the country.

The centuries-old bazaar, located in the central Karatay district and now named after Hazreti Mevlana's daughter Melike Hatun, is among the first choices of consumers who are looking for organic products, along with the regional flavors of the city, such as "moldy cheese."

As one enters the market, which smells of fresh fruits and vegetables, they are greeted by the sweet hustle and bustle of the vendors who have opened their stalls in the early hours of the day and are waiting for buyers.

Watching the lower floors from the second and third floors of the historical Melike Hatun Bazaar, which is an enclosed market, provides visitors with a different atmosphere.