Istanbul's Grand Bazaar to get total facelift

The restoration of the historic Grand Bazaar in Istanbul's Fatih district is ready to take off, as a five-year-long renovation project in the centuries-old covered market has reached an end. 

"We are starting the restoration from the most controversial place, from the roof. The overall restoration will take 10 to 20 years. But the roof will be finished this summer. We will preserve the current structure and the spirit of the Grand Bazaar," Fatih Mayor Mustafa Demir told daily Hürriyet on March 4. 

Citing the renovation project, which started in 2009 and ended in 2014, Demir said miracles were performed over the five years. "Normally it would take some 30 years for a project of a historical artifact this big to be prepared, evaluated by the rapporteurs, presented to a board and passed by that board. We told about the importance of this project to the Culture Ministry," said Demir, adding that the tender for the renovation of the roof, which will cost 12 million Turkish Liras, will be opened in March.  

"Our main objective is to protect the Grand Bazaar from rain, humidity and other external factors. Within the preservation board's approved project, waterspouts will be changed as rain water will be taken underground via the waterspouts... The roof will be a tiled and hipped roof. There will be walking paths [on the roof] called 'cat paths' but tourists will not be able to go up to the roof... the Istanbul Waterworks Authority [?SK?] will spend 35 million liras for the infrastructure work. There will be central heating and no air conditioners, TV antennas and toilets. Everything will go under the surface [of the roof]," Demir said. 

Saying they first "took an X-ray of the Grand Bazaar and then diagnosed it," Demir added there have...