Almaci (Elmaci) Market

Almacı Pazarı (locally also called Elmacı Pazarı, the 'Apple Market') is a roughly 250-year-old traders' bazaar in the historic core of Gaziantep, in the Şahinbey district, lying directly across from the Coppersmiths' Bazaar and the Kürkçü Han. It is regarded as one of the oldest markets in the city.

History and Origin of the Name

Its name recalls a time when apples were an expensive rarity: they were sold by the piece, considered a luxury for those without an orchard, and taken as gifts to the sick in place of baklava. The old local word for apple, 'alma,' gave the market its enduring name. The bazaar preserves the spirit of the Ahi guild tradition, with trades handed down from generation to generation; some shops have been run by three generations of the same family since 1929.

Architecture and Produce

Architecturally the market is a warren of narrow, labyrinthine lanes lined with small stone-fronted shops, where sacks spill onto the walkway and strings of dried vegetables and colourful mounds of spice create an atmosphere found nowhere else in the city. This is the first address that comes to mind in Gaziantep for local and organic produce: every kind of spice, geographically protected Antep pistachio (roasted and salted, fresh green 'ben,' under-tree and dried red varieties), hot and mild pepper and tomato pastes, grape molasses and syrups, sausage, pestil and bastık fruit leather, muska, dilme, raisins and dried nuts. In summer the stalls are hung with dried aubergine, pepper and courgette; in winter with an array of nuts and dried fruit.

Visiting & Access

Its touristic value lies in the way it distills the culinary identity of UNESCO City of Gastronomy Gaziantep in a single stop. Agencies favour it because it offers tasting, shopping and authentic photography together, and sits right on the castle-to-bazaar walking axis. In guided programmes it usually follows Gaziantep Castle and the Coppersmiths' Bazaar as a short tasting-and-shopping break before or after lunch; the average visit lasts 30 to 45 minutes. Within walking distance are the Zincirli Bedesten, the Emine Göğüş Culinary Museum, the historic Tahmis Coffee House and several old mosques.

The best photographs are taken at stalls framed by mounds of spice and hanging bunches of pistachio and dried produce. Access from the city centre is an easy walk; tour coaches use the nearby castle-area and Şehreküstü car parks, as vehicles cannot enter the market itself. Because the stone-paved lanes are narrow and often crowded, wheelchair access is partly difficult. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit; summer middays are hot, while weekends and religious holidays are the busiest.