Büyük Yeni Han

The han' is located in the central historic market district that extends from the Grand Bazaar to the Eminönü neighbourhood on the shore of the Golden Horn.

[1] Since the founding of the first bedesten by Mehmet II in the mid-15th century, the Grand Bazaar developed into the city's main hub of international trade, spawning entire districts of shops, warehouses, and merchant lodgings.

For example, one piece of the land, a plot of around 523 square meters belonging to the waqf of Çavuşbaşı Ali Agha, was obtained in exchange for various other properties throughout Istanbul in an agreement dated to August 2-11, 1761.

[5] Although the chief architect of the project has not been identified, the building supervisor is named in multiple documents as Şehremini Haşim Ali Bey.

[5] Based on available records, Mustafa III was the first sultan since Mehmet II to have directly commissioned the construction of new caravanserais in Istanbul, as earlier hans were mainly founded by viziers or other members of the royal family.

[6] The building was occupied most of all by or foreign and non-Muslim moneychangers (Turkish: sarraflar, singular: sarraf), a service which was increasing in importance during the 18th century.

[5] All of the tenants of the han were required to pay rent regularly, which in turn provided revenues for its operations as well as for the funding of the waqf (endowment) of the major Laleli Mosque complex which Mustafa III had built around the same period.

For example, records show that the Büyük Yeni Han's rent income provided about 5-6 percent of the Laleli waqf's revenues between 1770 and 1789.

[5]) The ceilings of some rooms have preserved remains of painted decoration which was characteristic of the Ottoman Baroque period, influenced by European art and illustrating small scenes of landscapes and buildings.