The Bezisten is the most important monumental profane building in the old Bitola bazaar.
Built in the 15th century by the famous founder Kara Daut Pasha Uzuncarshili, it was a covered market for precious goods, with three streets and 86 shops. The Bezisten also served as a kind of treasury where the tax money from the entire Rumelia Vilayet was kept in separate sections before being taken to the imperial treasury.
During construction, its architecture, internal layout and the solid material used were taken into account to provide sufficient guarantee against frequent robberies and robberies, which at that time were a daily occurrence in the peripheral parts of the Turkish state.
However, despite this, the Bezisten was robbed several times.
Until the end of World War II, the bezisten served as a covered bazaar, where haberdashery and fabrics were sold. After World War II, the southern facade was demolished, and new shops were built in its place, which severely damaged the once harmonious architectural ensemble.
Today, there are several modernly equipped shops in Bezisten that sell a variety of goods.
