The World's Narrowest Arasta: Dikiciler Arastası

With its 1.5-metre width and 30-metre length, the Historic Dikiciler Arastası, adjacent to Çorum’s Hürriyet Square, has a narrowness rarely seen anywhere in the world. Promoted in the city’s marketing as “the world’s narrowest bazaar,” it attracts visitors with both its dimensions and its preserved 1950s bazaar fabric.

History

The arasta’s current structure was built after the fire of 1956. It takes its name from the dikiciler (tailors) who plied their trade here at the time. Having lost part of its function over the years, the arasta regained its original appearance through a restoration that began in 2021 and took about a year, completed in 2022.

Historic City Centre Project (2026)

According to an Anadolu Agency report of 23 August 2026, Çorum Municipality’s Tarihi Kent Merkezi Projesi (Historic City Centre Project), planned to reveal the historic fabric of the city centre, was carried out with the support of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change; as part of the project the surroundings of Çorum Meydanı (Çorum Square) were landscaped and the Dikiciler Arastası was restored. Minister Murat Kurum shared images of the renewed square on his social media account. Shopkeepers of the arasta interviewed by A Haber the same day said the shops and their façades had been renewed. In the same area, referred to in the reports as the Tarihi Kent Meydanı (Historic City Square), the foundation of the Tarihi Çorum Konağı was laid opposite the Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) in September 2026 (see Çorum Government House).

Features

• Dimensions: 1.5 m wide, 30 m long
• Location: Next to Hürriyet Square, central Çorum
• Architecture: Restoration preserving the original timber and wall fabric
• Function: After restoration, it was arranged with the aim of becoming a bazaar where traditional handicrafts are kept alive (CNN Türk)

The word “arasta” describes the narrow streets where craftsmen set up their benches side by side — the small-scale counterpart of the covered bazaar and bedesten tradition. Dikiciler Arastası is one of the smallest surviving examples of this tradition in Türkiye.

Visiting

The arasta is in the central bazaar area, within walking distance; it can be visited with a two-minute detour during a shopping route in Çorum. For other stops in bazaar culture, see our Çorum Tinsmiths page.

The “world’s narrowest bazaar” phrase is a promotional title used by the city and is not based on an official record.

Sources

• CNN Türk — Known as the ‘World’s Narrowest Bazaar’: Dikiciler Arastası Being Restored
• Arkeolojik Haber — Restoration of Çorum’s Dikiciler Arastası Completed
• TripAdvisor — Dünyanın En Dar Arastası, Çorum
• Anadolu Agency — “Bakan Kurum, yenilenen Çorum Tarihi Kent Meydanı’nın görüntülerini paylaştı” (Minister Kurum Shares Images of Çorum’s Renewed Historic City Square), 23 August 2026
• A Haber — “Çorum’un tarihi çehresi değişti! Dikiciler Arastası yeniden hayat buldu” (Çorum’s Historic Face Has Changed: Dikiciler Arastası Revived), 23 August 2026
• Çorum Haber — “Tarihi Çorum Konağı’nın temeli atıldı” (Foundation Laid for the Historic Çorum Mansion), 5 September 2026