in 1914 the sandal bedesten, whose handlers of textile goods had been ruined by the european competition, was acquired by the city of istanbul and, starting one year later, was used as an auction house, mainly for carpets. in 1927 the individual parts of the bazaar and the streets got official names. the last fires of bazaar happened in 1943 and 1954, and the related restorations were finished on 28 july 1959.