In November 2024, the Association of Rug Care Specialists organized a unique two-week trip to the country of Turkey to learn all about rug weaving, cleaning, history and more.
Alan and Audrey joined a group of 16 others with Robert Mann and Ahmet Opcin personally guiding and sharing their lifetime of rug experiences with us.
Istanbul
Our trip began in the metropolitan city of Istanbul. We were surprised to learn that Istanbul is one of the most visited cities in the world and has a massive population of around 16 million people! Part of Istanbul is in Europe and the other part is in Asia, making it a very unique melting pot. This was the perfect city to begin to immerse ourselves in Turkish culture, food and history (once our jet lag finally subsided).
We spent time on the Europe and the Asia side, taking in the sights, walking many miles a day, and eating everything along the way. The Topkapi Palace is a beautiful display of architecture and history and boasts a breathtaking view of the Bosphorus. We visited the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art and saw some of the oldest cohesive rugs on display in the world from the 13th century. There are multiple mosques to visit throughout the city, as well as several superb archaeological museums. The Grand Bazar is not to be missed, with its dizzying layout of shops upon shops full of anything you could possibly imagine. Istanbul is home of many world-class restaurants as well and we took advantage of this every evening!
Izmir
We took a quick flight from Istanbul and landed in sunny Izmir! This was one of our favorite cities we visited. Its position on the Aegean Sea provides a comfortable climate, plus beautiful views and sunsets. Izmir reminded us of southern California.
We visited the Antique Textile Conservation facility. They work for private collectors and museums all over the world. The artisans here can perfectly repair or reweave anything – we mean anything! From repairing your grandma’s oriental rug to reweaving museum quality textiles or Navajo chief’s blankets and everything in between, this is the world’s most experienced conservation facility.
We toured the Arkas Sanat Urla museum, which exhibits works by artists from Turkey and abroad, such as paintings, sculptures, carpets, armor, and glass objects, etc.
We also toured the Arkas Sanat Bornova museum, which houses Anatolian Carpets produced in Western and Central Anatolia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Wow! This place was incredible!
From Izmir, we took a day trip to the Ephesus ruins. We consider this a must-see for anyone traveling to the area. Our guide explained the history behind the city and the people who lived there, the excavations that have taken place over the last 100 years, and various events that took place such as those recorded in the Bible at Acts chapter 19 and more. We learned a lot!
Usak
The road to Usak and the city itself was rich with a textile heritage. People (mostly women) have been weaving rugs in small villages for thousands of years. We got to sit down at a loom and tie a few knots around the warps of a new rug that was being weaved. The ladies’ skills and workmanship was amazing to see firsthand.
We also toured a wool dyeing facility as well as a wool processing facility. When you pick up a skein of wool at the store, you don’t always consider how it got there. Seeing the process from the sheep to the loom was impressive.
Lastly, we toured a rug patchwork facility. Here, they take damaged rugs or unsaleable rugs because of the colors and bleach them or over dye them, cut them into pieces, then sew pieces of different rugs together to make one big rug with an eclectic style. No two rugs are the same, which makes their product very unique.
Konya
We found Konya to be the most conservative of all cities we visited. It wasn’t exactly a village, but it also wasn’t a metropolitan city – it was somewhere in between. It was just the right size and a little slower speed, after spending time in the bustling cities of Istanbul and Izmir. The city has a nice spice bazar and many unique shops and beautiful mosques.
We visited a very large rug gallery that had five floors FULL of beautiful rugs. We also toured the gallery’s rug washing and repair facility.
Antalya
Antalya was the perfect place to end our wonderful trip! Situated on the Mediterranean Sea, this city is recognized as the “capital of tourism” for Turkey. It has a gorgeous long coastline, it is flanked by the Taurus Mountains, and it has all of the Mediterranean city vibes, complete with cobblestone streets and old, architecturally-pleasing buildings. We loved it!
We visited another rug cleaning facility situated near the mountains. They clean rugs with an amazing view! They had their own sheep to provide them with wool for rug weaving. After that, we enjoyed walking the city and enjoying a day lounging at the beach, soaking up the sun on our last day abroad.
The food in Turkey was terrific. We love Fort Wayne’s Turkish Restaurant Deema. After visiting Turkey, we are impressed at how authentic the food at Deema is. The owner, Yasser, works hard to provide delectable meals and a fantastic experience. We brought a small rug back from Turkey and have it on display at Deema. See the rug and have a delicious meal at 6410 W. Jefferson Blvd in Covington Plaza.
Visiting Turkey and meeting the wonderful people there gave us a greater appreciation for the history of rugs and textiles. Seeing the process of rug making from beginning to end, impressed on us just how much work goes into creating true handmade rugs – they are works of art!
We are so thankful to the Association of Rug Care Specialists for planning and executing such an awesome trip!
Thank you for sharing your pictures from your trip to Turkey. The pictures are awesome and glad you had a good time.