BULDAN
Home Of The Weavers
by Slowtravelguide
Although not widely known, Buldan in Denizli province, not so far from Pamukkale, is a town with a lovely old authentic centre. The old town and Buldan have been famous for their handwoven fabrics since before Ottoman times.
Buldan takes you off the beaten track. Not well-known, but very attractive and welcoming.
Of course, Buldan is not a real competitor for Birgi or Kaş, but the many old-town little streets will undoubtedly charm you. It only needs some looking past the more boring industrial, 20th Century part of the town. You will appreciate the many architectural gems that you will see when strolling through Buldan.
Small And Steep Streets
A Traditional Buldan House
Colorfull Textiles Of Buldan
Countless Dresses And Fabrics
The Streets Of Buldan
Arriving at Buldan at first gives you maybe the wrong impression of the town. You will encounter some unappealing streets with a lot of concrete buildings. Coming closer to the old centre the atmosphere changes and things become more promising. When, at the commercial heart of town, with its shops selling the local fabric products, you more and more get the real feel of the old Buldan.
Buldan is the town of fabric; gowns, dresses, shirts in all colours and sizes, and you will love it.
The Locals Don’t Seem To Have Any Problem With Climbing The Narrow Streets
Yellow Makes You Happy, No?
The walk to the old centre can be challenging because some steep streets and climbing are involved. Some of the roads have railings on the walls and houses so that you can hold onto them. Try to avoid the summer heat when you are visiting Buldan.
The old town is a lively centre, and the people are welcoming and, as usual in Turkey, very friendly. Several times we were greeted by locals to their town and they pointed us in the right direction for the Ottoman houses.
The Blue Color On Doors Is Supposed To Keep The Scorpions Out
Turkish Hospitality
The hospitality of the locals was, as said before, very warm. We were welcomed by the Turkish ‘Hoşgeldiniz’ and the sound of many looms at work, the sound of the heartbeat of Buldan. The noise was coming from the many workshops, hidden, at first view, ordinary houses.
You Can Only Love This Maze Of Little Streets
A Nice Street To Do Your Shopping
Beautifully Aged Door, Tucked Away Under A Tree
The Weaving Tradition Of Buldan
The first looms in use in Buldan date from 800 BC, and the weaving tradition was passed from one generation to another. The Romans boosted the textile production in Buldan, and it became famous for its delicate fabrics, especially the peştemals. The cotton which most materials were made from the cotton fields around Buldan for production. Sometimes also silk was used for the production.
Witnesses Of A Rich History
Some people still make a living out of weaving in this day and age, but it is primarily automated; only a few are still hand weaving.
More and more people believe the tradition of hand weaving needs to be protected.
Several shops in Buldan carefully choose their collection of fabrics and other products, ensuring that the items they sell are handmade. So when you decide to buy in one of those shops, you will support the preservation of this culture and way of life.
Painting With Light On This Traditional House
Practical Information
Buldan is a working and sometimes busy little city. However walking through the old centre is a relaxing experience.
Buldan is small enough to explore on foot. This way you won’t miss out on some local activities and shops.
Some of the little streets can be very steep.
Supporting The Handmade Tradition
Seeing the difference between handwoven and industrial fabrics is for the more experienced eye, supporting the small family run weavers’ trade will get you a product that is made full of tradition.
Be aware that a handwoven peştemal or cloth is more hardwearing than a factory-produced one.
Enjoying The Afternoon At A Local Tea House
Blue And Yellow Are Almost Complementary Colors
Places We Recommend
Bergama
This town is an independent world, and the colourful houses reflect its emotional story. (Coming Soon)
Cunda
A quaint island off the coast of Ayvalık, and a popular weekend destination for many Istanbul residents. (Coming soon)
Birgi
If you like the off the beaten track in Turkey, the Ottoman houses, lovely surroundings and wonderful weekend holidays, then add Birgi to your list. (Coming soon)
© 2016-2022 All rights reserved by slowtravelguide.net.
The content of this website is copyright protected and the property of slowtravelguide.net.No part of this website may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the copyright owner.
Copyright ©2016-2022 Tüm hakları saklıdır. Bu (slowtravelguide.net.) web sitesinin içeriği koruma altındadır ve slowtravelguide.net.Buradaki hiçbir içerik (yazı,fotoğraf,video vb.) izinsiz olarak kopyalanamaz, alıntı yapılamaz,başka yerde yayınlanamaz.