Organized for the third time this year by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality in order to bring Bursa Silk, which adorned the European palaces in the Ottoman period, to the world showcase, the third "International Silk Festival from Cocoon to Fabric" started with the purchase and sale of representative cocoons in Koza Han, which is about 6 centuries old.
Bursa, which was the last stop of the historical silk road in Anatolia and produced silk carpets and fabrics that adorned world palaces, especially Topkapi during the Ottoman period, is on display again with its world-famous silk nearly 2 centuries later. In Bursa, where an average of 15 kilograms of raw silk was produced per day in hundreds of silk weaving looms in the 150th century, factories were closed one by one, especially with the removal of funds on silk with the entry into the Customs Union, and the villagers whose cocoons were left cut down the mulberry trees. While sericulture, one of the most important parts of Turkish culture, takes its place on the dusty shelves of history; The Metropolitan Municipality is returning Bursa Silk, which is the most strategic product of the Ottoman Empire and which Europe did not even collect taxes for years, to its former glory. The Metropolitan Municipality, which opened the Umurbey Silk Production and Design Center in 2015 within the scope of the 'Bursa Silk Comes to Life Again' project, supports the production of cocoons in rural areas and supports production with silk production and carpet weaving workshops, is the third of the International Silk Festival from Cocoon to Fabric, which was organized for promotional purposes. performed.
The cocoon was brought by horses
Within the scope of the festival, Koza Han, which was built by Bayezid II about 6 centuries ago and was the center of silk trade in the Ottoman period, hosted the cocoon auction. The trading animation of the representative traders who entered the historical inn with their horses took the citizens centuries ago. After the announcement of the fresh and dry cocoon prices, the auction started, and the Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality, Alinur Aktaş, also participated in the negotiations. After the event here, the opening ceremony of the festival was held in Orhangazi Park. Workshops on silk products made in tents and stands prepared in the area attracted great interest from the citizens.
city that inspires
Speaking at the ceremony attended by Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Kamil Özer, Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Director Hamit Aygül and many guests, Metropolitan Mayor Alinur Aktaş said that Bursa, which was the capital of the Ottoman Empire and the intersection point of civilizations, inspires those who set out to shape the future of Bursa. He stressed that the city Expressing that each city has unique symbolic values, but the symbols of Bursa are endless, Mayor Aktaş said, “It is not possible to limit the historical existence of Bursa to monumental structures. There are commercial traditions and bazaars that are the reflection of this tradition, artisan and craft culture. For example, what brings us together here today is our silk, which has become the symbol of Bursa after long distances from being an Asian symbol. Bursa silk, which adorned European palaces, especially Topkapı, during the Ottoman period was so valuable that; Europe, which takes tax from Chinese and Iranian silk, has never taxed Bursa silk. We strive to preserve Bursa Silk, one of the most important values of Turkish culture, and to pass it on to future generations.”
the first and only in Turkey
Reminding that as the Metropolitan Municipality, they opened the Umurbey Silk Production and Design Center within BUSMEK in 2015, Mayor Aktaş said, “The first and only domestic cocoon in Turkey, domestic silk is produced only in Bursa. We aim to bring sericulture back to the top in Bursa, from planting mulberry trees to restoring old silk workshops to their bright days. In addition, silk production and carpet weaving workshops are in service in Kınık, Sarnıç and Karaağız neighborhoods of Büyükorhan and Sorgun neighborhoods of Keles. In addition, this year, a hand weaving workshop was established in Derbent District of Iznik and started its activities. With the help of BUSMEK, which is the 'public university' of our Bursa, we are trying to raise awareness by celebrating the cocoon harvest, which is traditionally repeated at the same time every year, with a festival, and by announcing Bursa silk to more people. I wish that our festival, in which our artists from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and TRNC also participate, will be beneficial”.
Ünal Şıpka, President of Bursa Silk Production Association, said that they established the association in 2012 and that they determined the work program to be carried out in the short, medium and long term in order to return silk to its old days. Stating that the Silk Production and Design Center established by the Metropolitan Municipality in Umurbey is one of the most important parts of their long-term plans, Shipka said, "I hope that in our next journey, I hope you will take the arm of the Metropolitan and take a long way together."
After the opening ceremony, President Aktaş and his entourage toured the stands, then visited the exhibition of silk-related products prepared by foreign artists at the Tayyare Cultural Center.
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