The ‘Carpet Study Tour to Western and Central Anatolia’ organized by Stefano Ionescu took place from 5 June to 20 June 2024. The traveling group was quite large and the first two legs (Istanbul and Izmir) were attended by 27 participants from 9 countries: USA, Canada, Italy, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Romania, Tunisia, and Lebanon. Most travelers had already participated in several other tours organized by Stefano Ionescu and knew each other. Therefore the general atmosphere was like traveling with friends.
Wednesday 5 June was arrival date and included a visit to the Istanbul antique rug dealer Muhammet Solak and a Tour Dinner. Muhammet Solak was a member of the ICOC Istanbul exhibition committee.
Stefano Ionescu and Muhammet Solak with a carpet from the shopMuhammet Solak’s Gallery in IstanbulTour Dinner
Thursday 6 June included visits to famous mosques in Istanbul and in the evening a visit to the opening of the ICOC Conference and the Dealer’s Fair. Read more about ‘Opening of ICOC 2024 and Dealer’s Fair‘ in a separate article.
Rustempasa MosqueRustempasa MosqueIvan Soenderholm, the editor of Jozan Magazine and Karen HansenChora Church (Kariye Mosque)Great mosaics at Chora ChurchMuhammet Solak tells about a carpet in his stand ‘Bozdag Halicilik’ at ICOC Dealer’s FairFrancesca Fiorentino and Mario Manerba visited the stand of Amin Motamedi at ICOC Dealer’s FairStefano Ionescu presenting his new book ‘The Transylvanian Heritage – Ottoman Carpets 1450 to 1750 – a new perspective’ to Ben Evans at ICOC Dealer’s FairFazli Solak in his stand at ICOC Dealer’s Fair
Friday 7 June some members of the traveling group took part in the ICOC lectures while others visited the permanent exhibition at the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art (TIEM) and attended Aydin Gallery. In the evening members of the traveling group took part in a reception for the launch of Stefano Ionescu’s newly published book ‘The Transylvanian Heritage’ at Mehmet Cetinkaya’s Gallery. The book was published in Turkey by Arkas Art S.A. of Izmir. Read more about the ‘The permanent exhibition at the Museum for Turkish and Islamic Art‘ and about the reception ‘The Transylvanian Heritage – Ottoman Carpets 1450 to 1750‘ in separate articles.
Stafano Ionescu thanks the TIEM curator Deniz Ozcan and offers her his newly published book ‘The Transylvanian Heritage’.Group photo with Denize Ozcan at the Museum for Turkish and Islamic Art (TIEM)Seljuk wall at TIEMDetail of Ottoman period Ushak large medaillion carpet 16th century (TIEM)Seljuk carpet 13th century Konya (TIEM)Robert Mosby admires the carpets in the exhibition room at TIEMAnatolian Seljuk Period Konya 13th century (TIEM)Group photo in front of a Transylvanian Prayer Rug at Aydin GalleryChinese carpet seen at Aydin GalleryWalter Denny, Bruce Baganz and Stefano Ionescu at the book receptionStefano Ionescu and Mehmet Cetinkaya at the book receptionHolly Mosby and Stefano Ionescu at Stefano Ionescu’s book reception
Saturday 8 June some members of the group attended a cruise on Bosphorus while others attended the ICOC lectures. Those who did not attended the ICOC lectures visited Dolmabahce Art Gallery and the kilim exhibition at Tophane-i Amire. Read more about the ‘Kilim exhibition at Tophane-i Amire‘ and ‘Rugs and Textiles from the Ottoman Palace‘ in separate articles.
16th century Persian prayer rug. Dolmabache Art Gallery19th century Hereke silk prayer rug. Dolmabahce Art GalleryKilim. Tophane-i Amire
Sunday 9 June the group travelled with bus from Istanbul via Bursa to Izmir. In Bursa the group visited the Green Tomb and Mosque and the Great Mosque of Bursa.
Group photo in the Green TombMihrab in the Green Mosque of BursaGreat Mosque of Bursa
Monday 10 June was depart for Ephesus and the famous archeological site and later a visit at carpet manufacurer Osman Can in Camlik. In Izmir the group visited a Hayim Gallery and learned about Jewish carpet merchants in Izmir.
The Library in EphesusDying yearn at Osman Can carpet manufacturer in Camlik villageVisit at Motif Hali in Izmir where Hayim Akyuz (left) told about Jewish carpet merchants in Izmir.
Tuesday 11 June included a visit in Manisa and the Muradye Mosque designed by Sinan and later in the afternoon a visit to Arkas Art Bornova which hosts approximately 80 rugs from the Arkas Carpet Collection. The visit here was one of the ‘carpet’ highlights of the tour. Read more about the ‘Arkas Carpet Collection in Bornova‘ in a separate article.
The historical Mattheys Mansion in Bornova where Arkas Art Bornova is locatedThe Director for Arkas Art Centre Mujde Unustasi welcomed the study groupThe ‘Ushak room’ at Arkas Art BornovaThe ”room for Transylvanian rugs’ at Arkas Art BornovaA Star Ushak mounted on the ceiling at Arkas Art BornovaGroup photo with Mujde Unustasi at Arkas Art Bornova
Wednesday 12 June the group took a flight to Ankara and later visited the Ankara Vakif Museum. Read more about ‘Anatolian rugs at Ankara Vakif Museum‘ in a separate article.
Ankara Vakif MuseumDr. Suzan Bayraktaroglu (right) tells the group about the carpets at Ankara Vakif MuseumGroup photo at Ankara Vakif Museum19th century East Anatolian rug seen at Ankara Vakif MuseumExhibition room at Ankara Vakif Museum18th century Bergama rug at Ankara Vakif Museum
Thursday 13 June included visits at the famous Anatolian Civilization Museum and the Citadel Hill.
Stefano Ionescu and Dr. Levent Boz from the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums in front of the Anatolian Civilization MuseumOrthostats of Herald’s Wall. Limestone Gaziantep 900-700 B.C.Bull-Shaped Ritual Pottery 16th century B.C.The Castle of Citadel HillGroup photo at the top of the castle of Ankara Citadel HillThe Seljuks respected the culture of the defeted Romans but teased them by turning recycled stones with inscriptions upside downThe dinner at Kinacizade Konagi Restaurant took place in a historical building at the Citadel HillFirst floor at the historical buildingGroup photo from the dinner at the charming historical Kinacizade Konagi Restaurant
Friday 14 June the group departed with private bus for Aksaray and visited the Aksaray Museum which has a few outstanding rugs. Later in the afternoon the group visited Selime and a local rug dealer Mustafa Cevik.
The four Anatolian carpets at Aksaray MuseumHolly and Robert Mosby in front of Anatolian carpets at Aksaray Museum.Carpet detail. Aksaray Museum.Presentation of carpets at Mustafa Cevik’s Gallery. Here a Selendi rug.Nigde rug presented at Mustafa Cevik’s Gallery.Group photo at the roof of Mustafa Cevik’s Gallery
Saturday 15 June the group departed for Goreme, Urgup and Avanos. On this tour the group admired the Cappadocian landscape, visited a local ceramic museum and visited Uchisar Castle.
Late 19th century Ottoman ceramics at Cappadocia Underground Ceramic MuseumThe Cappadocian landscapeThe Cappadocian landscapeUchisar CastleUchicar CastleView from Uchisar Castle
Sunday 16 June the group departed for Ihlara Valley, Selime and Sultanhani. Sultanhani is known for the best preserved 13th century caravanserai on the Silk Road. In the evening the group visited a special exhibition ‘Silk Road Carpet and Kilim Exhibition 2024’ and met the mayor of Sultanhani Fahri Solak. Read more about the ‘Silk Road Carpet and Kilim Exhibition 2024‘ in a separate article.
Ihlara ValleyThe group walked circa 5 km on the paths along the river in Ihlara ValleyThe landscape along Ihlara ValleyGroup members climbed to the entrance of the ‘Cathedral’ in SelimeInside the ‘Cathedral’ of SelimeWallpaintings in the ‘Cathedral’ of SelimeThe Mayor of Sultahani Fahri Solak welcomed the travel groupAn impressive kilm marked the entrance to the exhibition ‘Silk Road Carpet and Kilim Exhibition 2024’ at Sultanhani Caravanserai.The exhibition at Sultanhani CaravanseraiDinner with the Mayor of Sultanhani and members of the travel group at Sultanhani CaravanseraiWhirling Dervish Ceremony during the dinner at Sultanhani CaravanseraiMuhammet Solak, Stefano Ionescu, Ivan Soenderholm and Fahri Solak at the Sultanhani exhibition
Monday 17 June the study group had a chance to see different phases of carpet making: wool carding, spinning, knotting on a loom. Today Sultanhani is the ‘capital of carpet restoration’ and the group visited Solak restoration centre. In the afternoon departed to Obruk and further to Konya and visited the Karatay Mosque, a museum with Seljuk ceramics and the Alaeddin Mosque in Konya.
Handspinning of yarnCarpet knotting on a large loomRestoration of a large carpet from Dolmabahce Place at Fahri Solak’s restoration centreKaratay MadressaTiles seen at the madressaAleadin Mosque in Konya
Tuesday 18 June the group visited the Mevlana Museum and the Haga Elini Church in Sille. And the group visited Beysehir and the famous Esrefoglu Mosque. In the afternoon the group visited a few Konya rug dealers and among them Galeri Selcuk, Namasterug and Ipek Yolu Silk Road Rugs. Ipek Yolu’s rug storage is in a building next to Mehmet and Muammer Ucar’s hotel Dervis Otel. The Ucar brothers are well-knowned profiles in the rugworld and have many friends around the globe.
Mevlana MuseumGroup photo in front of the mihrab at Esrefoglu MosqueThe guide Tikiz Hüseiyn in the Haga Elini Church in SilleGaleri Selcuk in KonyaPresentation of rugs at Galeri SelcukThe group visited NamasterugNew kilims seen at NamasterugMuammer Ucar, Ipek Yolu Silk Road Rugs, selecting old rugs to show the rug study groupDetail of Kuba kilim, Ipek YoluKazak seen at Ipek YoluKonya Yatak, Ipek YoluMuammer Ucar, Ipek Yolu, with a Shirvan carpetKurdish rug seen at Ipek YoluMuammer Ucar, Ipek Yolu Silk Road Rugs in front of Dervis OtelArmenian rug, Ipek Yolu
Wednesday 19 June the rug study group visited Konya Ethnography Museum with Seljuk and Ottoman rugs. Read more about ‘Historical carpets at Konya Ethnography Museum‘ in a separate article. The group also visited the Artisan Centre in Konya. In the evening the study group held their Farewell Dinner at Sifa Restaurant.
Exhibition room Konya Ethnography MuseumExhibition room at Konya Ethnography MuseumStefano Iunescu and Francesca Fiorentino discussing the early Medallion Lattice carpet of Esrefoglu Mosque at Konya Ethnography MuseumFelt making process explained at the Artisan Centre in KonyaAsim Kaplan, the memory of carpet dealers in Konya, with the guide Tikiz Hüseiyn, Stefano Ionescu, Ali Bey and Ned TurnerFarewell dinner at Şifa Restaurant, one of the best places to eat in Konya
Thursday 20 June was departure day and most of the members of the study group left for home after 15 days with great experiences and good company. Old friends were reunited and new friendships made.
