Buldan
Encyclopedia
Buldan is a town and a district of Denizli Province
in the inner Aegean Region
of Turkey
. Buldan district area neighbors to the east and the south three other districts of the same province, namely Güney
, Akköy
and Sarayköy
, and to the west by the areas of three districts of Aydın Province
, Buharkent
, Kuyucak
and Karacasu
, and to the northwest by Sarıgöl
district of Manisa Province
.
The town of Buldan is located at a distance of 46 km (29 mi) from the province seat of Denizli
and lies at an altitude of 690 meters. The population of Buldan is 15,086 (as of 2010). It extends along a pretty hilltop area, with hillsides covered with pomegranate
s, fig
s, vine
s and blackberries
. There are lovely views from the high meadows. Kestane Deresi (Chestnut Stream) is a favourite popular excursion spot situated in the upper parts of the main town.
Buldan's depending township of Yenicekent
is also the site of ancient Tripolis of Phrygia
.
, a tradition it actively pursues to this day, still largely based on independent craftspersons.
Sanjak
(subprovince) of Denizli was the most vibrant center cloth production center in western Anatolia during the later 19th century and the fame of the region rested at the time on the output of two of depending large villages, Buldan and Kadıköy, as well as the neighboring town of Babadağ.
Buldan was famed for a thin handwoven cheesecloth-type fabric, with laced edges and used chiefly for bed covers and table cloths, called as "Buldan bezi" (Buldan clothes) under the name of locality. Already back in the 19th century, the townspeople wove 40,000 pieces of all-cotton colored striped cloth used called alaca used for attires and a similar number of cotton and mattress clothes. Buldan weavers also produced over one-half million handkerchiefs and a large number of cotton curtains. Another textile from Buldan that deserves mention is a vivid violet silk (peştemal) woven as a rectangular panel to be wrapped around the body. Yet another is kaplama, colorful head coverings typical of Turkey's Aegean Region and worn by men and women alike with different colors associated with each gender and various regions. Thanks to sizable production effort, the number of looms in Buldan had risen to 1,500 by the end of the 19th century.
The town's expertise reaches further back in time and a sign at the town entry greets visitors with the pride expressed for having woven the kaftan
of Beyazid I the Thunderbolt for his marriage with Hafsa Hatun, daughter of Aydinid İsa Bey, in 1390. Tripolis (Phrygia)
itself, a first century AD Roman
foundation, may have had the weaving industry as its reason for coming into existence.
17th century Ottoman
documents also mention Buldan's importance as a textile production center, informing that until circa 1650s, the cotton cloth woven in Buldan, Denizli
and Manisa
was taken to Tire for dyeing, after which time that part of the operation also started to be handled locally.
Denizli Province
Denizli Province is a province of Turkey in Western Anatolia, on high ground above the Aegean coast. Neighbouring provinces are Uşak to the north, Burdur, Isparta, Afyon to the east, Aydın, Manisa to the west and Muğla to the south. It is located between the coordinates 28° 30’ and 29° 30’ E and...
in the inner Aegean Region
Aegean Region
Aegean Region , is one of the 7 census-defined regions of Turkey, and in Western Asia.It is located in the west part of the country: bounded by Aegean Sea on the west; Marmara Region on the north;...
of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Buldan district area neighbors to the east and the south three other districts of the same province, namely Güney
Güney
Güney is a town and district of Denizli Province in the inner Aegean region of Turkey. Güney district area neighbors those of four other districts of the same province from east to west, clockwise Buldan, Akköy, Denizli central district and Çal and ranges Eşme district of Uşak Province in the...
, Akköy
Akköy
Akköy is a town and a district of Denizli Province in the inner Aegean region of Turkey. A large part of the borders of Akköy district are surrounded by the area of the province seat Denizli's central district, to the south and to the east, and Akköy itself was a township depending Denizli...
and Sarayköy
Sarayköy
Sarayköy is a town and district of Denizli Province in Turkey, 20 km west of the city of Denizli, on a plain between mountains and watered by Büyük Menderes River...
, and to the west by the areas of three districts of Aydın Province
Aydin Province
Aydın Province is a province of southwestern Turkey, located in the Aegean Region. The provincial capital is the city of Aydın which has a population of approx. 150,000 . Other towns in the province include the summer seaside resorts of Didim and Kuşadası.-History:Aydın was founded by the ancient...
, Buharkent
Buharkent
Buharkent is a town and a district of Aydın Province in the Aegean region of Turkey, 86 km east of the city of Aydın, on the road and the railway line to Denizli....
, Kuyucak
Kuyucak
Kuyucak is a town and a district of Aydın Province in the Aegean region of Turkey, from the city of Aydın on the E24 highway that connects İzmir and Denizli, east of İzmir. Kuyucak is near the larger town of Nazilli.-Geography:...
and Karacasu
Karacasu
Karacasu is a town and a district of Aydın Province in the Aegean region of Turkey, from the city of Aydın.Formerly known as "Yenişehir", Karacasu is reached by turning off the Aydın - Denizli road south-east at Kuyucak and following the Dandalaz River upstream into the hills...
, and to the northwest by Sarıgöl
Sarigöl
Sarıgöl is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 35,621 of which 12,043 live in the town of Sarıgöl...
district of Manisa Province
Manisa Province
Manisa Province is a province in western Turkey. Its neighboring provinces are İzmir to the west, Aydın to the south, Denizli to the south east, Uşak to the east, Kütahya to the north east, and Balıkesir to the north...
.
The town of Buldan is located at a distance of 46 km (29 mi) from the province seat of Denizli
Denizli
Denizli is a growing industrial city in the Southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about a hundred meters. Denizli is located in southwestern Turkey, in the country's Aegean Region.The city...
and lies at an altitude of 690 meters. The population of Buldan is 15,086 (as of 2010). It extends along a pretty hilltop area, with hillsides covered with pomegranate
Pomegranate
The pomegranate , Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall.Native to the area of modern day Iran, the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian areas such as the Caucasus as...
s, fig
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
s, vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
s and blackberries
Blackberry
The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by any of several species in the Rubus genus of the Rosaceae family. The fruit is not a true berry; botanically it is termed an aggregate fruit, composed of small drupelets. The plants typically have biennial canes and perennial roots. Blackberries and...
. There are lovely views from the high meadows. Kestane Deresi (Chestnut Stream) is a favourite popular excursion spot situated in the upper parts of the main town.
Buldan's depending township of Yenicekent
Yenicekent
Yenicekent is a depending township in Buldan district, Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey. The region is notable for its high plains covered with dense and beautiful forests. Yenicekent is also the site of ancient Tripolis of Phrygia.-History:...
is also the site of ancient Tripolis of Phrygia
Tripolis (Phrygia)
Tripolis – also Neapolis, Apollonia, and Antoninopolis – was an ancient city of Phrygia Tripolis – also Neapolis, Apollonia, and Antoninopolis – was an ancient city of Phrygia Tripolis – also Neapolis, Apollonia, and Antoninopolis – was an ancient city of...
.
Buldan cloth production
Historically, the town has been a very important center of Turkey's textile industryTextile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the production of yarn, and cloth and the subsequent design or manufacture of clothing and their distribution. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry....
, a tradition it actively pursues to this day, still largely based on independent craftspersons.
Sanjak
Sanjak
Sanjaks were administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire. Sanjak, and the variant spellings sandjak, sanjaq, and sinjaq, are English transliterations of the Turkish word sancak, meaning district, banner, or flag...
(subprovince) of Denizli was the most vibrant center cloth production center in western Anatolia during the later 19th century and the fame of the region rested at the time on the output of two of depending large villages, Buldan and Kadıköy, as well as the neighboring town of Babadağ.
Buldan was famed for a thin handwoven cheesecloth-type fabric, with laced edges and used chiefly for bed covers and table cloths, called as "Buldan bezi" (Buldan clothes) under the name of locality. Already back in the 19th century, the townspeople wove 40,000 pieces of all-cotton colored striped cloth used called alaca used for attires and a similar number of cotton and mattress clothes. Buldan weavers also produced over one-half million handkerchiefs and a large number of cotton curtains. Another textile from Buldan that deserves mention is a vivid violet silk (peştemal) woven as a rectangular panel to be wrapped around the body. Yet another is kaplama, colorful head coverings typical of Turkey's Aegean Region and worn by men and women alike with different colors associated with each gender and various regions. Thanks to sizable production effort, the number of looms in Buldan had risen to 1,500 by the end of the 19th century.
The town's expertise reaches further back in time and a sign at the town entry greets visitors with the pride expressed for having woven the kaftan
Kaftan
A kaftan is a man's coat usually reaching to the ankles with long sleeves, and which buttons down the front. It can be made of wool, cashmere, silk, or cotton. It is often worn with a sash....
of Beyazid I the Thunderbolt for his marriage with Hafsa Hatun, daughter of Aydinid İsa Bey, in 1390. Tripolis (Phrygia)
Tripolis (Phrygia)
Tripolis – also Neapolis, Apollonia, and Antoninopolis – was an ancient city of Phrygia Tripolis – also Neapolis, Apollonia, and Antoninopolis – was an ancient city of Phrygia Tripolis – also Neapolis, Apollonia, and Antoninopolis – was an ancient city of...
itself, a first century AD Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
foundation, may have had the weaving industry as its reason for coming into existence.
17th century Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
documents also mention Buldan's importance as a textile production center, informing that until circa 1650s, the cotton cloth woven in Buldan, Denizli
Denizli
Denizli is a growing industrial city in the Southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about a hundred meters. Denizli is located in southwestern Turkey, in the country's Aegean Region.The city...
and Manisa
Manisa
Manisa is a large city in Turkey's Aegean Region and the administrative seat of Manisa Province.Modern Manisa is a booming center of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan center of İzmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in...
was taken to Tire for dyeing, after which time that part of the operation also started to be handled locally.