Kazaz Bazaar: Şanlıurfa's Silk Tale

Have you ever wondered how silk threads transform into an art between the fingers? In Şanlıurfa, amid walls steeped in the scent of history, there exists a magical place just like this: Kazaz Pazarı. This is not merely a marketplace but also the home of a very ancient and valuable craft known as “kazazlık.” Let us explore together the story of this market and the art created with silk threads.

Kazaz Pazarı is also known as Bedesten. This historic covered bazaar was built in 1562 during the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Kanuni Sultan Süleyman, approximately 460 years ago. Imagine, even your great-great-grandfathers had not yet been born at that time! With its sturdy stone walls and magnificent structure, this bazaar stood at the heart of caravanserais and markets.

In the past, this market was a vital commercial center where the most valuable fabrics, jewels, and especially silk products were sold. The threads obtained from silkworms were transformed by skilled artisans into exquisite items. Hence, the market was named Kazaz Pazarı, after the word “kazaz,” meaning a craftsman who works with silk.

So what exactly is the art of kazazlık? Kazazlık is the craft of manually twisting and weaving silk threads. Sometimes, extremely fine silver or gold threads are interwoven with the silk. This is a task requiring immense patience and skill. Artisans shape the threads with their fingers, turning them into what seems like a delicate dance.

What was made using this art? In the past, colorful ribbons worn in women’s hair, ornate tassels attached to prayer beads, decorative sashes that completed traditional garments, and many other accessories emerged from the hands of kazaz masters. Each product is a work of art carrying the artisan’s imagination and labor.

Today, when you visit Kazaz Pazarı, you encounter a slightly different scene. Unfortunately, the number of artisans practicing kazazlık has diminished. However, a few dedicated masters still continue their work to preserve this art. In their shops, you can see these handcrafted treasures that are a delight to the eye.

In the other shops of the bazaar, you will find mostly regional clothing, fabrics, and handicrafts unique to Şanlıurfa. Kazaz Pazarı is located right next to other historic market complexes such as Gümrük Hanı, and its architecture built from cut stone invites you on a journey back in time.