Feshane: An Ottoman-era fez weaving factory located on the banks of the Golden Horn in Istanbul

Feshane is an Ottoman-era fez weaving factory located on the banks of the Golden Horn in the Eyüpsultan district of Istanbul. Feshane or formerly Feshane-i Amire was founded by Mahmud in 1833 at Cündi Square in Fatih’s Kadırga district in order to produce uniforms for the Ottoman Army, which was established to replace the Janissaries. In 1839, it was moved to its present location.

Due to the insufficiency of the factory in the following years, in 1839 it was moved to its current location, at Hatice Sultan Palace located in Eyüpsultan’s Defterdar neighborhood, on the banks of the Golden Horn. In 1894, with the expansion of the facility, the Industrial Sibyan School was opened and theoretical and applied weaving classes were given to the students.

FESHANE BECOMES LARGEST FACTORY IN WEAVING INDUSTRY

As a result of the expansion works carried out in 1916, Feshane became the largest factory of the weaving industry. When transferred to Sanayi ve Maadin Bank in 1921, Feshane Mensucat started to be operated under the name of Feshane Mensucat Türk Anonim Şirketi.

SUMERBANK TAKES OVER IN 1937 AND FACTORY CONTINUES PRODUCTION

After the “Hat Revolution” enacted in Turkey in 1925, the use of fez (hat) was banned. The fez weaving machines in the factory were also moved to the Istanbul City Museum after 1940. After Sümerbank took over the management in 1937, the factory continued to produce under the name Feshane Defterdar Mensucat Factory. After the production was stopped in 1989, it was allocated to the Eczacıbaşı Foundation by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality for forty-five years to be used as a contemporary arts center. During this time, the building was used as an exhibition center.

Now the restoration works started by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in 2018 is finished and Feshane is reopened to serve the visitors interested in history and arts, in 2023.