Hereke Carpet and Silk Fabric Weaving Factory

In short

The Hereke Carpet and Silk Fabric Weaving Factory was founded in 1843 at Hereke, on the northern shore of the Gulf of İzmit, and began production in 1845 as the Hereke Fabrika-i Hümâyûnu, weaving upholstery and curtain fabrics for the new Ottoman palaces on Jacquard looms brought from France; carpet weaving units were added under Sultan Abdülhamid II. After working under Sümerbank in the Republican era, it has belonged to the National Palaces (Milli Saraylar) since 1995. Today it continues production as a museum-factory: together with National Palaces researchers it recovers original Hereke fabric patterns and reproduces lost designs so that the palaces can be furnished with fabrics true to the originals. The factory itself is closed to visitors; the wooden kiosk next to it is open as a museum.