5: FIRCA CERAMICS

Although a tough call between the Pamukkale Pools and the Firca Ceramics, the Firca Ceramics had to make it to my top five. Through our Gate 1 Tour, we got the chance to go inside the cave (!) studio of Firca Ceramics. We learned about the plate making process, from shaping the clay on a pottery wheel to painting the intricate patterns!

Learning about the process behind Firca Ceramics was super insightful. We got the chance to see one of the master artisans quickly throwing several pieces to create a pitcher. He worked so fast and so precisely, he made it look easy. When one of our tour mates sat down to attempt to finish a much simpler bowl, the clay mound quickly shriveled into a blobby pile. Gone were the clean, thin sides and perfect shapes.

After seeing the artisans shaping and molding the clay, we got the chance to see different craftsmen (and women) painting finely detail patterns on the fired vessels. With delicate, steady hands the artists painted classic and modern designs. Walking through the showroom was the icing on the ceramic cake. The  galleries  were organized into several rooms. One held  beautiful pieces from all around Turkey, which were very reasonably priced. The second room had select pieces created by the Firca craftsmen. They brought their own take on classic designs and used a finer quartz clay. The room below showed the couture pieces, exquisite vessels that were meant for collectors. I especially appreciate the attentive salesmen who led me on a tour through the show rooms and highlighted the stories behind the pieces.