Germiyan Street Showcases Living Çini Tradition in Kütahya

KÜTAHYA– June, 2025 — Germiyan Street continues to stand out as one of Kütahya’s most vibrant cultural corridors, hosting a growing number of çini galleries and artist studios that keep the city’s centuries-old ceramic tradition alive through direct public engagement.

Lined with restored historic houses, or konaks, Germiyan Street is home to independent galleries and working ateliers like that of the only current UNESCO Living Human Treasure of Kütahya Mehmet Gürsoy as well as the Sıtkı Olçar Çini Museum, home to the works of the deceased çini master and previous recipient of the UNESCO Living Human Treasure title in 2008. Along this special corridor, visitors can encounter Kütahya’s renowned tile art in an authentic setting.

Throughout June 2025, the street saw ongoing artisan workshops, with master çini artist Tuncay Sakarlıoğlu and fellow craftspeople welcoming visitors and young students into their studios to experience traditional pottery and tile-making firsthand. These open workshops allow participants to observe production techniques, learn about the symbolic motifs of Kütahya çini, and engage directly with master artisans. The galleries and studios also function as exhibition and sales spaces, supporting local artists while strengthening cultural tourism.

By combining production, education, and exhibition in a single historic street, Germiyan Street continues to play a key role in sustaining Kütahya’s living craft heritage and reinforcing the city’s identity as a capital of ceramic and traditional arts.