Kütahya Encaustic Tile Museum

This building, which is the imaret part of the Germiyan Bey II Yakub Bey Complex (1387-1429), was restored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and was opened to visitors as the Çini (Tile) Museum on March 5, 1999. Two rooms open to the central space with a domed and fountain, through a domed iwan in three directions. 2nd Yakub Bey has a tiled sarcophagus in the tomb section. The foundation inscription of the complex is located to the left of the entrance door. In the showcases in the museum, there are tile works examples starting from the 14th century until today's.

The central part of the museum with domed and fountain, domed iwan in three directions and two rooms Kütahya and İznik tiles, materials used in tile making, paints, brushes and pattern samples, which have survived from the 14 th century to the present, are exhibited. In addition, the old tiles donated by Rıfat Çini to the museum are in a separate section named after his father Mehmet Çini. The china plates and an old fountain inscription dated 1921 are also exhibited here in the competitions held in Kütahya.

The building is called as Gökşadırvan by the people due to the monolithic marble fountain inside. Two rooms open to the central space with a domed and fountain, through a domed iwan in three directions. The tomb section is cut stone workmanship, and here is the tiled sarcophagus of the 2nd Yakup Bey who bequeathed her land to the Ottoman Empire. A mihrab was added in front of the mausoleum in the beginning of the 20th century during the closure of the Ulu (Grand) Mosque for repairs. The stone foundation inscription of the madrasah, which is located adjacent to the imaret and was destroyed in the 1960s, was included in the niche south of the entrance door. The inscription, consisting of 39 lines, was written in Ottoman Turkish. The places donated by Germiyanoğlu 2nd Yakup Bey, the wages to be paid to the employees here, and how to treat the guests who come to the madrasa are mentioned.

FLOWERS BLOOMING ON FIRE

In the showcases of the museum, there are examples of tiles, which are made up of today from the 14th century and defined as "flowers blooming on fire" by the people of Kütahya. These tiles, which are made with a brush one by one, by pouring hand labor, are works of art. The silver seal of Hafız Mehmet Emin, the master of the craftsmen, was donated to the museum by his grandchildren, and the tile table, which is Hafız Mehmet Emin's own work, is exhibited in the museum. In the room located in the right iwan inside the museum, there are the oldest Kütahya tiles, the materials used in tile making, paint, brushes and patterns. These materials give information to the visitors about how laborious the tiling is.

CONTRACT OF CUPPERS

An example of the Contract of Cuppers, the original of which was signed in Kütahya in 1766 and which was the first collective bargaining agreement in history, is on display in the museum. In the treaty made in the presence of the Governor Ali Pasha, it was stated that other workplaces could not be opened other than 24 workplaces, and the salaries to be paid by the cupmaker master, journeyman and apprentices were written one by one. It is stated that those who do not comply with this treaty will be punished with the penalty of hard labor.