The historic Dinkhane factory in Başiskele, Kocaeli, established in 1832 to strengthen the durability of Ottoman fezzes, now stands in ruins. Originally set up under Sultan Mahmud II to process fezzes produced at Istanbul’s Feshane, Dinkhane’s grinding process involved hot water and soap to toughen woolen fabric. Once processing around 500 fezzes daily, Dinkhane became a key Ottoman industrial center by expanding to handle materials from İzmit’s Broadcloth Factory.
Today, Dinkhane lies abandoned, its equipment broken and its structure overgrown. Researcher Emin Öztürk highlighted its historical importance, noting that the Ottoman state once imported fezzes from Tunisia, France, and Austria before localizing production in the 1830s to meet military demand. Local hopes are high for the site to be restored for tourism.
Cihan Atik
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