Copper craft with a master coppersmith

The coppersmiths' streets near the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and in Kemeraltı in Izmir still have workshops where pots, trays and coffee sets are made by hand. We book a workshop for your group with a master trained in the Gaziantep tradition, known for its fine engraving.

The master demonstrates the stages: annealing the sheet, hammering it into shape over a stake, and engraving patterns with a small chisel and hammer, a technique called kalem işi. Guests then work on a small copper plate, first tracing a pattern, then engraving and punching it under supervision. The noise of a dozen hammers is part of the experience; we provide ear protection.

Smaller groups suit this best, so the master can help everyone. Each guest takes home their plate polished and wrapped, and the group usually ends up talking with the master over tea about how the trade is passed on.