Istanbul master restorer revives royal carpets at historic bazaar

Master carpet restorer Ahmet Bayrakdar has spent nearly four decades resurrecting centuries-old textiles at his workshop in Istanbul's historic Carpet Dealers' Bazaar, repairing royal heirlooms and sacred artifacts using techniques passed down through generations of Ottoman craftsmen.

From apprentice to master

Bayrakdar began his apprenticeship in 1987 after arriving in Istanbul from Aksaray for what was meant to be a brief visit, later taking over the workshop where he trained and specializing in antique silk restoration. Working from the Fatih district bazaar, he now receives orders from across Türkiye and abroad.

Over the decades, commissions have arrived from royal families and private collectors across the globe — including a 10-square-meter Ottoman silk carpet delivered to the palace of Malaysia's former King Muhammad V. "It was around 10 square meters and one of the most extraordinary antique silk carpets I have ever seen," Bayrakdar said. "It is a piece I will never forget."

Imperial heirlooms and sacred threads

Among the pieces currently awaiting completion is an 18th-century Ottoman carpet woven at Istanbul's Feshane workshop for the imperial palace, a three-year endeavor now entering its final two months. "The most remarkable feature of this carpet is that our ancestors combined silk with metal threads," Bayrakdar said, noting that fine copper strands were blended into the weave. "The borders also contain poems and praises dedicated to the Ottoman dynasty," he added.

Another restoration carries particular spiritual weight — a carpet that once lay in the Rawdah al-Sharifah at the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, the space between Prophet Muhammad's tomb and the pulpit. "We expected a carpet from a palace or a royal family because we often receive such projects," Bayrakdar said.

"When we learned it was a carpet from the Rawdah, where millions of Muslims have prayed during Hajj and Umrah, we were deeply moved. Restoring it in our workshop in Türkiye gives it an even greater spiritual meaning for us," he added.

The surgeon's art

Not every antique piece can withstand restoration, particularly those exceeding 200 years. "Restoring a carpet that old is as risky as performing heart surgery on a 100-year-old person," Bayrakdar said. "You insert the needle, but the carpet no longer accepts it because the fibers have deteriorated with age. Sometimes the material simply falls apart."

Most carpets currently in his workshop date between 100 and 150 years old. Restoration timelines vary dramatically — a 150-year-old Iranian Melayer carpet required roughly two weeks, while the Ottoman palace piece has demanded years of painstaking labor. "In antique carpet restoration, the carpet itself determines the timeline, not us," he said.

One project stands out for its physical toll: a piece Bayrakdar described as the world's finest carpet, containing 1,650 knots per square centimeter compared to the standard four. The intricate work required magnification so intense that it caused a blood vessel in his left eye to burst. "That is the memory that carpet left with me," he said.