USAK

AREA: 5.341 km²
POPULATION: 290.283(1990)
TRAFFIC CODE: 64

DISTRICTS: Uşak (center), Banaz, Eşme, Karahallı, Sivaslı, Ulubey.

Usak is a city in the inner Aegean region of Turkey located at about 900 meters above sea level. The history of Usak goes back to around 5000 BC and has been occupied by the Lydians, Persians, Romans and later Ottomans.

Usak rugs, woven in the 16th and 17 centuries, represent the second golden age of Turkish rugs and were exported extensively to the European countries, decorating palaces, churches, cathedrals and houses of the rich. We see Usak carpets features in paintings of famous artists such as Holbein and Lotto and some of the Usak patterns are named after these painters. Usak is still a lively center of carpet weaving with high quality cotton cloth, bed sheets, carpets and kilims.

Visitors to Usak will want to visit the Usak Archaeology museum to see the famous treasure of Croesus (Karun) that were stolen during the 1960’s and returned over 30 years later by the Metropolitan Museum, . King Croesus was the king of Lydia around 560 BC until he was defeated by the Persians. Renown for his wealth his name lives on today. Some items from Lydian Hoard were spirited away again in 2006. The Usak Museum features sculptures belonging to the early Bronze Age, the beak - mouthed ewers and stone - made axes, earthenware pots and items made of glass from the Hellenistic and Roman Periods, the Lydian treasures and also silver works collected from the Ikiztepe tumulus in 1966 and Toptepe tumulus in 1965, also items from the Basmacı tumulus are exhibited.
While in Usak you may also want to visit the Ataturk and Ethnography Museum which is located in Hisarkapi Uluyolu Bozkurt district of Usak. The building was constructed around 1890 and belonged to the Kaftancizadeler family. It was used as a military headquarters during the War of Independence. This was where Ataturk met and disarmed the the Greek army commander Trikopis. There are also thermal spa centers in the region of Usak, which makes it an attractive area to visit.
The old houses of Usak are also of interest and we can see the similarity to Aegean and west Anatolian Turkish houses. Generally Usak houses have two floors. The first floor is used for social and daily life and usually has an exterior long room or hall and an interior hall with an area for storing of food in the winter. The upper floor is the living area. Houses of Usak are usually rectangular in shape with a small courtyard or garden and sometimes have arched windows that are situated close to the exterior of the thick walls. The entrance of the house faces directly onto the street with stone stairs. “Cikmalar” a kind of projection on the wall face of a building have different shapes and the eaves are generally simple and sometimes decorated with hand painting. Usak Houses are commonly made of stone, mud-brick, wood and tile. In addition, lime, muddy plaster containing straw, gypsum plaster, iron and iron plate are also employed. From the foundation base to the wall base, exterior walls are covered with rubble stones, which consist of broken stone pieces and muddy plaster containing straw. Wood is used mostly for interiors. The houses were decorated under the last wave of Ottoman decorative art, in the styles of Baroque, Empire and Eclectic. Teyzinat (illuminated art) was also used, especially for ceilings, stoves and the place for putting flowers in main rooms. Teyzinat generally features geometrical and plant motifs, as in other fields of Ottoman Art.

Other sights of interest include: Cevrekoy-Akse and Evrendede forest recreation areas, Blaundos and Sebaste ancient ruins. St Mauas, Ballikaya and Delikkaya Churches, the Usak Ulu Mosque, Burmali Mosque and Cakaloz Mosque. Also fountains such as Ali Aga, Cimcim and Cankis and old bridges such as Cilandras, Beylerhan and Halipazara.
 

SITES OF INTEREST: Chief Commander Historical National Park, Çevreköy-Akse and Evrendede forest recreation areas, Blaundos and Sebaste city ruins from antiquity, St. Mauas, Ballıkaya and Delikkaya churches, Uşak Grand Mosque, Burmalı Mosque and Çakaloz Mosque, Ali Ağa, Çimcim and Cankış fountains, Cılandras, Beylerhan, Halıpazarı bridges and Çanlıkköprü bridge, Şeyh Hacı Kemal Mausoleum, Uşak Archeology Museum, Uşak Atatürk and Ethnography Museum.

Camps

Banaz-Hamam Boğazı
Uşak
Tel: (276) 365 51 75 - 365 51 79

Provincial Cultural Directorate

Tel: (276) 223 71 00
Fax: (276) 223 59 01

Museum

Archeology Museum
Address: Kurtuluş Mah. Doğan Sok. No: 1 - Uşak
Tel: (276) 227 39 30

Ethnography Museum
Bozkurt Mah. Hisarkapı Sok. No: 77 - Uşak
Tel: (276) 227 39 81

 Historical Sites and Ruins

Uşak Archeology Museum 
Akmoneon - Banaz - Ahat
Sebaste - Sivaslı - Selçikler
Blaumdus - Ulubey - Sülümenli
Mesotimalos - Eşme - Düzköy
Güre Tumuluses - Güre

Registered Immobile Cultural and Natural Heritages in Uşak

Sites
Archaeological Sites: 49
Urban Sites: -
Natural Sites: 1
Historical Sites: 5
Other Sites
Historical and Urban Sites: 1
Archaeological and Natural Sites: 2
Total: 58
Cultural (at Single Construction Scale) and Natural Heritages: 186
TOTAL: 244

Significant Days

Local Days of Celebration:

Anniversary of Atatürk's Arrival at Uşak
2 September

Freedom from Occupation Days:

Freedom Day - Banaz
Banaz District
31 August

Freedom Day - Sivaslı
Sivaslı District
31 August

Freedom Day - Uşak
Uşak
1 September

Freedom Day - Ulubey
Ulubey District
2 September

Freedom Day - Karhalli
Karhalli District
2 September

Freedom Day - Eşme
Eşme District
3 September

Significant Weeks:

Uşak Victory and Freedom Week
Uşak
26 August-2 September

Festivals:

Strawberry Festival
Sivaslı
21-28 May