In one of the most diverse villages of not only Izmir, but all of Turkey; We are in Bademler. We got to know the Bademler village of Urla as it actually hosts Turkey’s first and only village theater, and we loved it even more as we learned about its other features.. In Bademler, one of the most enlightened and contemporary settlements of our country, there are a 20-year-old toy museum, a public library that has been in service for 80 years, a producer’s market that encourages local production, and many associations that support social life, as well as a village theater with a long history.. Almonds is our bright face with its white houses and all this cultural heritage it has.
Bademler, one of the villages founded by the Yörüks, who made their living by woodcutting, takes its name from the almond trees around the village.. There is no cemevi or mosque in Bademler, an Alevi – Tahtacı – Turkmen village; Majority of the inhabitants are from the Alevi faith.. One of the most important features of the village is that the secular management style is implemented in social life and that no concessions are made from the cultural path under any circumstances.
Bademler; Selected as Turkey’s Cleanest Village by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. Anyway, the cleanliness of the village first shows itself in their white houses.. The streets that are washed every day are beautiful, the people living in the village even separate their garbage! It’s like we’re talking about a village in Europe, right? But it is not; We are indeed in Izmir! Before we start to explain Bademler in detail, let’s give one more piece of information; The film Susuz Yaz, written by Necati Cumalı and adapted by Metin Erksan, which won the Golden Bear at the 1963 Berlin Film Festival, was also shot here.
Bademler Village, İzmir
WHERE IS BADEMLER VILLAGE
Bademler village is located in Urla district of İzmir. Bademler, one of the villages of Urla, is one of the most special settlements in Turkey.
BADEMLER VILLAGE THEATER
Bademler, Turkey A pioneering place that hosts the first and only village theater of. The love of theater in our Aydın village goes back a long time.. So much so that while İzmir did not have a theater, Bademler had a theater stage.. The beginning of the theater culture in the village was when the teacher Mustafa Anarat was appointed here in 1925.. Teacher Mustafa first makes the villagers play games, then organizes various shows in which the villagers take part.. Come and go, the villagers get used to the theater culture without realizing it and love it very much.. When the people of the village started to prepare for a game, a stage was set up in the village square in the 30s, and games began to be played here until 1969.. In 1969, the people of Bademler completed and put into service the theater building you see in the photograph, entirely by their own means.. Everyone who works on stage or behind the scenes is a native of Bademler.. One of the two plays played is exhibited every year on March 27, World Theater Day.. Bademler Village Theater program includes not only the plays performed by the villagers, but also guest plays from İzmir.. Village theater is very modest. It has a 150-seat hall, and in its corridors there are awards received by Bademler, plaques, and posters of the games played.. The village theater does not receive any support from the state, everything is done together in cooperation.
You can follow the program of Bademler Village Theater on Facebook pages.
MUSA BARAN CHILDREN’S GAMES MUSEUM
Bademler also has a children’s games museum, which is also a first in Turkey.. The family house of Archaeologist Musa Baran from Bademler was converted into a mini museum where traditional games and toys were told after his mother passed away in 1990.. The first floor of the museum is a little more ethnographic. Clothes belonging to Musa Baran’s family, belongings of village life, household and kitchen utensils are exhibited here.. On the upper floor, both the traditional toys that Musa Baran played in his childhood and the traditional toys known from the past are displayed on the boards with the explanations of how they are played.. On the upper floor, there is Musa Bey’s library and various books written about the plays.. You can easily see the museum in the village square.. The officer inside will tell you about the collection as you tour.
Musa Baran Children’s Games Museum, Izmir
BADEMLER PUBLIC LIBRARY
There is a branch of İzmir Atatürk Provincial Public Library in Bademler village, where the literacy rate is 99%.. The public library, which has been serving in Bademler for 80 years, has approximately 3000 books today and all of them are available to the people of Bademler.. The library is closed on Sundays, but we recommend that you stop by to at least see its garden on your trip to Bademler.. That said, how many villages in Turkey have public libraries? You can see the Bademler Public Library in Mahmut Türkmenoğlu Park; There are also signposts in the village.
Bademler Village, İzmir
How can we explain the modernity level of the village more clearly? We do not know, but there are organizations such as the Culture and Art Association, Youth and Sports Club, Hunters and Shooters Association in Bademler.. We should not forget the Bademler Village Agricultural Development Cooperative, which solved the thirst problem that inspired the village’s film Susuz Yaz, and started greenhouse cultivation.
Bademler Village Public Library, İzmir
BADEMLER VILLAGE PRODUCER’S MARKET
It is a tradition to shop at the producer’s market while visiting the villages of İzmir! Just like in Sığacık and Ulamış, Bademler also has a producer’s market held on Sundays.. It is possible to find delicacies such as fresh fruit and vegetables grown here and home-cooked pancakes, wraps, and pastries in this market, which is set up on a small street that opens to the village square.. Almonds earns most of their livelihood from olive production.. It is a very good idea to buy village olives from the market!
An interesting flavor you can see in the Bademler village market is ‘godalak bread’, which is only baked in the village of Bademler.. Godalak; a bread that the women who went to the field in the past found so that their children would not go hungry, and that they baked in the oven by putting 1 egg on the dough the size of a hamburger bun before leaving the house in the morning.. Washed and shelled eggs put into the dough are slowly boiled while the dough is being cooked.. Thus, when the bread comes out of the oven is eaten with the egg in it, it is more satisfying.. You can find godalak bread with egg at Almonds market.
Bademler Village Producer’s Market, İzmir
BADEMLER VILLAGE ‘HOW TO GO
Bademler village is 40 km from İzmire and 10 km from Urla. To go to Bademler with your own vehicle, you need to follow the İzmir – Çeşme highway and go towards Seferihisar.. The signs take you to Bademler; It takes about 30 minutes to reach Bademler village from Izmir.. If you want to go to Bademler village by bus, you can use the municipal bus number 983 departing from Fahrettin Altay.
We have come to the end of our article about Bademler village.. You can access all of our photos and notes about İzmir on Instagram with the hashtag #journavelege. Follow us, let’s travel together!
Bademler Village Square, Izmir
