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Fire, Glass & the Ancient Symbol of the Nazar

Nazarköy Evil Eye Bead Village – Complete Visitor Guide

Discover a living glassmaking tradition beneath Nif Mountain,
where artisans still shape Türkiye's famous nazar beads by hand.

Discover Nazarköy

Nazarköy – The Village of the Evil Eye Bead

Hidden in the green countryside near Kemalpaşa east of İzmir, Nazarköy is a small village with an extraordinary identity.

Here, one of Türkiye's most recognizable cultural symbols—the nazar boncuğu, or evil eye bead—is still created using traditional glassmaking methods passed from master to apprentice.

Inside simple workshops known as boncuk ocakları, intense wood-fired furnaces transform pieces of colored glass into glowing molten material.

Artisans gather the softened glass on long iron rods, shape it by hand and carefully build the concentric circles that form the familiar eye motif.

The craft became so closely identified with the village that its former name, Kurudere, was officially changed to Nazarköy in 2007.

Living Glass Tradition

Traditional nazar beads have been produced in the village for generations using wood-fired furnaces.

Kurudere to Nazarköy

The village officially adopted the name Nazarköy in 2007 because of its close association with bead production.

Boncuk Çarşısı

Colorful stalls display beads, jewelry, ornaments and decorative objects produced around the village.

Living Cultural Heritage

Nazarköy preserves traditional knowledge transmitted through generations of skilled bead makers.

Know Before You Go

Nazarköy – Quick Facts

Essential information about İzmir's famous village of traditional glass evil eye beads.

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Location

Nazarköy, approximately 5 kilometers from Kemalpaşa in İzmir Province.

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Famous For

Traditional handmade glass nazar boncuğu—Türkiye's iconic evil eye bead.

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Former Name

The village was historically known as Kurudere.

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Name Changed

Kurudere officially became Nazarköy in 2007 because of its bead-making tradition.

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Traditional Craft

Glass is melted in extremely hot wood-fired bead furnaces and shaped manually by artisans.

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Best Experience

Explore the village, watch traditional production when workshops are operating and browse the colorful Boncuk Çarşısı.

One of İzmir's Most Distinctive Craft Villages

Why Visit Nazarköy?

Nazarköy offers something increasingly rare: the opportunity to encounter a familiar cultural symbol where traditional knowledge behind it is still practiced.

Millions of travelers recognize the deep blue eye symbol found throughout Türkiye.

It hangs above doors, appears in homes, decorates jewelry and is frequently given as a gift.

Yet relatively few visitors ever see how a traditional glass nazar bead is actually made.

Nazarköy provides that missing part of the story.

The village is not simply a souvenir market. Its identity developed around generations of craftspeople who learned to control fire, molten glass, color and timing inside traditional bead furnaces.

That combination of living craftsmanship, village atmosphere and cultural symbolism makes Nazarköy one of the most rewarding short excursions in the Kemalpaşa region.

Understanding Türkiye's Famous Blue Eye

What Is a Nazar Boncuğu?

The Turkish expression nazar boncuğu refers to the glass bead commonly known internationally as the evil eye bead.

Its most familiar design consists of several concentric circles that resemble an eye, typically combining shades of blue with white, black or other colors.

Within traditional belief, the bead is associated with protection against nazar—the harmful influence traditionally connected with an envious or admiring gaze.

The concept belongs to a much broader Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Anatolian world of beliefs surrounding the symbolic power of the eye.

In contemporary Türkiye the nazar boncuğu functions simultaneously as a cultural symbol, decorative object, traditional amulet and popular gift.

Nazar

A traditional concept referring to harmful influence associated in folk belief with an envious or intensely admiring gaze.

Boncuk

The Turkish word for a bead, particularly a small decorative object made from materials such as glass.

The Eye

The concentric circular pattern creates the recognizable symbolic eye at the center of the bead.

Blue Glass

Deep blues have become strongly associated with the most familiar forms of the traditional Turkish nazar boncuğu.

Before Nazarköy Had Its Present Name

From Kurudere to Nazarköy

The village visitors know today as Nazarköy was historically called Kurudere.

The older name was connected with the village's location around a stream valley in the foothills of the Kemalpaşa landscape.

During the twentieth century, glass bead production became increasingly important to the identity and economy of the settlement.

Official cultural sources describe traditional bead production here as extending back to approximately the 1950s.

Over time, Kurudere became so strongly associated with handmade nazar beads that the village itself came to symbolize the craft.

On 20 March 2007, the name was officially changed from Kurudere to Nazarköy—literally the “village of nazar.”

Before 2007 The settlement was officially known as Kurudere.
From c. 1950 Traditional glass bead production became an established village craft.
20 March 2007 The village officially adopted the name Nazarköy.
Today The identity of the village remains closely connected with handmade glasswork and the nazar bead.
Where Fire Transforms Glass

The Traditional Nazar Bead Furnace

At the center of traditional Nazarköy craftsmanship stands the boncuk ocağı—the bead furnace.

These furnaces are generally constructed in round or oval forms by craftspeople familiar with the requirements of glass production.

Traditional furnaces contain separate heated compartments sometimes referred to as tava, where different colors of glass can be softened and melted.

Official descriptions of the craft emphasize the traditional use of pine wood as furnace fuel.

Temperatures can reach approximately 1,200°C, producing the extreme heat necessary to soften glass sufficiently for shaping.

Working beside such a furnace demands experience, concentration and an instinctive understanding of temperature.

Wood-Fired

Traditional bead furnaces are heated with wood rather than behaving like modern automated glassmaking equipment.

Extreme Heat

The working environment around the furnace can reach very high temperatures required for molten glass production.

Multiple Colors

Different sections of the furnace allow artisans to work with several colors of heated glass.

Built by Craftsmen

Knowledge of furnace construction is itself part of the traditional expertise surrounding bead production.

From Molten Glass to the Famous Blue Eye

How Is a Traditional Nazar Bead Made?

Making a handmade nazar bead appears deceptively simple when watched from a distance.

In reality, each stage depends on precise timing and years of experience.

1. Heat the Furnace The traditional wood-fired furnace is brought to the very high temperature required for working glass.
2. Melt the Glass Pieces of colored glass soften inside the heated furnace compartments.
3. Gather the Glass The artisan collects molten glass using a long iron rod.
4. Shape the Bead The hot glass is manipulated and shaped using simple tools and a metal working surface.
5. Add the Eye Additional layers of contrasting colored glass create the characteristic concentric eye pattern.
6. Finish & Cool The completed bead must cool before it can be transformed into jewelry or another decorative object.
Look carefully when watching an artisan: what appears to be a few quick movements around the furnace represents knowledge developed through repeated practice and master-apprentice training.
Simple Tools, Extraordinary Skill

The Tools of the Nazar Bead Maker

Traditional nazar bead production does not depend on complicated industrial machinery.

Much of its character comes from the combination of a very hot furnace, molten glass and relatively simple hand tools.

Official descriptions of the technique mention long iron rods used to gather molten glass from the furnace.

The glass can then be shaped against a metal working surface traditionally associated with a piece of rail iron.

The simplicity of the equipment makes the artisan's experience particularly important.

Iron Rod

Used to gather and manipulate softened glass close to the furnace.

Rail Iron

A sturdy metal surface traditionally used while shaping hot glass.

Wood Furnace

Provides the intense heat required to transform solid glass into workable material.

The Master's Hands

Experience determines how quickly glass is gathered, layered, shaped and removed from the heat.

Building an Eye from Layers of Glass

How the Eye Appears inside the Bead

The famous eye is not simply painted onto the finished object.

In traditional production, the pattern is created by applying successive layers of differently colored hot glass.

A darker or brightly colored body may first be shaped into the bead.

Contrasting circles are then carefully placed on the hot surface, producing the concentric pattern associated with the protective eye.

Because each stage takes place while the glass is hot and workable, the artisan must control both placement and timing.

This layered construction is one of the most fascinating details to observe when traditional production can be seen inside a workshop.

More than One Kind of Blue Eye

Traditional Nazar Bead Shapes & Names

Visitors quickly discover that the familiar round blue eye is only one expression of Nazarköy's glass tradition.

Official cultural inventories record numerous traditional forms, with names referring to shape, color, size or appearance.

Karagöz

One of the traditional bead forms produced by experienced glass artisans.

Ceviz

A bead form whose traditional name means “walnut.”

Silindir

A cylindrical form demonstrating that nazar beads are not limited to flat circular designs.

Yumurta

An egg-shaped form within the traditional vocabulary of the bead makers.

Plaka

A flattened form that has become particularly recognizable in Turkish decorative culture.

Danagöz

Another traditional bead type whose name refers directly to the appearance of a large eye.

Other recorded forms include heart-shaped plates, dice-like forms and additional variations whose names may change according to the combination of shape, color and size.

Traditional workshops also produce objects beyond individual beads, including decorative figures and small glass items.

A Village Filled with Color

Boncuk Çarşısı – Nazarköy's Bead Bazaar

After seeing the workshops, most visitors naturally continue toward the village's colorful Boncuk Çarşısı.

Stalls and small shops display long strings of blue glass eyes alongside necklaces, bracelets, earrings, key rings, wall ornaments, decorative trees and other handmade objects.

The effect is unmistakably Nazarköy.

Hundreds of blue, turquoise, white and multicolored glass pieces hang from stalls and move gently in the breeze.

Some objects are produced from beads made in local furnaces, while artisans and designers transform individual glass pieces into finished jewelry and decorative compositions.

For travelers interested in traditional crafts, the market is much more meaningful after first understanding the work required to create the glass itself.

The Craft Continues after the Furnace

From Glass Beads to Jewelry & Decorative Art

Removing a finished bead from the furnace is not always the end of the creative process.

Individual glass pieces are frequently combined with metal, cord, leather, fabric and other decorative materials.

They become necklaces, bracelets, earrings, hanging ornaments and elaborate compositions for homes and gardens.

Official descriptions of Nazarköy have long highlighted the relationship between the artisans producing the glass and other villagers transforming the beads into finished decorative products.

This second stage of creativity gives the village market much of its remarkable visual variety.

Jewelry

Small beads become necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

Wall Decorations

Larger eye motifs are combined into striking pieces designed for homes and workplaces.

Hanging Ornaments

Glass eyes are combined with cords, beads and decorative elements.

Contemporary Designs

Traditional symbols continue to inspire new forms and combinations.

Knowledge Passed from Hand to Hand

The Master-Apprentice Tradition of Nazarköy

The most valuable element inside a traditional bead workshop is not the furnace itself.

It is knowledge.

The correct temperature of the glass, the movement of the iron rod, the speed of shaping and the timing of each additional color cannot be learned simply by reading instructions.

Traditionally, these skills developed through a master-apprentice relationship.

Young craftspeople watched experienced artisans, repeated movements, learned from mistakes and gradually developed the ability to understand molten glass almost instinctively.

Preserving this transmission of knowledge is essential if handmade furnace-produced nazar beads are to remain a living tradition rather than only a historical memory.

A Living Human Treasure of the Bead-Making Tradition

Mahmut Sür & the Heritage of Nazar Bead Making

Among the artisans associated with Nazarköy, Mahmut Sür holds particular cultural significance.

Born in Nazarköy in 1962, Sür began learning the craft as a teenager while working with members of his family.

His career has included not only the production of traditional beads but also experimentation with designs, techniques and the construction of the specialized furnaces required by the craft.

He has also trained apprentices, helping transmit technical knowledge to another generation.

Mahmut Sür was included in Türkiye's Living Human Treasures National Inventory for nazar bead making in 2012.

The program operates within Türkiye's work to safeguard intangible cultural heritage under the framework associated with the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Important distinction: Nazarköy itself is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cultural significance here relates to safeguarding traditional knowledge and the recognition of master craftsmanship within Türkiye's Living Human Treasures program.
A Craft Must Be Practiced to Survive

Why Nazarköy Is Living Cultural Heritage

Archaeological sites preserve objects left by earlier societies.

Living heritage is different.

It survives because people continue to practice, teach, adapt and transmit a tradition.

Nazarköy's cultural importance therefore lies not only in finished beads but in the knowledge behind them.

The construction of the furnace, management of wood fire, preparation of glass, coordination of tools and creation of recognizable forms all represent accumulated experience.

When a visitor watches a bead being made, they are witnessing a process rather than simply viewing an object.

Stand beside the Furnace

Watching Nazar Beads Being Made

A workshop demonstration can become the highlight of a visit to Nazarköy.

The atmosphere is completely different from the colorful market outside.

Inside, attention moves toward the orange glow of the furnace.

An artisan reaches toward the heat with an iron rod, gathers softened glass and begins shaping it with rapid but controlled movements.

Layers of color are added while the material remains hot.

Within minutes, what began as glowing glass begins to resemble the familiar eye seen throughout Türkiye.

Workshop access: Nazarköy is a living village rather than a museum with a fixed demonstration timetable. Whether production can be observed depends on the individual workshop, working day and current activity.
Why Everyone Remembers the Blue

The Colors of the Nazar Bead

Deep blue is the color most strongly associated with the Turkish nazar boncuğu.

Against the blue body, white and darker circles make the central eye particularly visible.

Traditional artisans, however, work with a much wider palette.

Turquoise, green, yellow, red, white, black and translucent glass can all appear in different combinations and forms.

Historic craft terminology can even identify a bead according to its color, shape and size together.

Walking through Nazarköy's market therefore reveals far more variety than the classic blue-and-white symbol alone might suggest.

Look beyond the Souvenir

The Difference between the Symbol & the Craft

The eye symbol is now reproduced around the world on countless materials.

It may appear on printed fabric, plastic objects, ceramics, stickers, jewelry and mass-produced decorative products.

Nazarköy tells a more specific story.

Its heritage is connected with glass, fire and handmade production.

For travelers interested in the traditional craft, it is worth asking shopkeepers about where a particular glass piece was produced and whether it came from a local furnace.

That simple conversation often reveals far more about the village than browsing the market without context.

Beyond the Bead Stalls

The Village beneath Nif Mountain

Nazarköy's appeal is strengthened by its natural setting.

The village lies within the greener inland landscape of Kemalpaşa, surrounded by hills, vegetation and agricultural land beneath the wider mass of Nif Mountain.

The contrast with central İzmir can be striking.

Within a relatively short journey, the urban Aegean metropolis gives way to village roads, orchards, wooded slopes and craft workshops.

This makes Nazarköy particularly suitable for travelers who enjoy combining cultural heritage with a slower countryside experience.

Planning Your Visit

What to Expect in Nazarköy

Small Village

Nazarköy is easy to explore at a relaxed walking pace rather than requiring a full day on its own.

Colorful Bazaar

Expect stalls filled with nazar beads, jewelry and decorative objects.

Working Workshops

Traditional bead furnaces remain the most culturally important part of the experience.

Local Shopping

The village provides an opportunity to purchase glass objects close to their place of production.

Countryside Setting

Green hills and the Kemalpaşa landscape create a pleasant contrast with İzmir city.

Combine Easily

Nazarköy works particularly well as part of a broader Kemalpaşa history and culture day.

Take Time to See the Craft

How Long Should You Spend in Nazarköy?

A quick walk through the village can be completed relatively easily, but rushing misses the most interesting part of Nazarköy.

30–45 Minutes

Enough for a short walk through the market if Nazarköy is only one stop on a larger itinerary.

1–1.5 Hours

A better choice for exploring the market, talking with craftspeople and looking for an operating workshop.

2 Hours+

Suitable for travelers especially interested in traditional crafts, photography and a slower village experience.

Village Streets, Glass & Mountain Air

Best Time to Visit Nazarköy

Spring

Green vegetation and comfortable temperatures make the Kemalpaşa countryside particularly attractive.

Early Summer

Long daylight hours make it easy to combine Nazarköy with several nearby historical sites.

Mid-Summer

The outdoor village can be hot, while the working area beside a traditional furnace is naturally much warmer.

Autumn

Milder temperatures and softer light create excellent conditions for walking and photography.

Weekdays

A quieter atmosphere may appeal to visitors primarily interested in the village and craft tradition.

Weekends

The village can feel livelier as visitors arrive from İzmir and surrounding towns.

For glassmaking: production schedules belong to individual artisans rather than a single museum timetable, so a specific workshop demonstration should be arranged in advance when it is essential to your visit.
Bring Home More than a Generic Souvenir

Shopping for Nazar Beads in Nazarköy

Buying a nazar bead in Nazarköy can carry a very different meaning from purchasing one at an airport or large souvenir shop.

Here, visitors can connect the finished object with the people, furnace and knowledge required to create it.

Ask where the glass was produced.

Look for information about the artisan or workshop.

Take time to compare traditional beads with the enormous variety of decorative objects available in the village.

Purchasing directly from craftspeople and small local businesses can help support the continued survival of specialist knowledge.

Ask Who Made It

A short conversation can help you understand whether an object has a direct connection with local production.

Choose the Glass

Focus on the bead itself before deciding how it will be used in jewelry or decoration.

Look beyond Blue

Traditional and contemporary workshops use an impressive range of colors and shapes.

Support the Craft

Buying thoughtfully helps keep specialist glassmaking knowledge economically meaningful.

Blue Glass, Orange Fire & Village Streets

Photography in Nazarköy

Nazarköy offers some of the most colorful craft photography opportunities around İzmir.

Bead Bazaar

Rows of hanging blue eyes create strong patterns and instantly recognizable compositions.

Furnace Fire

The orange glow of molten glass creates dramatic contrast inside darker workshops.

Artisan Hands

Close details of tools, glass rods and careful hand movements communicate the craft particularly well.

Village Details

Include stalls, houses, trees and surrounding hills to show the cultural setting rather than only the finished product.

Glass Close-Ups

Individual beads reveal bubbles, layers, colors and textures that disappear in wider photographs.

Ask Permission

Always request permission before closely photographing craftspeople at work or entering private workshop areas.

Respect a Working Village & Living Tradition

Responsible Travel in Nazarköy

Respect Workshops

Traditional furnaces are working environments rather than staged museum installations.

Stay Clear of Fire

Never approach furnaces, molten glass or tools unless invited by the artisan.

Ask before Photographing

Craftspeople should be able to decide whether close photography or video is appropriate while they work.

Support Local Makers

Consider purchasing directly from artisans and village businesses when something genuinely appeals to you.

Keep the Village Clean

Dispose of rubbish responsibly and respect residential areas beyond the market.

Value the Story

The greatest souvenir from Nazarköy is understanding how much knowledge exists behind a small piece of glass.

Into the Countryside east of İzmir

How to Get to Nazarköy

Nazarköy lies in the Kemalpaşa district of İzmir Province, approximately 5 kilometers from Kemalpaşa town.

Its location makes it an easy cultural stop when exploring the inland landscapes east of İzmir.

From İzmir

Travel east toward Kemalpaşa before continuing the short distance toward Nazarköy.

From Kemalpaşa

The village is only a short drive from the district center.

Private Vehicle

A car provides the easiest way to combine Nazarköy with Ulucak Höyük, Laskaris Palace and Karabel.

Private Tour

A private itinerary can connect the village craft with the much older archaeological history of the Kemalpaşa region.

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Nazarköy Map

Open Nazarköy in Google Maps and plan your route from Kemalpaşa or İzmir.

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History, Archaeology & Living Tradition

Suggested Kemalpaşa & Nazarköy Day

Nazarköy becomes even more interesting when placed within the much larger cultural landscape surrounding Kemalpaşa.

Morning Leave İzmir and travel east toward the Kemalpaşa plain beneath Nif Mountain.
Ulucak Höyük Begin with the Neolithic communities that established settled village life in western Anatolia thousands of years ago.
Laskaris Palace Move forward to medieval Nymphaion and the Byzantine emperors of the Empire of Nicaea.
Kemalpaşa Explore the modern town occupying the landscape of historic Nymphaion.
Lunch Enjoy a relaxed meal in the fertile agricultural landscape east of İzmir.
Nazarköy Discover traditional bead furnaces, the Boncuk Çarşısı and the living craft of handmade nazar beads.
Karabel Finish with the Late Bronze Age rock relief associated with Tarkasnawa, King of Mira.
Continue Exploring Kemalpaşa

Places to Visit Near Nazarköy

The countryside around Nazarköy contains an unusually rich sequence of archaeology, Byzantine history and living cultural traditions.

Kemalpaşa

Explore historic Nymphaion, Nif Mountain, orchards and the wider cultural landscape east of İzmir.

Laskaris Palace

Discover the extraordinary Byzantine imperial residence associated with the rulers of the Empire of Nicaea.

Ulucak Höyük

Travel thousands of years deeper into the past at one of western Anatolia's important Neolithic settlements.

Karabel Rock Relief

Encounter the monumental Late Bronze Age image associated with Tarkasnawa, King of Mira.

Nif Mountain

Discover the dramatic mountain landscape rising above Kemalpaşa and the surrounding valleys.

Sardis

Continue east toward the spectacular ancient capital of Lydia beneath Mount Tmolus.
One Landscape, Thousands of Years

Ulucak, Karabel, Laskaris Palace & Nazarköy

Few short routes near İzmir demonstrate the depth of Anatolian history as clearly as Kemalpaşa.

At Ulucak Höyük, visitors encounter the distant world of Neolithic farming communities.

At Karabel, the landscape preserves the image of a Late Bronze Age ruler connected with the kingdom of Mira.

At the Laskaris Palace, medieval Nymphaion reveals the imperial world of the Byzantine Empire of Nicaea.

Finally, Nazarköy demonstrates that heritage is not always archaeological.

Here, tradition survives through people who still transform raw glass into objects whose symbolism remains recognizable throughout Türkiye.

Ulucak Höyük

Neolithic settlement and early agricultural communities.

Karabel

Late Bronze Age kingship and western Anatolia's kingdom of Mira.

Laskaris Palace

Byzantine imperial life and the thirteenth-century Empire of Nicaea.

Nazarköy

Living glass craftsmanship and traditional cultural heritage.

Watch before You Buy

Nazarköy for Slow Travelers

Do not begin your Nazarköy visit by asking what to buy.

Begin by asking how the bead is made.

Find a workshop if one is operating.

Watch the furnace.

Notice how close the artisan works to the heat and how quickly the molten glass begins to change when it leaves the fire.

Look at the iron rods, the furnace openings and the pieces of colored glass waiting to be used.

Then return to the market.

The hundreds of finished beads will suddenly look different because you now understand the process behind them.

That transformation—from souvenir to cultural object—is the real reason to visit Nazarköy.

Why Traditional Craftsmanship Matters

The Cultural Significance of Nazarköy

A handmade object can preserve enormous amounts of knowledge.

The nazar bead contains knowledge of furnace construction, fuel, glass temperature, colors, hand movements and traditional terminology.

It also connects craftsmanship with a symbol that remains deeply visible in Turkish everyday culture.

Nazarköy therefore demonstrates how material craft and intangible cultural heritage meet.

The glass object is tangible.

The knowledge required to make it is not.

That knowledge survives only when people continue to learn and practice the craft.

Traditional Knowledge

Skills are learned through observation, repetition and experience.

Local Identity

The craft became so important that it ultimately gave the village its modern name.

Visual Culture

The eye motif remains one of the most internationally recognizable symbols associated with Türkiye.

Economic Heritage

Craft production also supports workshops, designers, sellers and other village businesses.

Master-Apprentice Learning

Technical knowledge survives through human transmission rather than machinery alone.

Living Tradition

Nazarköy shows that cultural heritage can continue evolving rather than remaining frozen in the past.

Useful Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Nazarköy

Where is Nazarköy?

Nazarköy is located in the Kemalpaşa district of İzmir Province in western Türkiye, approximately 5 kilometers from Kemalpaşa town.

What is Nazarköy famous for?

Nazarköy is famous for the traditional production of handmade glass nazar boncuğu, commonly called Turkish evil eye beads.

What does Nazarköy mean?

The name can be understood as the “village of nazar,” reflecting the settlement's strong connection with traditional evil eye bead production.

What was Nazarköy called before?

The village was historically known as Kurudere.

When did Kurudere become Nazarköy?

The village's name was officially changed to Nazarköy in 2007 because of its strong association with nazar bead production.

How long have nazar beads been made in Nazarköy?

Official cultural sources describe traditional glass bead production in the village as dating from around the 1950s.

Are nazar beads really made in Nazarköy?

Yes. Nazarköy remains one of the best-known traditional production centers in İzmir, together with Görece in Menderes.

How are traditional nazar beads made?

Colored glass is softened in very hot wood-fired furnaces, gathered with iron rods and shaped by hand before additional layers of glass create the eye motif.

How hot are the bead furnaces?

Official tourism descriptions of Nazarköy refer to furnace temperatures of approximately 1,200°C.

What fuel is traditionally used in the furnaces?

Official descriptions of the traditional technique specifically mention pine wood.

Is the eye painted onto the bead?

Traditional glassmakers create the eye by applying layers of contrasting hot glass while forming the bead.

What is Boncuk Çarşısı?

Boncuk Çarşısı is the colorful village market area where beads, jewelry, ornaments and other decorative products are displayed and sold.

Can I watch nazar beads being made?

It may be possible to observe artisans in working bead workshops, but Nazarköy is a living production village rather than a museum with a guaranteed demonstration schedule.

Is Nazarköy a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

No. Nazarköy is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its craft tradition is connected with Türkiye's work to safeguard intangible cultural heritage, and Nazarköy master Mahmut Sür is included in Türkiye's Living Human Treasures National Inventory.

Who is Mahmut Sür?

Mahmut Sür is a respected nazar bead master born in Nazarköy who was recognized in Türkiye's Living Human Treasures National Inventory for his bead-making craftsmanship.

When was Mahmut Sür recognized as a Living Human Treasure?

He was entered into Türkiye's Living Human Treasures National Inventory for nazar bead making in 2012.

Do all nazar beads look the same?

No. Traditional workshops produce numerous shapes, colors and sizes including forms known as karagöz, ceviz, silindir, yumurta, plaka and danagöz.

Can I buy handmade nazar beads in Nazarköy?

Yes. The village contains shops and stalls selling glass beads, jewelry and decorative objects. Travelers specifically seeking locally made pieces can ask individual sellers about the origin of the glass.

How long should I spend in Nazarköy?

A short visit may take 30–45 minutes, while approximately 1–2 hours allows more time for the market, workshops, photography and conversations with craftspeople.

Is Nazarköy worth visiting?

For travelers interested in traditional crafts, local culture, photography and places beyond İzmir's major archaeological attractions, Nazarköy provides a distinctive and highly visual experience.

What can I combine with Nazarköy?

Excellent nearby combinations include Kemalpaşa, Laskaris Palace, Ulucak Höyük, Karabel Rock Relief and the landscapes around Nif Mountain.

How far is Nazarköy from Kemalpaşa?

The village is approximately 5 kilometers from Kemalpaşa.

Do I need a guide for Nazarköy?

A guide is not essential for walking through the village, but cultural interpretation can make the glassmaking process, symbolism and wider history of Kemalpaşa considerably more meaningful.

Discover the Living Culture of Inland İzmir

Private Nazarköy & Kemalpaşa Experiences

Go beyond İzmir's famous classical ruins and discover traditional craftsmanship, Byzantine Nymphaion and thousands of years of Anatolian history on a private journey through Kemalpaşa.

Glass, Fire & the Hidden History of Kemalpaşa

Combine Nazarköy's living nazar bead tradition with some of the most fascinating archaeological and historical sites east of İzmir.