It was necessary to climb to the top of the high mountains for ice. Considering the winter season, it should not be difficult to predict how difficult weather conditions are.
For ice supplied by running a large number of capstans; The lakes in high hills such as Uludağ, Erciyes, Katırlı Mountains, and Bozdağ were used. For this job, the number of capstans, some of which worked for the removal of ice and some for its transportation, sometimes exceeded the faces.
The most important issue after taking the ice from the lake was its transportation. For example; The ice taken from Uludağ had to be loaded on the ships in Mudanya to be taken to Istanbul. At this stage, it was important to adjust the tanks in accordance with the amount so that the ice did not melt. The ice floes, which had to be kept in the warehouses for a few days, were transported on the same ground as the ships of the icebergs themselves.
In addition to carrying ice to the sultan, these ships also hosted themselves. II. After Selim's death, his son III. Murat passed from Mudanya to Istanbul with these ships; Sultan Abdülmecid also used the ships of the icebergs and visited them.
Snow Trade
Profit trade, which is a war against time; had become the pursuit of many people in terms of profitability.
In addition to giving coolness, the Ottoman people, who thought that consuming cold drinks was beneficial for health, did not miss the snow and ice from their kitchens. The intense demand has kept the industry alive at all times.
So much so that; The number of shops selling snow and ice in 16th century Istanbul was almost equal to the number of butchers.
Apart from the squares mentioned in the upper paragraphs, there were also freezers for storing ice. The ice racks, which are few in number compared to the snow, were generally home to ice floes brought from high mountains. Uludag, which the Ottomans called "Ulubuzluk", was the main address of these ice floes for many cities in the vicinity, including Istanbul.
Cleaning
It was also very important that wells and tanks where snow and ice were kept were clean places that would keep these two products without melting for a long time. It was not necessary to graze and walk around these places. In addition, the wells in question were surrounded by walls to protect them from external factors. Arrangements were also made for the cleaning of the interior before the snow is placed and during the placement, and the shopkeepers are informed; briefly, this issue was taken care of.