Snow and Ice Production in the Ottoman Empire

The turning point for snow and ice, which was produced and supplied for many centuries in this way, is the 19th century. The main reason for this is that the industrialization and mechanization process has gained speed since the 17th century. With the spread of production machines designed and started to be used for ice production as in many fields, ice production and supply gained another dimension. From the middle of the 19th century, state concessions and ice factories appeared first in Payitaht and then in different parts of the Ottoman geography. The emergence of ice factories has become more common among the public as well as the Palace, as it has reduced costs and increased the number of months in which ice and snow are available.

The first ice factory in the Ottoman Empire was established in 1886 by the Mâbeyn-i Hümâyûn Watchmen Manager Salim Ağa in today's Istinye. After 1886, ice factories are being established in a short time in Izmir, Mersin-Adana-Tarsus. Especially since the 20th century, the usage area of ​​ice and snow is expanding. Apart from the daily use of the palace and the public, the military, and health institutions are also starting to provide ice at affordable prices from ice factories for medical necessities and food storage.

Ice factories continue to operate actively until the period when the refrigerator was used and became widespread. However, you will appreciate that ice production has started to decrease with the introduction of ice and snow into our homes with refrigerators.