Iznik wall tiles art of Turkey

All the decorated wall tiles in the land of the Ottomans are made in the city of Iznik a lovely walled town on the shores of Lake Iznik. The chinaware of Iznik, an art which began here in Byzantine times and reached its zenith under the Ottoman Turks, is a striking example, and the potteries of Iznik played a central role in the town's destiny. Blue and white plates, bowls, lamps, candlesticks, and other items made in Iznik during the 15th century are decorated in the style we now call Baba Nakkas, consisting of scrollwork and floral designs. The tiles and other pieces were exuberantly decorated with hyacinths, tulips, carnations, roses, and stylized floral scrollwork known as hatayi, Chinese clouds, imbrication, cintemani (a design consisting of three spots and pairs of flickering stripes), and geometric patterns. Iznik has a special place in the history of Turkish art, and thanks to the efforts of Turkish Airlines and Turk Ekonomi Bankasi Iznik Year became Iznik Years.