26.02.2026 14:01
Bircan Ayata, who teaches calligraphy in Kayseri, gave a completely different direction to her life with an advertisement she saw on the internet. Starting stone carving at the 119-year-old Sion Orphanage, Ayata broke the mold by mastering this art, which is known as a "man's job."
In the Zincidere neighborhood of the Talas district in Kayseri, courses are being offered for training stone, wood, and restoration masters in the workshops located in the garden of the Sion Orphanage (Village Teacher School), which was built 119 years ago. The masters of the Talas Restoration Training Center (TAREM), which was opened two years ago in collaboration with the Talas Municipality and Kayseri University (KAYÜ), are entitled to receive the 'Intangible Cultural Heritage Bearers' card granted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2025, while the trainees become master instructors in their fields.
DECIDED TO PARTICIPATE AFTER SEEING THE AD
Bircan Ayata, who works as a calligraphy teacher at a public education center in the district, decided to join the stone carving course in the workshop located in the garden of the historical orphanage after seeing the ad on the internet.
"I CAN'T GIVE IT UP BECAUSE I LOVE IT"
Bircan Ayata, who has been attending the stone carving course for 1.5 years, said, "I am a calligraphy teacher, but I can't give it up because I love stone. I started last year. We call it stone, but it is a very aesthetic material. When I saw the announcement for this course on the internet, I thought, 'This is just for me.' Because I love calligraphy on stone. I learned it professionally here. I can't give it up because I love it," she said.
"IT GIVES ME HAPPINESS TO SEE THE WORK WE DO"
Ayata, who expressed her happiness for preserving the ancestral heritage, said, "At first, we struggled a bit because we didn't know how to use the material. I held a chisel and hammer for the first time. But once you pick them up, you can't put them down. You always think about what you can add to it. I have worked on a few writings. Now I think about what more aesthetic things I can do. These are our heritage from the Seljuks and Ottomans. This work is our essence. We need to touch the stone and pass the ancestral heritage to future generations. When it comes to stone masters, people always think of men. But the things a man can do and the things a woman can do are different. A woman adds aesthetics to the stone. It's difficult, but seeing the work you do gives you happiness," she said.
"I WANT TO SEE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE"
Bircan Ayata stated, "Actually, it's not difficult; when you pursue your work, you constantly improve yourself. Loving it is important. I believe instead of sitting in front of the television 24/7, they should come here. They should just take a breath of this dust and start. It's a very beautiful therapy. It's truly an art that relaxes you. Everyone needs this. It adds beautiful things to you. I especially recommend it to women. I want to see more people here. I want to see more young people too. Beautiful things come out of here," she said.