Çaykur Tea Factory

The Çaykur Tea Factory is the Rize-centre processing plant of the General Directorate of Tea Enterprises (Çaykur), the state-owned company that has become the emblem of Turkish tea, and it ranks among the most distinctive industrial-visit sites on the Eastern Black Sea coast.

History & Significance

Tea cultivation in Rize was pioneered by Zihni Derin, whose efforts led to the first dry-tea production in 1938; the first comprehensive plant followed in 1947 in Rize's Fener neighbourhood under the name Merkez Çay Fabrikası (Central Tea Factory), with a daily capacity of 60 tonnes of fresh leaf. Çaykur itself was established by Law No. 1497 dated 4 December 1971 and began operating in 1973, uniting tea growing, processing and marketing under one roof; today the organisation continues production with roughly 46 factories stretching from Artvin to Giresun.

Architecture & the Production Process

Architecturally these plants embody a functional industrial aesthetic, wedged into the narrow Black Sea strip between mountain and sea, with wide reception platforms where fresh leaf is weighed off the trucks, withering troughs, rolling machines, and fermentation and drying belts. Culturally the site is significant because tea is the backbone of Rize's economy and identity, and it is inside these factories that the leaf completes its journey from bush to glass. Its touristic value comes from letting visitors watch the withering, rolling, fermentation and drying stages live and take part in fresh-brew tasting.

Visiting, Access & Tips

Agencies favour this stop on tea-themed Rize tours because it turns the abstract idea of a 'land of tea' into a concrete, fragrant and sensory experience, at its most powerful during harvest when the plant runs at full capacity. The average visit lasts 45 minutes to an hour and usually falls in the late-morning part of a guided programme, right after a walk through the tea gardens and the views from the Ziraat Botanik Tea Garden. Nearby points include Rize Castle, the Ziraat Botanik Tea Garden, the Atatürk Tea and Garden Cultures Research Institute, and the giant tea-glass monument. The best photo spots are the reception platform heaped with bright-green leaf, the drying belts, and the monumental plaza in front of the General Directorate building. Access is easy, as the site sits very close to Rize's centre and the coastal road, tour coaches can pull up readily, and parking is available nearby. Some sections such as the ground-level reception-and-weighing floor are level and partly suitable for wheelchair access, though the upper production floors are reached by stairs. Booking or permission is advised in advance for factory tours.

Route & Best Time

The best time to visit is from mid-May to early October, while fresh-leaf harvest is under way; the true peak season is May to July, when the first flush is picked. Recommended route: Rize centre – tea gardens – Çaykur factory – tea tasting – Rize Castle.