The Turkish Influence
The practice of growing roses and making rose perfume was brought to the region by the Turks. They cultivated roses, made the perfume, and provided the scent to the harems of the pashas (high-ranking officials) in Constantinople.
Today, the old Turkish traditions are gone. Now, large companies control the rose business, much like how American companies trade in wheat. These companies outbid each other to buy entire villages’ rose crops before the roses even start to bloom. They are in fierce competition and have representatives in cities like Paris, London, and New York Coastal Bulgaria Tours.
The History of Distilling Rose Perfume
How Rose Perfume Came to Kasanlik
The process of making rose perfume began in Persia, where the word “attar” (meaning fragrance) comes from. For many centuries, only rose-water was made from the roses. Around the beginning of the 17th century, people discovered how to extract the real rose essence.
The technique then spread from Persia to Arabia, from Arabia to the Barbary States (North Africa), and from there, a Turkish traveler brought a rose tree to Kasanlik. The same variety of rose, **Rosa damascena**, is now grown in Kasanlik and in places like Tunis, although it is becoming rarer there. Another variety, **Rosa alba**, can be traced back to Persia through the Turkish Empire, where it was once common.
The Growth of the Rose Industry
Kasanlik’s Rise in the Rose Business
About 50 years ago, Kasanlik produced between 400 and 500 pounds of attar (rose perfume). By 1904, this had increased to 8,147 pounds. The development of such a large-scale rose industry in this small region is due to several factors. The area has a climate similar to France, the soil is sandy and well-drained, and the many small streams from the mountains provide plenty of water for irrigation.
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