history and culture

DISCOVERTURKEYhistory and culture

Turkey is roughly rectangularand has an area of 814,578square kilometres or 314,510square miles, approximately

3.5 times the size of the UK. It is situatedon two continents – 3% in Europe and theremainder in Asia – which are separated bythe Bosphorus, which runs from the BlackSea through İstanbul, and the inland Sea ofMarmara which flows through the Dardanellesand out to the Aegean. It has a coastline of8333 kms or 5178 miles in length, and isbordered by the Black Sea (Karadeniz) tothe north, the Sea of Marmara (MarmaraDenizi) and the Aegean (Ege) to the west andthe Mediterranean (Akdeniz) to the south.Turkey is a huge country and the distancefrom İstanbul in the north west to Hakkariin the south east is approx. 1814 kms or1217 miles.

Turkey is an extremely mountainous countrywith an average altitude of 1,132 metres. TheNorthAnatolian mountains run along the northof the country, parallel to the Black Sea, withthe Taurus Mountains sweeping along theMediterranean in the south. Turkey’s highestmountain peak at 5165metres or 16,946 feet isMountArarat (Ağrı Dağı) , situated in the northeast. MountArarat is a snow-capped inactivevolcano, which rises above the surroundingplains. It is said to have been the resting placefor Noah’s Ark.

There are a large number of lakes in Turkey,some such as Lake Van, which is the largestnatural lake at 3,713 square kms, covering asmuch area as an inland sea.Anumber of damshave been constructed during the past thirtyyears, which have resulted in the formation ofseveral large dam lakes including theAtatürkDam lake which started to collect water inJanuary 1990.Amongst the many rivers whichflow through Turkey, the Kızılırmak, whichflows into the Black Sea is the longest at1355 kms. The Euphrates (Fırat) and Tigris(Dicle) both originate in Turkey and flow

through other countries before reaching thePersian Gulf.

Turkey is separated into seven geographi-cal regions, which are, in order of size: EastAnatolia (21%), CentralAnatolia (20%), BlackSea (18%), Mediterranean (15%), Aegean(10%),Marmara (8.5%) and SoutheastAnato-lia (7.5%).

Climate

Turkey is such a large country with suchdiverse terrain that the climate varies greatlyfrom one region to another. The southAegeanand Mediterranean coasts of Turkey havea typical Mediterranean climate with hotsummers and mild winters.As you head northtowards İstanbul, summers become shorterand the winters colder. The Black Sea coastis Turkey’s wettest region, and the only regionwhich receives rainfall throughout the year.The eastern part can receive up to 2,200 mmsannual rainfall, with warm summers and mildwinters. In central Anatolian the summersare hot and dry and the winters cold, andas you head east towards Eastern Anatoliathe summers become milder and the wintersharsher - temperatures can drop as low as-30°C to -38°C in themountains and snowmaylie on the ground 120 days of the year.

Natural�Reserves

Turkey ranks 10th in the world in terms of thediversity of minerals produced in the country.One of the richest mineral deposits is boronsalts and Turkey’s reserves amount to 63% ofthe world’s total. This ranks second in Turkey’sexports of mining products after marble andnatural stones, which has been rapidly develop-ing since 1985, and has registered an averageannual growth rate which is twice the worldaverage. There are over 120 marble depositsof different colours, design and quality in 80districts. In 2003 the total export value of thissector was $431 million.

Agriculture

Turkey is one of the world’s few self-sufficientcountries in terms of agricultural production ingeneral and food stuffs in particular. Almost15% of Turkey’s land consists of meadowsand pastures; 29.5% is forest; and 35.5%arable lands. Wheat is Turkey’s leading cropand in 2002 Turkey was the world’s biggestproducer of hazelnuts, figs and apricots and4th biggest producer of fresh vegetables,grapes and tobacco. Approximately 30% ofthe population is employed in the agriculturalsector.

Turkey is the world’s sixth largest cottonproducer and almost 85% of its textile andready-to-wear exports are made of cotton. Itis no surprise then that almost every T-shirtyou buy in the UK bears the legend ‘made inTurkey’. Turkey is the world’s fourth largestready-to-wear clothing exporter and exportsof the textile sector made up 34% of totalindustrial exports amounting to $15 billionin 2003.

The�Southeast Anatolia�Project (GAP)

In 1989 the GAP (Güney Doğu AnadoluProjesi) Regional Development Organisa-tion was established to promote developmentin this region with an envisaged budget of$32 billion of public expenditure. It is anintegrated project including 22 dams and 19hydroelectric plants and irrigation facilitiesto be built along the Tigris and Euphrates.It not only encompasses infrastructure, interms of energy and irrigation projects, butalso places emphasis on human developmentaiming to improve the lives of those in the area,particularly women and children.

Turkey�is�a�vast�country,�with�a�dramatic�landscape�as�varied�as�her�history

4��|��discover�TURKEY

discover�turkey�at�www.gototurkey.co.uk

relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file

history�&�culture

5(top)�cherries�are�widely�grown�in�the�Black�Sea�Region

5(middle)�Turkey�is�famous�for�its�honey

5(bottom) Cotton�is one�of�Turkey’s�main�exports

4 (main)�The�spectacularKurşunlu�falls�near Antalya

Crete

Rhodes

Chios

Lesbos

os

es

Black Sea

Mediterranean Sea

AegeanSea

Sea of Crete

Sea of Marmara

Kizil

Sakarya

SaltLake

HirfanliDam

AD

Lake Iznik

Lake Ulubat

Lake EberLake Aksehir

Lake Egirdir

Lake Beysenir

Turkish�Republic�of�North Cyprus

Bulgaria

Silifke

Anamur

Göreme

Ayvalik

Bandirma

Cesme

Kusadasi

AltinkumDidyma

Foça

Bodrum

FethiyeÖlüdeniz

PataraLetoon

ManavgatSideBelek

Alanya

Gelibolu

Datca

Marmaris

IçmelerOrtaca

Dalaman

KaşKalkanFinike

Kumluca

Kemer

Ephesus

Xanthos

Kekova

Pergamum

Pamukkale

Troy

Saklikent

Ca

Hattuş

Safranbolu

XanthosPerge

Amasra

Sincan

Tarsus

Nazilli

FamagustaKyrenia

Kah

IcelAdana

Kayseri

Konya

Kocaeli

Eskisehir

Antalya

CorumCankiri

Kastamonu

Sinop

Karaman

Kirikkale Yozgat

Kirsehir

Aksaray Nevsehir

Nigde

Zonguldak

Kutahya

Bilecik

Balikesir

Canakkale

BoluSakarya

Tekirdag

KirklareliEdirne

Denizli

UsakManisa

Aydin

Mugla

Afyon

IspartaBurdur

Ankara

Izmir

Istanbul

Bursa

0 100 Miles

0 100 KM

Map�of�Turkey



relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file

relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


Euphrates R.

KhaburYesil

Cekerek

Kelkit

Coruh

Aras

K

Kizil

Tigris R.

Tigris R.

Di

Lake Cildir

Lake Van

Keban Dam

Karakaya Dam

Ataturk Dam

Sabkhat al-Jabbul

Buhayrat al-Asad

AltinkayaDam

Syria Iraq

Azerba

Armenia

Turkey

Georgia

Sarikamis

Dogubeyazit

Tatvan

Hopa

ppadociaMt�Nemrut

Mt Ararat

aş

Kilis

Osmaniye

Iskenderun

Ceyhan

Erzurum

Diyarbakir

Samsun

Sivas

Malatya

Gaziantep

hramanmaras

Hatay

Erzincan

Bayburt

RizeTrabzon

GumushaneKars

Artvin

Agri

Van

BitlisSiirt

Sirnak Hakkari

Mus

Elazig

TunceliBingol

Batman

MardinSanliurfa

GiresunOrdu

Tokat

Amasya

p

Adiyaman



��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

2560�BC:�Great�Pyramid�of�GizaWorld�Events: 438�BC: Parthenon�completed

timeline

Hittite�Empire The�Lycian�Period

6,500�BC:�A�Neolithic�city�isestablished�at�Çatalhöyük�in�central�Anatolia�–�the�world’sfirst�known�settlement

1300-1260�BC:�The�Trojan�Warsdescribed�byHomer�in�the�Iliad�

725�BC:��King�Midasrules the�Phrygians�from�his�capital�of�Gordion�

561-546�BC:�Croesus rulesthe�Lydians until�his�defeatby the�Persian�Empire

900-800�BC:�Rise�of�Phrygian,�Lydian�and�Carian�cultures

353�BC:�The�death�of�Mausolus,�ruler of�the�Hectamonid�clan,�who�built�his�famoustomb�at�Halicarnassus

334�BC:�Alexander the�Great (Iskender)�crosses the�Dardanelles�from�Macedonia�and�sweeps�across Asia�Minor

64-38�BC:�Antiochus�I�rulesthe�Commagene�Kingdom�and�builds�a�temple�as�a�monument to�himself�at the�summit of�Nemrut�Dağ

relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file

history�&�culture��

�

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

1939�AD:�WW�II80�AD:�Roman Colloseum opened 1512�AD:�Michaelangelo paints�Sistene�Chapel

The�Ottoman�Empire�

TurkishRepublic

The�Roman�Empire The�Byzantine�Period

56�AD:�St.�Paul stays inthe�city of�Ephesus�and�writes his famous�Epistles

330�AD:�Constantine�choosesthe�minor town of Byzantiumas the�capital of the�HolyRoman�Empire,�rebuildingit in the�image�of�Rome�and�renaming it Constantinople

1299�AD:�The�Ottomanstate�is formed�by�OsmanBey from whom it takes itsTurkish name�Osmanli

1453�AD:�Mehmet the�Conqueror (Fatih�SultanMehmet)�conquers�Istanbul,�bringing the�Byzantine�age�toan�end,�and�renames it�Istanbul

1571�AD:�Ottomansconquer Cyprus

1472�AD:�Work�beginson�Topkapi�Palace

1914�AD:�Ottoman�Empire�enters the�FirstWorld�War on the�side�of the�Germans

October�29th,�1923�AD:�Mustafa�KemalAtatürk founds the�Republic�of�Turkey

1973�AD:�Bosphorus Bridge�openslinking�Europe�and�Asia

2005�AD:�Turkey�beginsmembership talks to join the�EU

537�AD:�Inaugurationof�Haghia�Sophia�churchin�Istanbul�by the�Emperor�Justinian

At the peak of its militarysuccess, the great OttomanEmpire spanned three�continents, stretching from

Budapest to Azerbaijan�and�taking�inPersia, Syria and the whole of the north�African coast. It began, however, fromrelatively humble beginnings with OsmanBey, the leader of a small principality innorthwest Anatolia, who gave the Empireits Turkish name, Osmanlı (with Osman). Hisfirst military conquests began in 1299 withthe conquest of Bilecik, Yenikent, İnegöl andİznik. He resolved to take Bursa, and after asiege, which lasted some eight years, his son,Orhan, finally took the city in 1326 and, in1335, made the city his capital.

His son, Süleyman, conquered Thrace in 1353and it was his successor, Murad Hüdavendi-gar, who continued the expansion by takingthe Balkans into the Empire. In 1362 Muradcaptured the city of Edirne, formerly known asAdrianople, and the following year establishedit as his capital. In 1453 Fatih SultanMehmet(Mehmet the Conqueror) conquered İstanbulthus bringing an end to the Byzantine era.In 1516-17 both Syria and Egypt fell to theOttoman army, and with them the holy citiesof Mecca and Medina, making the Ottoman

The�Ottoman�Empire�1299-1923



relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


sultan the most important figure in the SunniMuslimworld. 1520-66 was the golden age ofthe Ottoman Empire, under the rule of Süley-man the Magnificent, but from then onwardsit began a slow decline, losing its economicand military superiority over Europe.

Despite efforts at reform during the 19thcentury, a number of nationalist movementsbroke out in Ottoman territories and the Empirebegan to fragment. Its fate was sealed whenit entered the First World War on the side ofGermany. Following the end of the war, thevictorious allies shared the Ottoman landsand Britain, Italy, France and Greece beganto invade its territories. The Ottoman parlia-ment was dissolved on March 16th 1920.The Turkish Grand National Assembly, withMustafa Kemal as its President began thestruggle for Independence, and in the processof establishing itself, decided on November1st 1922 to abolish the sultanate. The lastOttoman SultanMehmet VI (Vahideddin) leftİstanbul in secret on November 17th 1922 ona British Royal Navy vessel bound for Malta,and died in exile in 1926.

Ottoman Culture

Although the Ottomans became known in thewest for their opulent lifestyle and militarymight, the Empire’s real strength was the factthat it created a well-ordered society, based onprinciples of religious and cultural tolerance,caring for the welfare of the sick and the poor.The arts were cultivated and İstanbul and itsother major cities became centres for trade infine silks and other valuable commodities.

In the late 15th century, at a time when itwas common in Europe for the mentally illto be burned at the stake as witches, asylumsin Edirne were using music therapy and thescent of flowers to treat their patients. TheOttoman Empire united peoples of manydifferent faiths, nationalities and cultures.In the 19th century, İstanbul’s populationwas made up of Muslim Turks, OrthodoxGreeks, Gregorian and Catholic Armenians,Jews, Levantines as well as numerous foreignmerchants. Even today, İstanbul is one ofthe few places in the world where you cansee churches, synagogues and mosques builtwithin a short distance of each other.

It was Mehmet the Conqueror (1451-1481)who established his patronage of the finearts, setting up an atelier in the new palace

of Topkapı, which developed techniques suchas calligraphy and miniature painting. Healso encouraged study visits from foreignartists, which is how Gentile Bellini cameto spend a year in İstanbul in 1479, when hepainted his famous portrait of SultanMehmetII, which now hangs in the National Galleryin London. Even before the advent of Islamicbelief, Turks had the tradition of illustratingmanuscripts, however, the art of calligraphyflourished alongside the strict Islamic beliefthat it was wrong to depict people or animals,and was mainly used to illuminate words fromthe Koran. It was also used for the elaborate,stylised signature unique to each of the sultansknown as the tuğra. The detailed miniatures,on the other hand, act as a historic documentportraying the lives of the sultans and theircourt, showing both historic and everydayevents.At a much later date, SultanAbdülha-mid II who ruled from 1876-1909, appointedstate photographers and sent albums of theirphotographs to fellow heads of state aroundthe world, to show them the progress andachievements of his empire.

The Ottomans were also great explorers andthe famousAdmiral Piri Reis was a renownednavigator and important cartographer, whocharted and drew remarkably accurate mapsof the world, including the oldest survivingmap showing theAmericas, which dates backto 1513 and is kept in the Topkapı PalaceMuseum.

The�Ottoman Court

Building work on Topkapı Palace beganin 1472 and was completed six years later,although successive sultans added consider-ably to its structure. It was home to the sultanand his court, and the seat of government until1853 when the court moved to the new palaceof Dolmabahçe.

The�Harem

Although harem was simply the word usedto describe the female living quarters in aresidence, to many westerners it conjuresup a romantic image, based largely on theImperial harem at Topkapı Palace. The mostimportant person in the haremwas the ValideSultan (Mother of the Sultan), followed by theSultanas, sultan’s daughters, his favouritesand other concubines and odalisques (a wordwhich comes from the Turkish ‘odalık’ orchamber-maid). Traditionally, there were up

to four kadıns or favourites, who were theequivalent of legal wives and thus accordedprivileges. Nurbanu, for example, the favouriteof Selim II was given an entourage of 150ladies in waiting. In fact, many of those livingin the harem had no contact at all with thesultan but simply acted as servants to theother members of the household. At its peakthere were 1000 women living in the haremat Topkapı Palace. All of these were slavewomen, and non-Muslim, brought from allcorners of the Ottoman Empire, avoidingthe risk of betrayal by a wife, who mighthave interests of her own. The women ofthe harem were said to be the most beautifulin the Empire and the most attractive weretrained to entertain the sultan by dancing,reciting poetry, playing musical instrumentsand mastering the erotic arts.

According toMuslim tradition, no man couldlay his eyes on another man’s harem, whichlead to the tradition of the harem being guardedby the black eunuchs, who were male prison-ers of war or slaves fully castrated beforepuberty, captured from territories such asEgypt,Abyssinia and the Sudan.At the heightof the Empire as many as 600-800 eunuchsserved in the palace

The Chief Black Eunuch (Kızlar Ağa), wasthe Ottoman Empire’s third highest-rankingofficer, after the Sultan and the Grand Vizier.His duties were wide-ranging: overseeing theprotection of their women, the purchase of newconcubines, arranging all royal ceremonies andsentencing those women accused of crimes.

The�Janissaries

Christian subjectswere required by the practiceof devşirme to give up one of their sons to theservice of the sultan.After the boyshad convertedto Islam they became either civil servants orsoldiers, joining the elite army corps known asthe Yeniçeri or Janissaries. Strict disciplinewasimposed upon them, but those whowere giftedand ambitious could rise through the ranks, evenas far as becoming Grand Vizier – the highestrank after the sultan.The Janissaries becameso powerful, however, thattheyprotestedwhen-ever they felttheir privi-leges werebeingthreat-ened,

İstanbul is one of the few places in the world where you can see churches,synagogues and mosques built within a short distance of each other.



relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


5(top)�Ottoman�mansions on�the�Bosphorus�at Anadolu�Hisarı.

5(above)�a�miniature�painting�showing�a�scene�at the�Ottoman�Court

4The�interior of�the�Harem�at�Topkapi�Palace

3The�Spoonmaker’s�diamond

signalled by their overturning of their soup kettles andoften leading to full scale riots. The system persisted,however, until 1826,when the Janissaries lost popularsupport andwere disbanded byMahmut II. The tradi-tional marching band of the Janissaries, the MehterTakımı, has been revived in recent times and you cansee them perform in the traditional uniform, playingkettle drums, clarinets and cymbals.

Ottoman Architecture�

Architectural monuments to the greatness of theOttoman Empire stand, not only, throughout Turkey,but also throughout the many lands which wereunder its rule. The Ottomans were prolific buildersand some of their finest works are public buildingssuch as mosques (cami) and their surrounding külliye(complex) consisting of buildings providing for thewelfare of the community such as: şifahane (hospital),medrese (college), imaret (almskitchen), tabhane (guesthouse) and hamam (Turkish baths). Palaces, bridges,fountains, tombs and kervansarays (travellers’inns) arealso amongst the fine buildings which remain to thepresent day. The Ottomans were fond of hunting andof spending time outdoors, often with lavish picnics,and youwill findwooden köşks (pavilions or summerhouses) in many parks and woodlands.

Private houses, amongst which are the konak(mansion) and yalı (summer house, especially thoseon the shores of the Bosphorus) were traditionallybuilt of wood, with the ground floor and foundationsonly being built of stone. Some have survived tothe present day, despite the fire hazard that theirwooden structure posed. Recently, great interest hasbeen shown in their preservation and many of themhave been renovated and some converted to hotelsand pensions. Typically the upper floors jut out overthe street and the windows are obscured by woodenlattice-work, intended so that the women of the housecould look out without being observed.

The houses were planned around a central galleryroom known as a hayat off which the other roomsopened.The quarterswere divided into the harem (theprivate part of the house only visited by the family andfemale guests) and the selamlık (where theman of thehousehold received his guests). In grander houses thesetwo areaswould have separate courtyards, sometimeswith fountains and ornamental pools.

3The�Grand�Haydarpaşa�station,�built�in�1873,�was the�starting�pointof�the�first Anatolian�railway

6The�traditional�marching�band�of�the�Janissaries

relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


5 Yeşil�Cami�and�Yeşil�Türbe(Green�Mosque�and�tombs)�–�Bursa

Commissioned by Mehmet I in 1412, theGreen Mosque is Bursa’s most signifi-cant monument and was the first Ottomanmosque where tiles were used extensivelyas interior decoration, setting an importantprecedent. The Green Tomb is the tombof Mehmet I.

Koza�Han�–�Bursa

Built in 1491 by Beyazit II as part of themarket and covered bazaar area, it hasbeen central to Bursa’s famous silk tradesince that time, trading in silk cocoons aswell as the finished product.

5 Selimiye�Mosque�-�Edirne

Built between 1569 and 1575 by the greatarchitect Mimar Sinan for Sultan SelimII, Sinan described it and in particular thedome, which is 31.5 metres in diameter,as his masterpiece.

Sultan�Beyazit�II�Mosque�-�Edirne

Work began on this mosque in 1484.Designed by the architect Hayrettin, ithas a single dome 21 metres in diameterover the prayer hall, and nearly a hundredsmaller domes over the buildings of thecomplex.

Rüstem�Paşa�Kervansaray�–�Edirne

This grand traveller’s inn was built byMimar Sinan for Süleyman the Magnifi-cent’s celebrated GrandVezir Rüstem Paşaand still serves as a hotel today.

5 Dolmabahçe�Palace�–�İstanbul

One of the last great buildings of theOttoman era, the extravagant DolmabahçePalace, which replaced Topkapı as thehome of the sultans, was completed in 1856on the orders of SultanAbdülMecit. It wasdesigned by the most famous architectsof the time, Karabet Balyan and his sonNikoğos.

Süleymaniye�Mosque�–�İstanbul

Constructed in 1557, this grand mosque,which Sinan referred to as his `journey-man’s piece’, came to symbolize thegreatness of Süleyman the magnificent.It is also notable for its clever ventilationsystem designed to draw off the smokefrom burning candles.

Topkapı�Palace�–�İstanbul

Built between 1472 and 1478, it wasthe home of the sultans and the centreof Ottoman power for 400 years, duringwhich time it was a work in progress assuccessive sultans added new buildingsand made alterations.

5 Sultanahmet�Mosque�(Blue�Mosque)�-�İstanbul�

Constructed between 1609 and 1616 forSultan Ahmet I by the architect SedefkarMehmet Ağa. It takes its name from theexquisite blue Iznik tiles which decorateits interior and is also the only mosque tohave 6 minarets.

5 İshak�Paşa�Palace�-�Doğubeyazit

Part of the unique character of this palace isits remote setting. It was constructed by anOttoman governor on an important tradingroute and is a mixture of Ottoman, Persianand Seljuk styles. It was built between1685 and 1784.

Ten unmissable�Ottoman sights

discover�TURKEY��|��15

At the end of the�First�WorldWar, the�Ottoman�Empire,which had entered on theside of the Germans, was

effectively occupied by the Allies. TheOttoman government was defeated and thesultanate had lost credibility. Mustafa Kemal apopular young General in the Ottoman army,who had remained undefeated throughout thewar, emerged as the leader to take Turkeyforward into a new era. During the War ofIndependence which lasted from 1919-1923,Mustafa Kemal was elected President of theTurkish Grand National Assembly which wasinaugurated on April 23rd 1920 and, withhis Minister of Foreign Affairs, İsmet Pasha(İnönü), in 1923 he successfully negotiatedthe Lausanne Peace Treaty which set Turkey’snational borders and recognized Turkey’s rightof sovereignty. The Turkish Republic wasproclaimed on October 29th 1923.

Mustafa Kemal undertook a wide range offar-reaching reforms. In order for Turkeyto become a modern nation, he believedthat it was imperative to separate religiousand state affairs. Faith became a matter ofpersonal choice, Shariah courts were replacedby secular courts and the religious schoolsystem was abolished. In 1937 the secularityof Turkey was added to the Constitution as aclause, making Turkey the only country witha predominantly Muslim population to be asecular state. Atatürk believed that Turkey’sfuture lay with the west, and embraced allaspects of modernity with enthusiasm, includ-ing adopting European dress. In 1925 theinternational (rather than the Islamic) timeand calendar systems were adopted. The newTurkish alphabet was prepared by the Minis-try of National Education, with the aim ofincreasing levels of literacy, and the move wasmade from the Arabic to the Latin alphabet.Atatürk saw the role of women as crucial to thedevelopment of the new Republic. Polygamywas prohibited, and by 1930 women had beengranted the right to vote and to hold office inmunicipalities.

In 1934 all citizens had to adopt a surname andMustafa Kemal was given the name ‘Atatürk’,‘Father of the Turks’.

Atatürk died on November 10th 1938 inDolmabahçe Palace in İstanbul. The clocksin the palace are all stopped at 09.05, the timethat he died. Atatürk is buried in his capital,Ankara, in his imposingmausoleum,Anıtkabir.Atatürk is revered in Turkey and you willnotice that most offices have a picture of himon the wall. It is unacceptable to Turks to insulthim or show disrespect, even in jest.

The�Turkish Constitution

According to the Constitution, Turkey is arepublic, and at the same time it is a demo-cratic, laic and social state governed by the ruleof law respecting human rights and commit-ted to Atatürk’s principles and nationalism.Laicism is the important principle that thebasic social, economic, political and legalorder of the state may not rely, even partially,on religious rules. The Constitution of theRepublic of Turkey guarantees the rights ofTurkish citizens to lead dignified lives anddevelop their material and spiritual being.Everyone is equal before the law and theConstitution does not allow any discriminationbased on language, religion, denomination,race, skin colour, gender, political opinion,or philosophical beliefs.

The following clauses of the constitutioncannot be amended:• The Turkish State is a republic• The Turkish State is an indivisiblewhole, with its country and nation

• The language of the TurkishState is Turkish

• The Turkish State has a flag witha white crescent and pentagramon a red background

• The national anthem of theTurkish State is the İstiklal Marşı(Independence March)

• The capital of the TurkishState is Ankara

Political�Structure

The Republic of Turkey is based on a secular,democratic, pluralistic and parliamentarysystem. The Turkish Grand NationalAssembly(TGNA)is comprised of 550 deputies electedevery 5 years. Every Turkish citizen overthe age of 18 has the right to vote and everyTurkish citizen over the age of 30, who hascompleted primary education, has the right tostand for election. The nation is governed bythe Council of Ministers headed by the PrimeMinister. The President is the head of Stateand represents the Republic of Turkey and theunity of the Turkish Nation. The President iselected by the TGNA for a seven year termof office.

Turkey is a founding member of OECD, theBlack Sea Economic Co-operation Organi-sation, a member of NATO, the Council ofEurope, the Islamic Conference Associationand an associate member of the EuropeanUnion.

Turkey and the EU

Turkey first applied for associate membershipof the EEC in 1957 and signed an associationagreement in 1963. An application for fullmembership of the EC was made in 1987 andturned down 2 years later. A customs unionwith the EU was signed in 1995 and Turkeywas recognised as a candidate for membershipin 1999. Membership talks to join the EUbegan on 3rd October 2005.

Population

According to the 2000 census, 67,844,000people live in Turkey, with 64.9% living inurban areas. The province of İstanbul, Turkey’slargest city, recorded a population of over 10million. Turkey is a country with a youngpopulation with 30% aged 14 or under and only5.6% aged over 65, compared to overall EUfigures of 17.2% and 15.7% respectively.

Mustafa�Kemal�Atatürk�and�the�founding�of�the�Turkish�Republic



relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


5(top)�celebrations of�Atatürk’sCommemoration�and�Youth�and�Sports�Day on�the�19th�May.

5(middle) Atatürk’s�mausoleum,�Anıtkabir.

5(bottom)�most towns�have�a�commemorative�statue�of�Atatürk,�this one�is�in�Kastamonu.

4(main)�Mustafa�Kemal�Atatürk,�founder of�the�Republic�of�Turkey.

Life�in�Turkey�is�a�rich�varietyof cultures and traditions,�some dating back centuriesand others of more recent

heritage. The visitor to Turkey will find agreat deal that is exotic, and also much thatis reassuringly familiar. The following pagesshould offer you an insight into the intriguingblend of East and West that makes up theTurkish lifestyle.

Language

Turkish is spoken by over 200 million peopleand is the world’s 7th most widely usedlanguage, out of over 4000. Today’s Turkishhas evolved from dialects known since the 11thcentury and is one of the group of languagesknown as Ural-Altaic which includes Finnishand Hungarian.

It can be quite difficult to get to grips withTurkish. Words sound unfamiliar and eventhe way they are written appears strange. Thekey, however, is the Turkish version of theLatin alphabet – the same one which is usedfor English with the addition of 6 differentcharacters. Turkish is unusual in that it iscompletely phonetic – each letter of the alpha-bet has only one sound, so each word sounds

Turkish�lifestyle�is�a�vivid�mosaic;��juxtaposing�the�Occident�and�the�Orient,�the�ancient�and�the�modern



relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


5 (top)�a�şiş�kebab�with�rice�–�one�of�the�staples of�the�Turkish�diet.

5(middle) tel kadayif�–�a�rich�dessert soaked�in�honey.

5 (bottom) lokum�–�betterknow�as�Turkish�Delight

4 (main)�dining�out�in�İstanbul’sÇiçek Pasaji (Flower�Passage)

exactly how it is written. During Ottomantimes Turkish was written in Arabic script,which few people could write, so in 1928,Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republicdecided to switch to the new alphabet toimprove levels of literacy. Once you get thehang of the sounds of the letters (see page 91for tips) you can improve your vocabularywith a few basics such as taksi, çizburger andketçap – the ç is pronounced as ‘ch’ so justtry saying them out loud! Although Englishis widely spoken in tourist areas, it will stillbe appreciated if you make the effort to learna few phrases. Turn to page 92 of this guidefor some suggestions.

Religion

Although 99% of the population is Muslim,in Turkey religion is seen as strictly a privatematter. In fact, Turkey is the only Islamiccountry which is a secular state. This isenshrined in the constitution and meansthat religion has no place whatsoever in therunning of the country’s affairs. In line withother European countries, the weekly holidayis Sunday - not the Islamic holiday of Friday- and the Gregorian calendar is used. Theconstitution guarantees freedom of religionand the right to worship. During the time ofthe Ottoman Empire, people of many differentfaiths lived in what is nowTurkey, and sincethat time, this diversity has been preserved.Today there are 236 churches and 34 syna-gogues open for worship in Turkey.

Tourists visiting coastal resorts are unlikely tosee much evidence that they are in aMuslimcountry, except for the call to prayer whichcan be heard 5 times per day. Dress is relaxedbeachwear for locals and tourists alike. Simi-larly there is little difference between the wayin which people dress in large cities in Turkeyand the rest of Europe. It is only in smallervillages, more remote areas and the east of thecountry that dress codes are more formal. Thebest advice is to take your cue from the localsand adapt your dress to fit in with theirs. Itis quite common for village women to wearheadscarves but this is generally as much outof practical and cultural than strictly religiousconsiderations.

The only time when you need to worry aboutdress codes is when visiting a mosque. Every-one should wear clothes which cover theirlegs, so no shorts for either sex, and womenshould also make sure that their shoulders and

head are covered. Shoes should be removedbefore entering a mosque. There is usuallya rack or storage area where they can be leftor you can carry them with you in a bag.Mosques are usually closed to visitors duringprayer times. As in any place of worship,visitors should speak quietly and behaverespectfully.

There are two major Islamic Festivals whichare celebrated in Turkey. The dates of bothchange each year, according to a lunar calen-dar. The festivals are Şeker Bayramı whichfalls at the end ofRamadan, a period of fasting,and Kurban Bayramı, the Feast of Sacrifice,when traditionally a goat is sacrificed andthe meat distributed to friends, family andneighbours. Government offices and someother institutions are closed during theseperiods but life in resorts continues muchas usual, since many Turks also head to thecoast when these holidays fall in the summermonths. During Ramadan, or Ramazan, as itis known in Turkey, it is common for localsto fast from sunrise to sunset. This should notaffect visitors to tourist areas. Please see page93 for dates of religious festivals.

Hospitality

Visitors toTurkey are often pleasantly surprisedby the friendliness of the Turkish people, whowill go out of their way to assist and happilyspend time chatting. Hospitality is a corner-stone of Turkish culture, and Turks believethat visitors should be treated as guests ofGod.This attitude has survived to the 21st centuryand does not appear to have been diminishedby mass tourism. In fact, quite the reverse,most Turks welcome the opportunity to meetforeign visitors, learn about different culturesand practice their language skills. It is usualfor Turks – even the men – to greet each otherby kissing on both cheeks. Turks are proud oftheir country and you should avoid insulting orshowing disrespect for their flag.

Food

Turkish cuisine is renowned as one of theworld’s best. It draws its influences fromall corners of the former Ottoman Empire,and each region has its own specialities.Turkey is self-sufficient in food productionand produces enough surplus for export aswell. This means that Turkish food is usuallymade from fresh, local ingredients and is allthe tastier for it.

religion has no place whatsoever inthe running of the country’s affairs



relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


3(top) the�Turkish�cuisine�uses�a�wide�array of�aromatic�spices.

3(bottom) the�Turks�are�avid�tea�drinkers.

4Turkish coffee or Türk kahvesi is theperfect way to finish off a good meal.

A main meal will usually start with the meze, avariety of small cold and hot dishes which are madefor sharing. In many restaurants a waiter will bringthese round on a tray for you to inspect and makeyour choice. In any case, it is common for a Turkto have a look at the food being prepared in thekitchen before deciding on what to eat, so if you arenot sure, don’t feel shy about asking.Meze includesanything from dips such as taramasalata and cacik(yoghurt, garlic and cucumber) to dolma (anythingstuffed with rice such as vine leaves or peppers),karides (prawns) or arnavut ciğer (cubes of liverfried with spices and onions). Turks have hundredsof ways to prepare aubergine and imam bayıldı isone of the best; aubergine cooked in olive oil andfilled with tomato and onions, its name literallymeans ‘the priest swooned’ – presumably due tothe delicious taste.

Themain course is usually meat or fish. Turks alwayseat bread with their meal and main courses areusually served with rice. Typically a çoban salatası,a ‘shepherd’s salad’of tomato, cucumber and onion,dressed with olive oil and served with lemon, willbe placed in the middle of the table to share. Lambis the most common meat and this and chicken areprepared in a variety of ways and usually grilled. Şişkebab (cubes of meat on a skewer) is popular andwellknown.Köfte, which are like small lamb burgers arewell worth trying and those who prefer something alittle spicier should order the Adana kebab, whichis also made of minced lamb but with the additionof peppers and formed around a skewer. There arenumerous variations and regional specialities of thekebab. Somewhat rich but very tasty, is the İskenderor Bursa kebab, named respectively afterAlexanderthe Great and the town in which it originated, whichis slices of dönermeat layered with yoghurt, tomatosauce and pitta bread. Turks are also fond of stewsor what they term sulu yemek (food with sauce) andthere are restaurants which specialise in these andwill usually have large containers of the differentvarieties on display.

İstanbul and the coastal resorts are big on fish andseafood. Mostly fish is simply grilled to bring out itsnatural flavour and there is a wide variety of seafoodmeze includingmidye tava (or mussel kebab servedon a skewer). It is worth asking for recommendationsbut some of the most tasty are levrek (seabass) andkalkan (turbot). Fish is often sold by weight andmany restaurants will show you the freshly caughtfish to make your choice before cooking it. Do

relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


check the price, however, as it can workout to be relatively expensive.

Mostly a meal will be rounded off by aplate of fresh fruit, beautifully preparedand placed in the centre of the table forsharing.Karpuz (water melon) and kavun(melon) are popular. Those with a sweettooth will be delighted by the sticky,honeyed desserts. There aremany varieties,of which baklava (layers of filo pastry andpistachio nuts soaked in honey) is perhapsthe most common.Also worth trying is thesütlaç, a cold, slightly sweet milky ricepudding. The adventurous might want toorder tavuk gögusu, a milk pudding madefrom pounded chicken breast – it soundsstrange but is actually delicious, and whenwell made it is impossible to tell it is madefrom chicken.

Turkish breakfast kahvaltı usually consistsof fresh white bread, honey, beyaz peynir– cheese similar to feta, literally translatedas ‘white cheese’– tomatoes, cucumberand black olives, washed downwith blacktea. The Turkish equivalent of a fry up ismenemen a type of omelette with peppersand other vegetables or eggs fried withsucuk, a garlic sausage.

Soup has a special place in the Turkishdiet and is drunk at any time of day. Thereare cafes which only serve soup and arepopularly frequented after a big night out.Mercimek (lentil) and domates (tomato) arecommon as are more exotic soups such asişkembe (tripe), yayla (yoghurt with mint)and düğün (literally ‘wedding’soup) whichcontains egg and lemon.

Börek can be served as part of a mezeor as a snack on its own. It is frequentlytranslated on menus as ‘pie’ which iscompletely misleading. It is actuallydifferent variations on filo pastry filledwith cheese, minced meat, egg, potato orspinach – or combinations thereof. Sigarabörek and muska börek are respectivelysmall cigar and triangle-shaped filo parcelsusually filled with cheese, which come asa part of the meze. Su böreği is layeredpastry which is soft and runny and canbe served with sugar or white cheese as asnack, and can taste more like thin layersof pasta than pastry.

Fast food�

Turkey is full of street vendors selling allsorts of different snacks, from the betterknown döner kebab, which can be madeof chicken or lamb to kokoreç, which islamb entrails cooked on a skewer – popularwith the locals, but not for the timid. Turkshave their own variety of pizza, pide, atype of pitta bread with toppings such ascheese, mincedmeat, egg and sucuk (garlicsausage) as well as lahmacun which is avery thin flat bread spread with mincedmeat, which is rolled up before eating.

Vegetarians

The concept of choosing not to eat meat issomewhat alien to the average Turk, so itcan be difficult for them to grasp that, forexample, a strict vegetarian would not wantto eat vegetables cooked in meat stock.Many Turks do not even count chickenas meat but use the term to refer onlyto red meat. Although strict vegetariansshould bear this in mind, there are plentyof options available such as the vegetablemeze dishes and snacks such as börekor pide with cheese or egg toppings andfillings, as well as the obvious choicessuch as omelettes, toasted sandwichesand soups. Those who eat fish will findthat they have no problems as seafood ispopular in all coastal areas.

Soft�Drinks

Common fruit juices include vişne - sourcherry juice - and şeftali – peach.Anotherfavourite drink, particularly in hot weather,which is credited with curing all ills, isayran, a yoghurt drink, which is oftensalted and, therefore, somewhat of anacquired taste. Bottled mineral water orsu is cheap and easily available and fizzydrinks are sold everywhere.

Alcoholic�Drinks

Alcohol is freely available in Turkishresorts and cities. It is only if you areheading off the beaten track or to particu-larly conservative areas that you may haveto check whether or not restaurants servealcohol. The traditional tipple is rakı, ananiseed based spirit, which is sometimesknown as lion’s milk. It is clear but turnscloudy when water is added. Most people

do dilute it with water although some drinkit only with ice. It is unusual for a Turk todrink alcohol without eating at the sametime. Rakı traditionally accompanies ameal of fish and in-between meals, melonand/ or white cheese are often servedalongside it. Turkey is credited with beingthe first nation to produce wine and inrecent years this traditional art has expe-rienced something of a renaissance. Localwine producers have been studying thelatest methods used in other countries andimporting or developing grapes, and this,combined with the favourable local condi-tions has produced some excellent results.Most people will be pleasantly surprisedby the varieties of both red and white wineavailable. Two of the biggest local produc-ers are Doluca and Kavaklidere. Thosewho prefer beer will not be disappointedin the well-known local brand,Efes. Thereare also locally produced vodka, brandy,whisky and gin, which are a lot cheaperthan imported brands although they canbe a little rough and ready.

Tea

Usually Turkish tea or çay is brewed ina sort of combined kettle/ tea pot whichis placed directly on the hob and haswater boiling in the bottom section andtea brewing in the top so it can be madeweaker or stronger as required. It is drunkfrom small tulip-shaped glasses, alwaysblack and usually with plenty of sugar.Unless you specifically ask for Turkish tea,hotels will assume you want English teaand often present you with a cup of boilingwater and a tea bag on the side.

Coffee

Turkish coffee or Türk kahvesi is theperfect way to finish off a good meal.When ordering you specify whether youwant it sade (plain), orta (with some sugar)or şekerli (very sweet) and it is brewedwith the specified amount of sugar mixedin with the coffee granules. Itis served in small cups. Itis quite an art to knowwhen to stopdrinking asone sip toomany andyou willend up

the traditional tipple is rakı, an aniseed based spirit,which is sometimes known as lion’s milk.


with a mouthful of the sludgy residue whichfalls to the bottom of the cup. Even this hasits uses, however, as you may find a localwilling to tell your fortune from it – coveryour cup with the saucer, wait until it becomescold when you will be asked to turn it upsidedown, turn it around several times and thenyour destiny will be divined from the shapeswhich are formed. It is said that it was theOttomans who introduced coffee to Europewhen their retreating army left bags full of itat the gates of Vienna.

Turkish�Delight

One of Turkey’s most famous exports, lokumor Turkish delight as we know it, comes inmany flavours and not only the rose, lemonand pistachio varieties which are commonelsewhere. It is often served with Turkishcoffee at the end of a meal. There are nowsome Turkish Delight factories where youcan book a tour to watch it being made andsample the wares.

Evil�Eye

Wherever you go you will see the nazarboncuk, a charm to ward off the ‘evil eye’,which is sometimes made into jewellery orused in designs for material or painted on topottery, china and tiles. The charms are usuallymade out of blue glass with a stylised eyedesign and can be of any size – large ones forthe home or office, smaller to hang in a car ora tiny one to pin on a child’s back with a safetypin.According to the tradition, when someonepraises something or someone they run therisk of attracting the ‘evil eye’ to whateveris being praised, by arousing envy in others.The nazar boncuk deflects this. Few Turkshave blue eyes, so it was probably mistrust offoreigners which gave rise to the traditionalblue colour of the charms. It is said that thedesign is the basis for the Paisley pattern.

Turkish Bath

Cleanliness has always been a priority in bothTurkish and Islamic society, There have beenhamam or public bath houses in Turkey sincemedieval times. The tradition reached its heightduring Ottoman times, when it became thesocial focus for women, for many of whomit provided a rare opportunity to leave theirown home and see their friends. Bathing wouldbecome a social occasion, accompanied by apicnic, and, it is said, that it provided the ideal

opportunity for mothers to shortlist potentialbrides for their sons. Even today there areseparate baths for men or women, or where atown has only one hamam, different times ofday or days of the week are allocated to menand women. The only exception to this is thebaths open to tourists in beach resorts, whereit is not uncommon to have mixed bathingand even to be massaged by someone of theopposite sex, which would never happen in atraditional bath. When you enter the hamamyou leave your clothes in a locker and wrapyourself in a towel or cloth called a peştemalwhich is provided along with wooden slippers.Once in the main bathhouse, you fill yourbowl with water from the taps set along thewalls and wash yourself by tipping the waterfrom the bowl over yourself. When it is yourturn you lie down on the central marble slabor göbek taşı where you are scrubbed witha rough cloth (called kese) and then latheredwith soap and massaged. There is usually anextra charge for these treatments.

Carpets

The first carpets were almost certainly thosemade by the nomadic tribes who wanderedcentral Asia, and bear a close resemblance tothe cotton kilims still available today. Turkishrugs are usuallymade fromwool or silk, wovenand knotted on a loom. The density of the knotsdetermines the quality of the carpet – the moreknots per centimetre, the more hard-wearing itwill be. The colours used for the designs varyfrom region to region and usually stem fromthe indigenous plants which were available inthat region for producing dyes. The symbolsused to decorate the carpets also vary andmosthave a meaning attached to them – usuallythey are motifs taken from nature representingflowers, plants and animals. Most carpet-sellers are well versed in the history of thecarpet and will be happy to spend some timeexplaining it – often over a glass of apple tea.In recent years, a number of ‘carpet schools’have been openedwhere the traditional arts canbe preserved and the process of carpet-makingfrom dying the wool to weaving can bedemonstrated to visitors.

İznik tiles

İznik tiles, which arenamed after their placeof origin, a small townin the province ofMarmara, near Bursa,

are traditionally made using a unique techniquewhich combines three successive layers ofquartz and a mixture of clay and glaze, whichblend naturally at very high temperatures. Thebackground is white and the colours which areused reflect those of semi-precious stones, thedark blue of lapis lazuli, turquoise, coral redand emerald green. The patterns are symbolicrepresenting flora and fauna and other elementsof the natural world, together with inscriptionsof Islamic texts. The popularity of İznik tileswas at its height during the 16th century,with the red wall tiles which decorate theSüleymaniye Mosque marking its apogee.In the 17th century there were at least 300workshops in İznik specialising in tile-making.During the Ottoman period these tiles wereexported throughout the world via the islandof Rhodes, which was part of the Empire. Thisindustry declined along with the OttomanEmpire, and suffered greatly throughout theWar of Independence, but has been revivedin recent years.

Music

Turkey has a rich musical tradition of variedand often contrasting styles. From the folkmusic which originated on the steppes ofAsia to the refined music of the Ottomancourt; from the strident military music of themehter takımı, the Janissary band, playedwith kettle drums, clarinets and cymbals tothe mystical sound of the ney or ‘reed pipe’which accompanies theWhirling Dervishes asthey dance. Classical Turkish music is mono-phonic ie all instruments essentially play thesame tune. There are a number of instrumentscommonly heard such as the kemence or violin;ud or lute; kanun,which is similar to a zither;zurna similar to an oboe; and zil or cymbal.It was only with the formation of the TurkishRepublic that efforts were made to develop aform ofmodern polyphonic Turkishmusic, butthere are now numerous successful classicalcomposers. At the other end of the spectrum,there is also a thriving popular music indus-

try in Turkey boosted by the MTVstyle TV channels playing

non-stop musicvideos. There area number ofprominentmusicfestivalsin Turkeyincludingthe Aspen-

there have been hamam or public bath housesin Turkey since medieval times



relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


3the Nazar Boncuk�is�believed�tooffer protection�from�the�Evil�Eye

5 a�concert�held�at Aya�Irini.

dos Opera and Ballet Festival which is held in Juneand July and the İstanbul Jazz Festival.

Folk�dancing

Turkey has a rich tradition of folk dancing withdances performed at all social occasions. Thesecould be weddings, celebrations held for youngmenleaving for military service, national and religiousfestivals, or local festivities such as those markingthe return from the mountain plateaux to the villagesat the end of the summer. Some dances reflect naturalevents or daily life, and others portray social eventsand affairs of the heart. Each region has its owndances which reflect the cultural life of that region.Some of the most famous dances are the barwhichoriginates in the province of Erzurum, the halay inthe East and Southeast, the hora in Thrace, the horonin the Black Sea and the spoon dances in and aroundKonya. Recent developments in Turkish folk dancehave seen the emergence of Riverdance style troupesperforming modern variations on the traditionaldances in elaborate, spectacular, stage shows.

Mevlana -�Whirling�Dervishes

The order of Mevlevi, better known in the west asthe Whirling Dervishes, was founded by the 13thcentury Sufimystic, Celaleddin Rumi, who was alsoknown as Mevlana. He was a poet, who believedthat music and dance provided the means to enter areligious state of ecstasy thereby discovering divinelove, and formed a religion, or philosophy based ontolerance. His most famous poem represents thecentral beliefs of Sufism:

Come, come, whoever you are, come!Heathen, fire-worshipper or idolator, come!Come even if you have broken yourpenitence a hundred times,Ours is the door of hope, come as you are.

There were dervish lodges or tekke throughoutAnato-lia but Konya, where he settled, was the centre of themovement. His museum, situated in the original tekkecan be visited there today where there is a Mevlanafestival held in December every year. Central tothe religion is the sema, the ceremony, the climaxof which is the whirling dance. It is performed intraditional symbolic costume of a conical hat or sikke,which represents the tombstone of the ego, and whiterobes or tennure, which represent its shroud. Thedervish whirls with his right hand pointed upwardstowards God and his left pointing down to the earthto the accompaniment of the ney or reed pipe.

3(top)�The�whirling�dance�of�the�Mevlana

3(bottom) the�traditional�puppet showfeaturing�the�antics of�Karagöz�and�Hacivat

relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


Karagöz

A sort of Turkish Punch & Judy show,Karagöz is a shadow play performed bytraditionally designed puppets, made oftranslucent stretched and painted camelskin. There are two main characters theeponymous Karagöz and Hacivat. Karagözis a down-to-earth type who frequentlyfinds himself at odds with his friend,Hacivat who is well educated in Islamictheology but ultimately unreliable. Thereare various other characters who take partin the plays, which always follow the sameformat but have different stories. The playsare humorous, drawing on double enten-dres, caricatures and mimicry. There is astrong element of satire, which was usedduring Ottoman times to provide a humor-ous critique of those in authority.

During this period, Karagöz, was one ofthe most important forms of entertainmentwith shows performed at festivals andfeasts - even at the circumcision partiesheld for the young princes - in coffee-houses and gardens. It was most popularin the Sultan’s capital, İstanbul, but wasspread throughout Anatolia by travellingperformers.

Nasrettin�Hoca�

Nasrettin Hoca was a popular scholar,whose tales are famous throughout Turkeyfor their satire, wit and humour, beneathwhich lies a serious message. He wasborn in the district of Hortu, in Sivrihisarin 1208 and died in Akşehir in 1284.He has acquired such mythical status,however, that fact and fiction have becomemuddled in the stories surrounding himand the anecdotes attributed to him. Hisstories refer to everyday situations amongstthe common people of Anatolia and hiswisdom opposes the stricter elements ofIslamic law with humour, as he bafflesthose around him with his logic. Manyof the stories feature his donkey, itself asymbol of suffering, which was an every-day part of village life.

Why He Sat On TheDonkey Backwards

One day, Nasrettin Hoca was ridinghome from the mosque on his donkey,with a large crowd behind him. Suddenly,

he got off the donkey, and got on againbackwards, facing the animal’s tail. Natu-rally, the people asked him what he wasdoing. He replied: ‘I thought about it,and decided to ride my donkey like this,because I have no time for disrespect. Ifyou move ahead of me, then you will beturning your back on me, which would beextremely disrespectful. If I go on ahead, Iwill be turning my back on you, and thatis also quite unacceptable. This way, I cango on ahead of you and you can followbehind, and we can still keep looking ateach other!’

Traditional�Sports

Cirit�Oyunu

This traditional game is a team event,involving two teams of horsemen, whothrow wooden javelins at each other toscore points. During the Ottoman periodit became a popular war game demonstrat-ing the bravery of its participants, withcompetitions held in the Hippodrome inİstanbul. Despite its popularity, it wasbanned in 1826 by SultanMahmut II, whoconsidered it to be too dangerous.Althoughit was still played regularly until about 50years ago, now it is only played in a fewregions to mark ceremonial occasions,mostly those around Erzurum and Karsin the east of Turkey, although it can alsostill be seen in Konya, in centralAnatolia,and in Balıkesir on the Aegean.

Kırkpınar�Yağlı�Güreş orGreased�Wrestling

This is the Turkish national sport, acompetitive wrestling tournament, mademore difficult by the fact that the combat-ants are smothered in oil. The competitorswear traditional black costumes and the

event is held every year in June in ameadow just outside Edirne. Known asKırkpınar, it literally means ‘Forty Spring’and is said to have been named after theforty Ottoman warriors who, in the 14thcentury, made the first crossing of theDardenelles into Europe.

Camel�Wrestling

It is thought that this sport has its originsin the nomadic tribes who depended oncamels for their livelihood. Today, it ismostly popular in theAydın region, wherecontests are held in the winter monthsfromDecember - March. Male camels arebred and trained specifically for wrestlingand must be of a certain type, known astülü camels. Contests are held under strictregulation to protect the welfare of theanimals who may only wrestle once perday in a match which lasts for only 10 or15 minutes.

The�Van Cat

Indigenous to the area around Lake Van,these fascinating cats are, sadly, becomingincreasingly rare. They are pure white andtypically have one amber and one blue eye(although they can also have two eyes ofeither colour). The other unusual featureof the Van cat is that it is the only speciesof cat which loves swimming and playingwith water.

Central to the religion is the sema, the ceremony,the climax of which is the whirling dance.


An increasing number ofvisitors to Turkey are discov-ering that there’s a greatdeal more to this country

than its fabulous beaches. Turkey is avast country with unique natural landscapesand a rich history and culture, the remains ofthe many civilisations which have inhabitedthis ancient land. To date, the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organiza-tion (UNESCO) has registered 9 locations inTurkey on the World heritage List.

The sites are:• Göreme National Park and theRock Sites of Cappadocia

• Great Mosque of Divriği• Historic Areas of Istanbul• Hattusha• Nemrut Dağ• Hierapolis-Pamukkale• Xanthos-Letoon• City of Safranbolu• Archaeological Site of Troy

The�unique�natural�and�historical�wonders�which�are�drawing��visitors�away�from�the�coast...

4Rock�dwellings�carved�into the�‘fairychimneys’�near�Nevşehir�in�Cappadocia.



relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


Göreme�National�Park�and�the�Rock�Sites of�Cappadocia

Some 30 million years ago, a series ofvolcanoes erupted in this area, the largest ofwhich was the now extinct Mount Erciyes.They spewed lava and volcanic ash over thelandscape which, as it solidified, turned into asoft stone known as tuff. Tuff is easily erodedby the elements, and over millions of years,the wind and the rain have formed the strangerock shapes which can be seen today. Knownin Turkish as peri bacaları or ‘fairy chimneys’they have been shaped into all manner ofstrange forms of all sizes, each contributingto the other-worldly atmosphere of this uniquelunar landscape. Man has added to the workof nature, the softness of the tuff allowingit to be easily carved out and excavated toform subterranean dwellings and troglodytevillages. The early Christians fled here, escap-ing persecution as early as the 4th century andbuilt their churches underground, hewn fromthe soft rock. A highlight of Cappadocia isthe Göreme Open Air Museum, which hasthe area’s greatest concentration of chapelsand monasteries cut out of the rock, datingmostly from the 9th century onwards.Many ofthem are decorated with beautiful Byzantinefrescoes, showing Biblical scenes, which havebeen carefully restored.For�further�information�on�Cappadocia�see�page�82

Great�Mosque�and�Hospital�of�Divriği

This region of easternAnatolia was conqueredby the Seljuk Turks at the beginning of the11th century and became the seat of theMengüceoğulları tribe. In 1228–29 EmirAhmet Shah, their leader, founded a mosque,with its adjoining hospital at Divriği. Thekülliye or mosque complex is one of the finestexamples of Seljuk stone carving and archi-tecture in Turkey.What makes it so unusual isthe intricate, highly decorative sculpture workfeaturing plants and animals, which seemto leap out of the stone. The doorways areparticularly ornate, which is in stark contrastto the plain walls of the interior. AlthoughDivriği should definitely be incorporatedinto any tour of eastern Turkey, it is a littleout of the way. It is approximately 160 kmssoutheast of Sivas, a 5 hour train journeyaway, and 8 hrs by train from Erzurum.For�further�information�on�Eastern�Anatolia�see�page�86.

Historic�Areas of�İstanbul

İstanbul is strategically placed at the cross-roads of Europe and Asia, guarding theentrance to the Black Sea. Its location hasensured its historic significance, and it hasbeen the capital of three empires: Roman,Byzantine and Ottoman. İstanbul is dividedby the Bosphorus straits which separateEurope fromAsia, and the historic peninsula,known as the Sultanahmet area is furtherset apart from the more modern centre ofİstanbul by the Golden Horn. This relativelysmall area, surrounded by water, at the pointwhere the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorusand the Golden Horn converge, is home to atreasure trove of historic riches. Its master-pieces include the ancient Hippodrome ofConstantine, the 6th-century Haghia Sophia(Ayasofya), Topkapı Palace, the BlueMosque(Sultan Ahmet Cami) and the 16th-centurySüleymaniye Mosque.For�further�information�on�İstanbul�see�page�76.

Hattusha or�Hattuşaş

The archaeological site of the ancient walledcity of Hattusha or Hattuşaş, former capital oftheHittite Empire, is one of themost importantinAnatolia.At the height of their power, around1300 BC, the Hittites had conquered most ofAnatolia and were rivalling the other greatpowers of the day, Egypt, Babylon andAssyria.Much of what we know about the Hittities hasbeen learned from the thousands of bronze andclay tabletswhichwere found at this site. Set ina National Park area in what is now known asBoğazköy, the city was built around 1600 BCon a strategic site, surrounded by deep ravines.Perhaps the most famous of its monumentsis the Lion’s Gate or Aslankapı, although thecarved lionswhich nowguard the site are onlycopies, as the originals are in the Museum ofAnatolianCivilisations inAnkara.Hattuşaşwasa hugely important city, originally containingsome 70 temples. The largest of these was theBüyük Mabet which has been extremely wellpreserved. It was dedicated to the worship ofTeshuba, the storm god, and Hebut, the sungoddess.Approximately 3kms away is the siteof the temple of Yazılıkaya, literally ‘stonewith writing’, named after the famous friezescarved into the rock face to the rear of the site,which depictHittite deities.The city ofHattuşaşwas destroyed around 1200 BC. The HattuşaşNational Park is located approximately 3hrseast ofAnkara near Cappadocia.For�further�information�on�Cappadocia�see�page�82.



relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file

3(top)�carvings�near�Hattuşaş.

3(middle) unusual�rock�formations�in�Cappadocia.

3(bottom) Ayasofya�museum,�Constantine’s Church�of�the�Divine�Wisdom.

5(main)�interior of�the�GreatMosque�at�Divriği.


Nemrut�Dağı

The image of the huge disembodied stoneheads of Mount Nemrut is one of Turkey’smost iconic. The site is remote, on a mountain-top some 2150metres high, so it is not entirelysurprising that it lay undiscovered until 1881,when it was found by a German engineer,carrying out a survey. The statues are part ofthe dream of oneman,Antiochus I (69–34 BC),who reigned over the Commagene kingdom.He certainly had delusions of grandeur, claim-ing to be descended fromAlexander the Greatand also the Persian king, Darius, and believedthat on his death he would join the god, Zeus,in heaven. The tomb and temple complexwhich he had built, consists of three terracescut into the north, east and west sides at thetop of the mountain and a sanctuary at thesummit. The terraces featured seated statuesof Greek and Persian gods, which were some26-33 feet tall. Even the best preserved hasbeen decapitated but the remains are still veryimpressive and in addition to the statues thereare a number of carved stone reliefs. The sitecan now be reached by road and the mostpopular times to visit are dawn and dusk.For�further�information�on�Eastern�Anatolia�see�page�86.

Hierapolis-Pamukkale

Pamukkale literally means ‘cotton castle’ andis one of Turkey’s most impressive naturalwonders. It is made up of a series of whitetravertine terraces cascading down a cliff,which is almost 200 metres high. The hard,white mineral deposits, which from a distanceresemble snow, are caused by the high mineralcontent of the natural spring water which runsdown the cliff and congregates in warm poolson the terraces. This is such a popular touristattraction that strict rules had to be establishedin order to preserve its beauty, which includethe fact that visitors may no longer walk on theterraces. Those who want to enjoy the thermalwaters, however, can take a dip in the nearbypool, littered with fragments of marble pillars.It was the thermal waters which lead to thefounding of the spa town of Hierapolis at theend of the 2nd century BC by the dynasty of theAttalids, the kings of Pergamon. The remainsinclude the ancient ruins of the baths, temples,the well-preserved theatre, and the largestnecropolis or graveyard in Anatolia contain-ing over 1200 tombs. It is easy to book anexcursion from any of the major beach resortsto visit Pamukkale, and this is sometimescombined with a visit to Ephesus.

Xanthos-Letoon

The remains of the ancient federation of Lycia,which encompassed some 19 independentcities, can be seen throughout the south-western corner of Turkey. Most prominentare their tombs, especially the rock tombs,often cut high into cliff faces, and representinga house for the dead. Xanthos, which is situatedclose to the village of Kınık between FethiyeandKalkan, became the capital of Lycia duringthe 2nd century BC. It is an impressive sitecontaining some excellent examples of Lyciantombs. It was here that a pillar inscribed in bothGreek and Lycian was found, which enabledthe Lycian language to be understood. Letoon,is approximately 4 kms fromXanthos and wasthe Lycian religious centre, where the templesof Leto, Apollo andArtemis were situated. Itis now partially flooded.For�further�information�on�Kalkan�see�page�66�and�on�Fethiye�see�page�58.

City of�Safranbolu

Safranbolu is renowned for its superb Ottomanhouses. It has become almost like an openair museum and is attracting more and moreinterest as the architecture which was once socommon is now disappearing from other partsof Turkey. From the 13th century to the adventof the railway, Safranbolu was an importantstop on the main East–West trade route, reach-ing the apogee of its cultural and economicsuccess in the Ottoman period, during the17th century. The city’s inhabitants becamewealthy and built themselves lavish houses,many of which still survive today. Some ofthe most interesting houses have been restoredand turned into museums, including KilecilerEvi, Mumtazlar Konağı and KaymakamlarMüze Evi. The public buildings too give anidea of the vast wealth of the city at that time.You should visit the Köprülü Mehmet PaşaMosque, which was completed in 1661; theCinci Hanı, the most famous building in theÇarşı district, which is a caravanserai datingback to 1645, and the Cinci Hamamı, a 17thcentury Turkish bath which is still in use today.Safranbolu is on the north-west Black Seacoast. It is approximately 4 hours fromAnkaraby bus and 5 hours from İstanbul.For�further�information�on�the�Black�Sea�region�see�page�84.

Archaeological�Site�of�Troy

The name of Troy is perhaps one of the bestknown and most evocative names of anyhistoric site in the world. Relatively few people

realise, however, that it is situated in Turkey,close to the town of Çanakkale at the entranceto the Dardanelles. Homer immortalized Troyin the Iliad, with his tale of passion, betrayaland cunning, and it is this, more than anythingelse which has afforded Troy its fame. Inrecognition of this, a replica wooden horsestands at the site. Troy is, however, also ofarchaeological significance.When the contro-versial German archaeologist, Schlieman,excavated at the end of the 19th century, hefound nine cities, built on top of each otherwhich date back to 3000 BC.Although heateddebate still continues it seems likely that thefortifications which can still be seen and whichdate from the 6th city, were those defended byPriam and his sons Hector and Paris, and intowhich the Greeks smuggled their infamouswooden horse.For�further�information�on�the�North�Aegean�see�page�70.

The�Seven�Wonders ofthe�Ancient�World

Two of these Wonders were situated in whatis nowTurkey, although sadly neither of themhas survived to the present day – the TempleofArtemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum ofHalicarnassus.

The�Temple�of�Artemis�at�Ephesus

TheTemplewas built to house the cult image ofArtemis Ephesia which shares many features incommon with theAnatolianMother Goddess,Cybele. The exact construction of the templeis not known but, although it was devastatedby fire in 262AD, some of its sculptures havesurvived and are now housed in the BritishMuseum in London.

The�Mausoleum�at�Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, in what isnowBodrum, was built of white marble, some135 feet high. It was the tomb of the PersianGovernor of Caria, Mausollos. The tomb’sfame spread to such an extent that the word‘mausoleum’ is taken from a corruption ofthe Latin form, Mausolus, of the governor’sname. Today, only the foundations remain,although some of the sculptures can be seenin the British Museum in London.

two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient Worldwere to be found in what is now Turkey



relaxa

tion

where�to�stay

fact�file


5(left) the�wooden�Ottoman�houses of�Safranbolu.

5(right) the�monumental�stone�heads of�Nemrut�Dağ.

4the�travertines of�Pamukkale.

Turkish Culture�and�Tourism�Office

t: 020 7629 7771e: [email protected]

www.gototurkey.co.uk

opening hours:�9.30-5.30�Monday to�Friday

history and culture

Documents