Experiences labelled with 'turkey'
Istanbul's Hagia Sophia ("Church of Holy Wisdom") is considered to be an enduring, majestic symbol of the Byzantine Empire. At an astonishing 1,475 years old, the Hagia Sophia changed the face of architecture and merged religions. Originally an Orthodox Christian basilica, the building was constructed over five years by 10,000 workers on the orders of Emperor Justinian I in 532-7 AD. The Hagia Sophia was then the seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople for almost all of its first millennium. In 1453, Istanbul was conquered by the Ottoman Turks, and the Hagia Sophia was ordered to be converted into a mosque. It remained so until 1935, when the Turkish government declared the Hagia Sophia a museum. For over a thousand years it was the largest ...
Even the most frugal of travellers usually end up with some sort of souvenir in their backpacks when they return home. Whether it’s a ticket stub from a music festival, or a hand-made piece of jewellery, chances are you'll come home with a treasure that encapsulates a unique travel experience. Looking for a particular souvenir can also become an adventure in itself, which is what happened while I was in Turkey. I ended up learning a ton about finding, bartering, and eventually buying your very own Turkish rug. The main difference between a rug and a carpet is the size: rugs being the smaller of the two. Turkish rugs (called “kilims”) are flat, tapestry-woven pieces found throughout the Balkans, and are easily identifiable by their ...
Visiting the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is at the top of the list on most tourist itineraries, coming in a close second maybe only to Hagia Sophia. But while visiting the Turkish capital, you might receive mixed reviews of the legendary Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. Some Turks describe it as being as close to a real Turkish market as McDonald's is to fine dining. But throughout much raving or regretting of this experience, you just have to see this spectacular merchant mini-city with your own eyes. The Grand Bazaar (or “Kapalı Çarşı” in Turkish), means “covered bazaar". It has humble beginnings as a small masonry market enclosure called a “bedesten,” built in 1455 during the reign of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. Located in the heart ...
Some of the greatest moments of a trip are not the ones that you plan, but those unexpected experiences that arise from keeping an open mind and a relatively loose itinerary. The ancient ruins of Ephesus are one such experience. The history of Ephesus is beyond impressive—it’s a literal palimpsest of human history, and evidence of human presence dates as far back as 6,000 years to the Neolithic age. Ephesus continued to grow and prosper until its decline in the Turkish area in the 15th Century. As the largest and best-preserved classical city ruins of the Eastern Mediterranean, Ephesus gets tons of tourist traffic; and given that the farthest entrance to the ancient city of Ephesus is situated approximately 5km outside of the nearest “living” ...
Stepping inside Istanbul's Sultanahmet Camii—commonly known as the Blue Mosque—is a unique experience. It is immediately apparent that this breathtaking building not only stores memories from centuries of Turkish history, but as an active mosque, the Blue Mosque remains central to Turkey’s ongoing story. Built in the early 17th Century AD during the reign of Ahmed I, The Blue Mosque faces Hagia Sophia and the Hippodrome, alluding to its important historical role in the city. Sections of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque were built on parts of the foundation of the Great Palace, the royal residence of Byzantine Emperors from (303 BC–1081 AD), when Istanbul was known as Constantinople. The architecture is beyond grand, and once you have entered the Sultanahmet mosque through the rear entrance ...
The beautiful Kursunlu Waterfalls in the Kursunlu National Park of Turkey is commonly known as the Kursunlu Selalasi Tabiat Park within the country. Located in the Antalya region, Kursunlu National Park is spread over 33 hectares of land, and there are half a dozen bodies of water in the area that are connected by the Kursunlu Waterfalls, which is itself a tributary of the Aksu River, and is surrounded by a pine forest. Kursunlu Waterfalls is the most exquisite beauty spot in Turkey. The best time to visit the Kursunlu Waterfalls is during the Mediterranean summer, more notably, April and May. Daily visits are arranged to Kursunlu National Park, and there is vast countryside around the waterfalls that can serve as a wonderful picnic area. ...
In the far northwest Turkish province of Edirne, it’s over 40 degrees at the height of summer, leaving competitors of the Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival, as well as the crowd, sobered by the heat. The ancient Ottoman drums beat slowly at first, and the sound mimics the heart rhythms of the two remaining wrestlers (Pehlivans) who are leaning brow to brow in a defiant arch. They are dripping in olive oil; naked save for a pair of water buffalo leather pants (kispet). On the spacious grassy arena, apply named “Field of the Brave,” the Kirkpinar Oil wrestlers occupy a small patch under the forgiving shade of an enormous Turkish flag. They begin, tactfully and swiftly, reaching for their opponents undergarments. Then, all at once, one ...
