I was in Turkey

History

Hagia Sophia’s History – A cathedral, mosque and museum
Written by Casey on November 8th, 2011 in History, I was in Turkey, Religions in Turkey, Travel, World Heritage3 Comments

Hagia Sophia was such an architectural feat of its time that Emperor Justinian I supposedly declared ‘Oh, Solomon I have outdone thee!’ It’s the only building in the world to have served as a Catholic Cathedral, as well as hold the seat of Greek Orthodox Christianity and Sunni Islam. Known as many names, to English it’s ‘The Church of the Holy Wisdom’, to Greeks as ‘Hagia Sophia’, ‘Saint Sophia’ in Latin and ‘Ayasofya’ or ‘Aya Sofya’ in Turkish. From cathedral to mosque to museum, it’s no surprise that it’s universally acknowledged as one of the great buildings of the world....

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Izmir: The Center of It All
Written by Valantis on October 23rd, 2011 in Eat & Drink, History, Living in TurkeyNo comments yet

Many questioned me when I explained that I was moving to Izmir. The automatic, almost robotic response was, and still is sometimes “Why not Istanbul?” Of course, Istanbul is a city unparalleled in history, architecture, and food. It’s a globalized city, as you will see from the explosion of capitalistic shopping centers and eatery chains. In many ways, Istanbul does have it all. But I would argue that Izmir has an edge over Istanbul in terms of living and lifestyle, due to its location and environment, which still makes it the pearl of the Aegean. The positive aspects about the...

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The Many Historical Names of Istanbul
Written by Casey on September 2nd, 2011 in History, Religions in Turkey4 Comments

A quick guide to the transient names of Istanbul over its history. With a transient past of ownership and religions, it’s no surprise the city of Istanbul has a chronicle of names. Trace the history of Istanbul’s names as it changed from the hands of Byzantines to Latin Crusaders, from Ottomans to Turks.

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Pastimes at Pierre Loti
Written by Casey on July 4th, 2011 in History, I was in Turkey, Travel4 Comments

Unlike its Bosphorus brother, the Golden Horn did not inherit bold beauty, luxury mansions, suave cafes and swanky restaurants. Having spent the better past of history remaking its image, it now offers clean and quiet tranquility that attracts local crowds to its shores. Watching over the Golden Horn’s fight for survival, a little hilltop cafe stood steadfast and dedicated, Pierre Loti Cafe. This lookout point and café has continued to attract visitors to its humble dwellings for offering the best views of the Golden Horn. As the sunset truly burns the waters golden, the ethereal beauty is not lost as...

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Büyükdere: An Erstwhile Cosmopolitan Enclave on Bosporus
Written by OnurInal on September 27th, 2010 in HistoryNo comments yet

Büyükdere, the most northerly borough of Istanbul, is one of the historic neighborhoods on the European side of the Bosporus. It is famous for its beautiful promenade, wooden houses, cafes and fish restaurants. As most of the settlements on the upper Bosporus, Büyükdere had long been a cosmopolitan enclave. After a French ambassador had obtained the Sultan’s permission for the settlement of foreigners in this area, the bay of Büyükdere and the nearby Belgrade Forest was discovered by the embassies and their entourage in the second half of the 18th century. The ethno-confessional make-up of the emerging settlements in the...

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Turkish-Greek Friendship Concert of Izmir
Written by Valantis on September 2nd, 2010 in History, Living in Turkey3 Comments

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a very special concert in Izmir. “Egen’nin iki yakasindan esintiler: Turkiye-Yunanistan Dostluk Konseri”, which translates to “Aegean’s two breezes on the Seashore: Turkish-Greek Friendship Concert”. Combining the traditional musical styles of both cultures, the night was capped off with musical pieces sung together in both Greek and Turkish. After having discovered about the concert from the Greek Consulate in downtown Izmir, I was excited to tell my fiancé about the event. Coming from a Greek background, and her being Turkish, the concert reflected one of the many beautiful aspects of our...

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Nargile: Lounging with the Sultans
Written by Valantis on August 5th, 2010 in Eat & Drink, History, Turkish Culture1 Comment

One of my favorite ways to relax is to have a good Turkish nargile while drinking endless glasses of Turkish tea. Nargile, the famous tobacco waterpipe staple of the Middle East is finding a bigger craze than ever around the world, but there is a special feeling you get when lounging with it in Turkey. When Izmir Bay is your view, and Aegean music is playing in the background, you couldn’t ask for a better way to relax and enjoy life. Many wonder where nargile comes from. After doing a little research, I found out that nargile was invented in...

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History on Horseback: The Evliya Çelebi Way
Written by OnurInal on July 6th, 2010 in History, World Heritage1 Comment

In my previous post, I talked about Evliya Çelebi, a Turkish traveler who journeyed through the territory of the Ottoman Empire and neighboring lands over a period of forty years in the 17th century, whom the UNESCO has recognized as “Man of the Year” in 2011. Now, I want to tell you the Evliya Çelebi Way, a new cultural route through the Anatolia countryside. The Evliya Çelebi Way is an international project that has two connected goals: historical re-enactment and cultural re-connection by establishing cultural routes in Western and Southeastern Anatolia. The first central goal, historical re-enactment, is aimed to...

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Mastic: The Aegean’s Ingredient that Bonds Two Cultures
Written by Valantis on July 2nd, 2010 in History2 Comments

The Greek island of Chios (Sakiz in Turkish) lies off the coast of Izmir, directly across the shore of Çesme. For years, there has been a special connection between the island and the port city that surpasses any political barrier between the two countries. It’s a little magical piece of nature, and it’s called Mastic. Dripping off the trees in Chios is a natural gum called mastic, which is indigenous to the island. Mastic, from the ancient Greek word mastixa, means “gnashing of teeth”. Today, we have the word masticate in English for such a meaning. The Turkish name for...

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Evliya Çelebi, “Man of the Year” in 2011
Written by OnurInal on June 25th, 2010 in History1 Comment

In 1671, a man with a passion to travel and document departed from Istanbul for the Arabian lands. His purpose was to undertake the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. However, his route was so circuitous that his journey took twice as long as he originally expected, but the experiences he had were absolutely unbelievable! He wrote extensively about his journey in the ninth volume of his famous Book of Travels called the Seyahatname. This man was Evliya Çelebi, whom the UNESCO has recognized as “Man of the Year” in 2011. Nowadays, he is a part of an exhibition...

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