Search Results for: greeks

The Greek Soldiers Executed for Refusing to Kill Turks in 1921

Wars live on through their battles, commanders, and body counts. Rarely, though, do we stop to recall the soldiers who said no men who looked across a rifle barrel and chose not to pull the trigger. Not because they were cowards. Because they saw a human being on the other side. In the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922, one such group …

The Phenomenon of Migration and the Jewish Diaspora in Anatolia

Collective housing specific to the Jewish diaspora is one of the accommodation methods developed by a community facing exile pressure, shaped by the experiences gained across different geographies. The Jewish exile and mass Jewish migrations, which resulted in intensive Jewish settlement in Anatolia, took place over three distinct periods under different conditions. The first was the great Jewish exile that began …

The Dish of Rich and Poor: Menemen

The dish that is dearly loved by the people of Menemen (town in İzmir) gradually began to be tasted by newcomers to the town, and their appreciation of it spread to other cities across Anatolia. If you ask what the staple of Anatolian cuisine is, one would say it’s the tomato. Tomato adds flavor to almost every Turkish recipe. Turkey is …

Temple of Artemis in Ephesus: History, Architecture, and Mythology

The Temple of Artemis (Greek: Artemision; Latin: Artemisium) is also known as the Temple of Diana. Dedicated to the goddess Artemis, the temple was completed around 550 BCE in Ephesus. The temple was built entirely of marble. Today, only a few marble fragments remain from the temple, which was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The …

Gökçeada (Imbros) Travel Guide

Holding the distinction of being Turkey’s largest island, Gökçeada encompasses numerous important historical and natural beauties within its 286 square kilometers of land and a coastline stretching for 95 kilometers. Situated north of the Aegean Sea, Gökçeada has been within the borders of the Republic of Turkey since 1923, belonging to Çanakkale. With its rich history, natural beauty, and several …

Bozcaada Travel Guide

Bozcaada is an island district of Çanakkale Province, located in the Aegean Sea. It is the third largest island in Turkey after Gökçeada and Marmara Island. Bozcaada is easily accessible from major cities like Istanbul, Izmir, and Bursa, making it a popular weekend getaway destination. A Brief History of Bozcaada With roots stretching back to the Trojan Wars, Bozcaada has …

Jewish Culture in Turkey: A Journey Through History, Heritage, and Community

Turkey has a unique multi-cultural structure, and yet it boasts a legitimate unity, which proves to be quite an important element. Jewish culture, adapted to contemporary life while preserving the religion, constitutes one link in this chain. The history of Jewish people in Turkey dates back almost 2,400 years. Turkish Jews are one of the biggest non-Muslim communities in the …

Black Sea Chronicles: Exploring Eastern Black Sea Traditions, People & Dialects

Written history documentaries bring light to extant ethnic origins of the Eastern Black Sea origins. In the archaic age, the cultural structure of the Eastern Black Sea was expressed by the term “kolhi” After about 1,000 years had passed, in the Byzantine period, the “Lazi” terminology took over. In history, these names were represented not only as tribes but also …

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Turkey

Turkey’s name is in the World Heritage list, a compilation determined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); its natural and cultural assets are under protection. The natural and cultural sites in Turkey number 22 total, according to UNESCO.

Kayaköy: Exploring Turkey’s Ghost Town of Stone Art & Abandoned Beauty

Fethiye is one the most popular tourist attractions in Turkey. Fethiye/Kayaköy has been home to many civilizations in the past, including Phrygians, Lydians, Persians, Hellenistic Kingdoms, Romans, and Byzantines. According to the findings obtained around Kayaköy, it was used as a settlement in ancient times, too. Rock tomb structures prove that this region also existed in the Phrygian period. Kayaköy, …