It is estimated that the settlement in Istanbul dates back to 3000 years with the recent excavations. The city was engraved in the memory of world history with the name of Constantinople during the prehistoric times and the period of foundation. The city was also home to the Eastern Roman Empire. Istanbul was raided many times throughout its history, and …
There are great routes that can take you away from the rat race and crowds of Istanbul for a day. At most, 3 hours of travel will be enough for these sightseeing routes around Istanbul.
The food culture of a city actually includes both food and beverage. That’s why the more varied and complex settlement pockets there are in a city, the more ethnic varieties in food and beverages that one can find there. Istanbul has many different street foods a visitor can try and feel the culture.
Nail Çakırhan was born in 1910 in the Ula district of Muğla, Turkey. His father traced their lineage back twelve generations through gravestones and discovered that their roots extended to Arabia. Çakırhan believed that his ancestors may have descended from Janissaries who passed through Ula during Suleiman the Magnificent’s 1522 Rhodes campaign and decided to settle in the area. When …
When we think of global pop sensations, we rarely expect a Turkish singer to dominate the Latin American charts. Yet in the late 1990s, Tarkan, Turkey’s pop icon, did just that, bridging continents, languages, and cultures with a single hit. From Istanbul to International Fame Born Tarkan Tevetoğlu in 1972 in Germany, Tarkan moved to Turkey in his teens and …
Endemic plants are species that grow naturally in a specific region and nowhere else in the world. Thanks to its geographical diversity and climate variety, Turkey is one of the countries with the highest number of endemic plants in the world. The country hosts approximately 12,000 plant species, around 3,000 of which are endemic. In this article, you will discover …
Istanbul, as the capital of the Ottoman Empire, had grown into a densely populated city. Wars, migrations, and the concentration of soldiers and bureaucrats significantly increased the demand for bread, making the establishment of bread factories a necessity. Bread is one of the oldest, most fundamental, and essential food items known to humanity. During the Ottoman period, the need for …
With its thousands of legends, Istanbul is one of the most talked-about cities among world travelers. And the Maiden’s Tower (Kız Kulesi) is among the first places that come to mind when Istanbul is mentioned. This elegant tower, located 200 meters off the Asian shores of the city, directly opposite Üsküdar, remains a mystery in many ways—why and when it …
Despite the fast pace of modern life and the rise of apartment living, Diyarbakır has preserved a unique and deeply rooted pigeon-keeping culture. Thousands in the city continue to care for pigeons they lovingly call their “silent confidants.” Diyarbakır Pigeon Hotels: A Shelter in the City As apartment life restricts keeping birds at home, pigeon enthusiasts rent space in “pigeon …
Evliya Çelebi, the greatest traveler in Turkish and world history and the author of the greatest travel book, was born in Istanbul on March 25, 1611. His ancestors were from Kütahya, and his father was Derviş Mehmed Zıllî Efendi, the head jeweler of the Imperial Palace (Saray-ı Âmire). His mother was of Abkhaz origin and related to Grand Vizier Melek …