When one thinks of the high plateaus of Eastern Anatolia, the image of a Baltic village rarely comes to mind. However, the city of Kars holds a hidden chapter of history: a 19th-century migration of Estonians who transformed the region’s landscape, architecture, and world-famous dairy industry. The 93 War and the Great Migration (1877-1886) The story begins with the Russo-Turkish …
Imagine boarding a train in Istanbul and riding it all the way to Madine across Anatolia, through war affected Syria, past the rose red city of Petra in Jordan and into the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. For a brief window in history, this journey was real. And now, more than a century later, it may be possible again. In …
In the 16th-century Ottoman Empire, adultery, abduction, forced marriage, and sexual assault were treated not only as moral or religious transgressions but also as offenses against public order. Sanctions were designed to be both punitive and exemplary. Public humiliation, corporal punishment, mutilation, and monetary fines could all be imposed depending on the nature of the offense and the status of …
In the autumn of 1865, two Ottoman corvettes – Bursa and İzmir – set sail from Istanbul on a mission that should have been unremarkable: a long but well-charted voyage around the Cape of Africa to reach Basra in the Persian Gulf. The Suez Canal had not yet been opened, so the route demanded sailing the full length of the Atlantic. Aboard …
Sultan Abdulhamid II, who took his personal passion for carpentry a step further after ascending to the throne, practically turned introducing and teaching Western-style furniture across the empire into a state policy. From Traditional Interiors to Western-style Furniture In the Ottoman Empire, which had sustained its traditional interior design identity for centuries, modernization brought a rupture: there was now a …
We know you are already familiar with the fact that first animal hospital in the world was built on the fertile soil of Anatolia. What about a book hospital? Yes, there is one in Istanbul! Books are far more than ink on paper -they are silent witnesses to the past, carriers of knowledge, culture, and spirit across the ages. But …
With its deep-rooted cultural richness, Turkey projects many Ramadan traditions and values into the present day. As the month of Ramadan begins, we have listed enduring Ramadan customs -passed down from generation to generation- that reinforce social solidarity, strengthen communal unity, and contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage. Mahyas on Mosque Minarets Although the tradition of lighting oil lamps …
As the sun sets during Ramadan, a powerful sound breaks the silence: a cannon fires, signaling that it is time to break the fast. The iftar cannon tradition is more than a timekeeping method: it is a ritual rooted in history, empire, and communal identity. But where did this dramatic Ramadan custom begin? The exact origin of the Ramadan cannon …
Reaching the tomb of Yavaşça Şahin Paşa -who famously marched ships over land during the conquest of Istanbul– is nearly as difficult as marching ships over land itself. As the roads rose over the years and the mosque courtyard shrank, it has become almost impossible to reach his grave. Yavaşça Şahin Paşa (Mehmet Ali Paşa) is one of the lesser-known …
Color plays a pivotal role in Turkish vernacular architecture. The hues chosen for traditional Turkish homes mirror not only aesthetic preferences but also regional materials, climate adaptations, and deep-rooted customs. Widespread across Anatolia, these color palettes enrich our understanding of local identity. Regional Color Stories Aegean & Mediterranean: White & Blue Whitewashed “sugar‑cube” houses, commonly seen in Bodrum and the …