Search Results for: mus

Unkapanı and Istanbul’s Record Sellers Bazaar: The Rise and Fall of a Music Hub

Technology is rapidly evolving in the present day; even the concept of tape reminiscent of ancient times is unknown to today’s youth. For this reason, we need to explain what a long play record is to today’s youngsters who do not even know the tape in order to tell where the name of Unkapanı Plakçılar Çarşısı (Unkapanı Bazaar of Music …

Istanbul Museums and Modern Arts

Modern art was born by an urge to show the painter’s depth of imagination and firstborn of that philosophy. The trend was later integrated beyond paintings to other social spaces, with the aim of destroying traditional artistic confines. Historical, political, and social events play a major role in the formation of modern art, where the painter actually expresses his feelings …

Motivating the Army with Music: Mehterân

Mehterân (in Ottoman Turkish) is the first and only band in the world that ever motivated the army with music. A look at history shows us that the band, which consisted of percussion and woodwind instruments, was called “Tuğ” in the Huns period and later that changed to “Mehter” after Fatih. The band existed to announce the voice to the …

Safranbolu: A Living Museum of Ottoman Architecture and Culture: Safranbolu: A Living Museum of Ottoman Architecture and Culture

Safranbolu is a typical and preserved Ottoman town in the northwestern part of Turkey. With its cobbled streets, narrow passes and centuries-old houses, the town is a popular destination for tourists in Karabük. It had been on the trade route between Black Sea and big cities like Constantinople in 17th. Century. Accumulating enough wealth, local traders built beautiful mansions, not …

Muş City Guide: Muş City Guide

Located in the Eastern Anatolia Region of our country, Muş is a very historic city. The Urartians were the first to establish civilization in the history of Muş back in the 2000s BC. Later, Assyrians, Scythians, Medes, Persians, and Macedonians acquired Muş. The city, which was pursued by the Romans for a period of time, later became one of the …

Gümüşhane City Guide: Gümüşhane City Guide

Gümüşhane acts as a bridge with East, South, and Central Anatolia. The city, located on the Silk Road, was named as land (hane) of silver (gümüş) at the time of the Romans, and its name remained as Gümüşhane. The Assyrians, Persians, Medes, Urartu, Macedonians, Pontus, and Romans ruled in these lands. It also served as an important city during the …

Pope Francis’s Iznik Pilgrimage Revives the Legacy of the Nicene Creed

Pope Francis’s recent pilgrimage to Iznik, modern-day Turkey, has cast a brilliant spotlight on one of Christianity’s most foundational texts: the Nicene Creed. Once known as Nicaea, this historic city was the crucible where the early Church wrestled with profound theological questions, culminating in the formulation of the Creed that defines Christian doctrine to this day. This papal visit is …

Istanbul’s Sweet Map: The City’s Tastiest Heritage Stops

For centuries, Istanbul has been not only a crossroads of trade and culture but also a meeting point for lovers of sweets. The refinement of the Ottoman palace kitchen, the craftsmanship of neighborhood confectioners, and the elegance of Levantine patisseries have all come together in this city. As you stroll through its historic streets, the confectionery shops you encounter are …

Traditional Turkish Folk Dances

One of the most colorful and dynamic reflections of Turkish culture is undoubtedly traditional folk dances. These dances are not merely aesthetic performances; they are cultural heritage elements that reflect the lifestyle, history, nature, and social structure of each region. This rich dance tradition, collected from all corners of Anatolia, is passed down from generation to generation, contributing to the …

Refuge in Turkey: How Atatürk Sheltered Nazi-Era Scientists

In the early 1930s, Europe was entering one of its darkest periods. With Hitler’s rise to power in 1933, Nazi policies rapidly targeted Jews, intellectuals, and political dissidents. Among those most at risk were leading scientists, suddenly dismissed from their positions and threatened with imprisonment. It was in this climate of fear that Professor Philipp Schwartz fled to Switzerland and …