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 …
The word “Dalyan” traditionally refers to a large fishing weir built near coastal areas, lakes, and rivers. This tranquil town in the Ortaca district of Muğla takes its name from such traditional fishing structures found along the Dalyan River. In fact, the river itself likely inherited the name from these local practices. While fishing was once the region’s primary livelihood, …
“…There are many notable citizens and cavalrymen… The city has 17 neighborhoods. Its houses are connected, with gardens, and prosperous… Surrounded by roses, flower gardens, orchards, and fields, it is a city with abundant grains…” This observation comes from the famous traveler Evliya Çelebi in the 16th century. While Odunpazarı today looks very different from the thriving settlement described back …
In Bergama, there lies an ancient city where the most advanced medical techniques of its time were practiced, healing both body and mind: Asklepion. Located in the Bergama district of İzmir, this center is known as one of the most important health and healing temples of the Ancient Era. Dedicated to Asklepios, the god of medicine in Ancient Greece, Asklepion …
Few works in Turkish cultural history blur the boundary between scholarship and personal obsession as vividly as Reşad Ekrem Koçu’s İstanbul Ansiklopedisi (Encyclopedia of Istanbul). Begun in 1944 and left unfinished three decades later, the encyclopedia was envisioned as a definitive record of the city but grew into something far more eccentric: a mosaic of forgotten trades, neighborhood stories, eccentric …
From the Aegean coast to the Black Sea mountains, Turkey is home to picturesque villages rich in history, nature, and authentic local cuisine. Below is a curated list of 11 must-visit beautiful Turkish villages, with details on why they attract tourists, how to get there, what to eat, and where to explore. Şirince, İzmir Why Visit: Known for its stone …
One of the greatest travelers in the world, Ibn Battuta, traveled to various parts of the world for 28 years. Surpassing even Marco Polo in both the scope of his travels and his detailed accounts, one of the regions he visited was Anatolia. He praised Anatolia with the words: “This land known as the Land of the Romans (Rum) is …
Until recently, it was believed that beer was discovered in Egypt around 5,000 years ago and spread to other regions from there. However, increasing research over the past decade suggests that origins of beer was an innovation of pre-agricultural hunter-gatherer societies, dating back 12,000 to 13,000 years. Advances in archaeology show that beer is humanity’s oldest beverage, and Anatolia played …
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 …
Melceü’t-Tabbâhîn, one of the earliest written sources reflecting the richness and elegance of Ottoman culinary culture, is among the most valuable works in the history of Turkish cuisine. Written by Mehmed Kâmil in the mid-19th century, this work is not merely a cookbook; it is also an important source that describes the social life and culinary habits of the period. …