Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha, aka Hızır Reis, was born on Midilli Island at the beginning of the 1470s. The name Hayrettin was given him by Suleyman the Magnificent (Kanuni Sultan Süleyman) for services he had done. It means “good for religion.” After leaving business and commerce professions, Barbaros started sailing; in the 1520s, he organized raids to the Mediterranean shores and …
Combining truth and legend, with black eye patches and black skull flags, pirates are the fearful nightmares of sailors. Nowadays, pirates depicted in movies are barbarian haramis who seize the ships for the booty, especially in the open seas, and kill people mercilessly. However, the term Pirate in the Ottoman evokes many different meanings. Would it surprise you if we …
The trend of nostalgia in the consumption of contemporary culture has been experiencing intense popularity in recent years. The styles of past times are sought in many scenes, from clothing to artificial architecture to music. In this respect, Classic Turkish Music draws attention with both its source and its inhabitants. Though historians and musicologists cannot agree on many points, the …
Although it is known in geography and astronomy education that Greenwich is the starter meridian, it was the Million Stone in Sultanahmet during the Roman Empire era. Later, Hagia Sophia served as the starting meridian to determine the time. While the information about time and astronomy changes day by day, the institutions we call timing rooms draw attention as the …
I seem to hear that many who read the title smile and say, “Would it be candy’s policy?”. However, if the subject is Ottoman and Ancestry, each word carries a different meaning and is selected carefully. Especially, during the bairam days we remember the rock candy (akide şekeri), and now it has a nostalgic value. It will attract your attention …
In the 19th century, which was described as the most fervent period of the Ottoman for opening to the west, an Armenian family greatly influenced the architecture, which is still seen in present day.The Armenian architects called as the Balyan Family were held in high honor by the high state officials of the Ottoman in the 19th century. An enormous …
Woodcarving, which is one of the most popular artistic branches of Turkish handicrafts, has been used in the construction of the mosques, and our architectural history has brought dazzling works. Among these are the wooden mosques built without nails, which we have seen in Turkey. Here is a compilation of some of those mosques, which were made in Seljuk and …
The biggest contributor to the secularization of the Turkish legal system is a French citizen of Polish descent named Count Leon Ostrorog.
Fatih, which is one of the districts where conservatism is most intense in Istanbul, embodies a different structure, which is shaped around Fatih Mosque. After the conquest of Istanbul, Fatih Sultan Mehmet, built the mosque on top of the remains of the Havariyyun Church (the Holy Apostles Church), considered highly sacred to Rome.
Different activities and festivals have been going on for a long time on all sides of Anatolia. The Mesir Paste Festival, which has been held for almost 500 years, is one of the longest-running traditions among these festivals. The Manisa Mesir Paste Festival was included on UNESCO’s list of cultural heritage in 2012 and is celebrated with great enthusiasm annually …