The Divânu Lügati’t-Türk is one of the most important works in the history of the Turkish language. Compiled by Kaşgarlı Mahmud between 1072 and 1074, it is far more than a dictionary; it offers a detailed cultural, literary, and geographical portrait of the 11th-century Turkic world. Written in Arabic to introduce Turkic languages to the Arab world, it contains over …
The geography of Anatolia spans thousands of years and is one of the most fortunate regions of the world in terms of nature. Many beautiful mountains, rivers, and lakes are located in Anatolia. We have compiled a list of Turkey’s most beautiful lakes, which provide the perfect setting for camping or spending a weekend break at the water’s edge.
Located in the region of Eastern Anatolia, Van is one of the biggest provinces in the region.
Women in Istanbul protested the high cost of living and the shortage of meat for the first time on 13 May 1808. They marched to the house of the Istanbul Qadi (chief judge), waving poles with pieces of liver -the cheapest meat at the time- tied to the ends, along with empty pots and pans they had grabbed, as a …
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 …
Karagöz and Hacivat is a traditional Turkish shadow theatre based on the principle of moving human, animal, or object figures (called tasvir) made from camel or water buffalo hide by attaching them to rods and projecting them onto a white screen using light from behind. A hayali performs the Karagöz. The hayali is both narrator and creator of the performance, …
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 …
Let’s not say impossible; because they exist. The Kipchaks, who spoke Turkic, were like this. Russians called them Polovets, Byzantines Kumans, Hungarians Kun, and the Mongols and Chinese called them Kipchak. The blond Turks themselves used the names Kıpçak or Kıbçak. In Islamic history, they’re also known as Kipchaks. Russian historian Gumilev traces their blondness to Europoid ancestors, suggesting that …