Most of Istanbul’s children do not realize that Hans Andersen, whose stories have opened the doors to a world of fantasy, visited Istanbul. The Danish writer describes his first sight of the city with a metaphor worthy of a storyteller, likening each mosque with its dome and minarets to Noah’s Ark. Istanbul is a city […]
The Seljuk sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I, whose reign marked the height of power and prosperity for the Anatolian Seljuks, died in 1237. From that time on the state slid into decline. As if repeated Mongol incursions were not enough, internal power struggles undermined the foundations of the state and sectarian quarrels divided the population. When […]
Turkey is a land which has been home to many civilizations, and even in its remotest mountains and valleys are found traces of a past going back thousands of years. Some of the civilizations are well known, but others still guard their secrets. Hundreds of archaeologists labor ceaselessly to discover them. With picks, spades, and […]
For thousands of years, Turkic people spread far and wide across Eurasia, but Mongolia is of particular importance in the study of Turkish history on account of the numerous ancient monuments which provide valuable evidence for archaeologists, linguists, and anthropologists. The inscriptions on these monuments are the earliest documents in the Turkish language and throw […]
Under a white carpet of snow, Cappadocia is, if possible, even more beautiful. Wandering through Guvercinlik Valley with its stone spires or climbing the icebound steps of Uchisar Castle, you feel as if you have come to a magical winter wonderland. In the still cold air, you can see your breath and hear the whisper […]
Theirs was a tranquil land. They engaged in no great battles that changed the course of history, boasted of no marvelous achievements, nor put up heroic stands against conquering armies that became the stuff of legend. Instead, they busied themselves in their fields and produced olive oil. Compared to their neighbors, the enterprising Ionians, they […]
The former Greek village of Kayakoy makes a striking impression on visitors, with its stone houses and churches, narrow streets, and spectacular setting. To get to this ghost town in southwestern Turkey, take the road from Fethiye towards Oludeniz Lagoon, and when you reach Hisaronu follow the signposts to Karymlassos. Five kilometers further on, you […]
Reedbeds consist not only of reeds but of a broad diversity of plants that thrive in wetland conditions. This type of vegetation can cover large areas of shallow lakes or just the inshore areas of deep lakes. Examples of the former in Turkey are the Eber, Aksehir, and Karamik lakes, and of the latter Beysehir […]
The earliest known burials were carried out by Neanderthal man who lived between 150,000 and 60,000 years ago. These early human beings discovered how to use tools and control fire, and that they also buried their dead was proved by excavations in the Zagros Mountains in northern Iraq in the 1960s. Analysis of soil samples […]
In Greek mythology, Mount Olympus was the home of the gods, and nearly twenty mountains in Anatolia and Greece were given this name. One of these is Mount Tahtali in the Olympus-Beydaglari National Park. Although at a height of 2374 meters the mountain is not of a great altitude compared to many others in Turkey, […]
