In places like the UK, approximately 11 million loaves of bread are bought daily by 99.8% of the households. Ever since its discovery, bread became a daily breakfast meal for most people all over the world. There are many types of bread with a range of tastes and flavors as diverse as the cultures of […]
Humans beings have been fascinated with death; in particular, the underworld. No matter what religion or belief, people across the world have varying thoughts on what happens to us after we die. While we don’t know for sure what happens in the afterlife, there are places scattered in different nations where you can perhaps get […]
The beautiful terraced gardens behind Beylerbeyi Palace used to be known as the Gardens of the Cross because of a cross erected here by Constantine the Great. From Byzantine times onwards, numerous magnificent buildings were constructed here, enhancing the beauty of nature with that of architecture. The sun shone brightly and a gentle breeze was […]
A local dance that used to be performed in Taskale is described by Cenk Gencdis in his book about the town. Two people dressed up as a camel in a costume made of sacking. A wise man wearing a white robe would appear first and behind him the camel, and then the camel’s owner, an […]
While the neighborhood of Balat Istanbul has a rich history and is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, less than 1% of travelers to Turkey visit it. Have you heard of the “Neighborhoods of Faith”? Fatih, Fener, and Balat are where different religions and communities live in harmony to create a cultural melting pot. Are […]
You’ve probably seen the iconic evil eye symbol a hundred different times and paid no mind to it. Or, you’ve pondered its meaning and the history behind it. In fact, you may even own a piece of jewelry with the evil eye symbol but not thought twice about its actual meaning- only that it looked […]
Topkapi Palace was the splendid home of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years, built by Mehmed II the Conqueror (1451-1481), and from 1478 onwards used both as an imperial residence and the seat of government. Events at Topkapi Palace determined the destiny of the most far-flung parts of the empire. Here decisions to go to […]
Musicians announce their approach. The roar of the crowd and the noise of music can be heard outside the arena and even in distant neighborhoods of the city. Dressed in magnificent rented costumes the gladiators descend from their litters for the first and perhaps the last time. Seated in the state in the tribunes, magnates, […]
According to Sumerologist Dr. Muazzez Ilmiye Cig, celebrating the New Year’s Eve is not something new for Turkish people. It has rather been a culture to decorate the pine tree which also represents the “Tree of Life” that rose in the sky from the center of the earth. What Comes Around Goes Around The celebration […]
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 […]
