Turkish Alparslan (“Courageous Lion”), the original name ‘Adud Al-Dawla Abu Shuja’ Muhammad Ibn Da’ud Chaghribeg, the second sultan of the Seljuq Turks (1063-72), who inherited the Seljuq territories of Khorasan and western Iran and went on to conquer Georgia, Armenia, and much of Asia Minor (won from the Byzantines). Who is Alp Arslan? His personality, […]
Konya Archeology Museum The archeology museum has been opened for the first time in the building that is at the southwestern corner of Karma Secondary School in 1901. In 1927, the works have been moved to Mevlana Museum and in 1953 to Iplikci Mosque for the exhibition. In 1962, today’s museum has been established and […]
One of the earliest Turkish principalities in Anatolia, the Mengucek rulers bore the titles of sah and melik (shah and king respectively). In the 12th and 13th centuries, they constructed magnificent buildings in their capital city of Divrigi in the Turkish province of Sivas. It consists of houses with gardens and orchards spread out over […]
Once you have made the acquaintance of provincial Turkey, you will be hooked. You will fall asleep dreaming of Asia Minor’s hidden valleys and awaken to their call. Birgi is one such little-known delight – a quiet and dignified small town at the foot of Bozdag in western Turkey. Heir to a long series of […]
An expanse of pale blue is the first impression as Lake Beysehir comes into sight. Then when you wander along the shore, especially on a sunny day, you find that it resembles watered silk, shimmering in every shade of blue. This effect is due to the limestone bed of the lake and differences in depth. […]
Antalya is the heart of Turkish tourism, and Kaleici is the old town inside the city’s fortifications and consists of a maze of streets lined with old houses. When I got out of the car and headed for Kaleici I had planned to stay just a few hours, and could never have foreseen that I […]
