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Zeibeks
2007-04-26 00:00:00
Zeybeks or sometimes Zeibeks were people living in Asia Minor. The majority of them came from Yörük and Turkmen villages (citation needed) , although some came from Greek villages as well. Before the establishment of Republic of Turkey, large concentrations of Zeibeks could be found in the western Anatolia, particularly in Isparta, Burdur, Afyon, Kütahya, U?ak, ...

Efe
2007-04-26 00:00:00
The Efe were leaders of Turkish outlaws and soldiers in the Aegean (Western) region of Anatolia, coming at the top of the hierarchy of efe, zeybek and k?zan. There are many theories about the origins of the word Efe. The organization of Efe and Zeybek were first seen in the 16th century during the Jelali Revolts ...

Hammam
2007-04-26 00:00:00
The hammam (Turkish hamam) or Turkish bath is the Middle Eastern variant of a steam bath, which can be categorized as a wet relative of the sauna. They had played an important role in cultures of the Middle-East, serving as places of social gathering, ritual cleansing and as architectural structures, institutions, and (later) elements with ...

Istanbul Park
2007-04-26 00:00:00
Formula 1 Istanbul track is in Tuzla Tepeören area and covers a total area of 2,215,000 m2. The architect of the Formula 1 Istanbul Track, Herman Tilke has designed the track as 5,338km (3,317 mile) length, 14-21.5 m width and to be run as counter clockwise. The total number of curves on the track is ...
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Sport In Turkey : Yagli Gures
2007-04-26 00:00:00
Ya?l? Güre? is the Turk ish national sport. It is commonly known as oil wrestling (sometimes as grease wrestling) because the wrestlers douse themselves with olive oil. It is related to Uzbek Kurash and to Tatar Körä?. History The earliest depictions of wrestling are found in the Beni Hasan Temple in Egypt. The sport of oil wrestling dates ...
More About: Turkey , Sport , Spor

Sports : Golf
2007-04-26 00:00:00
Golf is a sport in which individual players or teams hit a ball into a hole using various clubs, and also is one of the few ball games that does not use a fixed standard playing area. It is defined in the Rules of Golf as “playing a ball with a club from the teeing ...
More About: Sports , Golf , Spor , Ports

Alanya - Architecture
2007-03-20 00:00:00
On the peninsula stands Alan ya Castle, a Seljuk era citadel dating from 1226. Most major landmarks in the city are found inside and around the castle. The current castle was built over existing fortifications and served the double purpose of a palace of local government and as a defensive structure in case of attack. The ...
More About: Architecture , Archi , Architect

Alanya - Historical Information
2007-03-20 00:00:00
Though first fortified in the Hellenistic period following the area’s conquest by Alexander the Great, the castle rock was likely inhabited long before that; finds in the nearby Kadrini cave indicate ocupation in the Paleolithic. Then came the Hittites and the Persian Empire. Left to Ptolemy I Soter after 323 BC, his dynasty maintained loose ...
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Lydia
2007-03-20 00:00:00
Lydia arose as a Neo-Hittite kingdom following the collapse of the Hittite Empire in the twelfth century BC. Its early name was Maionia (Maeonia): Homer refers to the inhabitants of Lydia as Meiones. Homer describes their capital not as Sardis but as Hyde; Hyde may have been the name of the district in which Sardis ...
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Manavgat
2007-03-20 00:00:00
Between the Taurus Mountains to the north, and the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean coast, much of the district is flat. This is good farmland and agriculture is well-developed in Mana vgat, keeping livestock and growing crops including grains, sesame and many fruits and vegetables; in recent years olives have been planted. There is no industry ...

Turkish Bath in Turkey
2007-03-09 16:19:06
Once upon a time, starts the story of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, complaining with the incurable longlasting headaches. The doctors of that time couldn’t find a remedy for the treatment of the illness. One day a young man came with a solution which was hard to believe. The solution was a soap-massage in a Turk ish bath . Now and then ; complaining from body pains, long lasting headaches, giving up excess body-weight, desire for feeling fresh and young addresses you to a “Hamam” where you feel like a new-born person. If you’re after the perfect tan, one of the best ways to start it off is with a trip to the traditional Turkish bath (known in Turkey as a ‘Hamam’). Here’s what to expect when you get into your local hamam. It is an experience that never ceases to give you enjoyment, not just because a Turkish Bath leaves you feeling “squeaky” clean, but because it is also something so different to back home. Before the days when people...
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Marmaris is a great place to live
2007-03-09 16:19:06
Marmaris and Icmeler (Turkish : ?çmeler) has attracted many foreigners not only for short term visits as tourists, but also as residents. The number of people from around the world who work and live around Marmaris are increasing steadily every year. The easy and relaxing mediterranean life style, very friendly people, beautifull climate around the year, healthy food and living, affordability of real estate compared to home country, business opportunities beacuse of inefficiencies in the market and a lot of recreational activities to do are some of the factors that attracts people to this amazing corner of the mediterranean sea. Marmaris and its surrounding area covers such a large area. When we say “live around Marmaris” we cover all of the unspoiled villages, fisherman’s countryside, inland properties suitable for vineyarding, farming, etc. So, Why then people choose to live in this particular area. As briefly mentioned above, the reasons are so many. Here are so...
More About: Great , Live , Place , Lace , Mari

Mortgages for Property in Turkey
2007-03-06 04:16:09
Approved late Wednesday night and due to come into effect on the 1st of Jan 2008, the new law relating to mortgages for property in Turkey should represent welcome long term support for the housing market and the Turkish real estate economy as a whole. However the new Turkish mortgage law didn?t go as far as many had hoped, and following pressure from the International Monetary Fund and the Finance Ministry the law relating to interest payments being tax deductible was not ratified.  So what will this law actually mean for those who need mortgages for property in Turkey?  Let?s take a look? There are those who are highly skeptical about the new mortgage law and who believe that although long term finance products will be available from January few local Turkish citizens will take up the offer because interest rates are too high currently, interest payments are not tax deductible and because of those who can afford finance, the majority don?t require it. Others believe that the avail...
More About: Property , Mortgage , Mortgages , Gage

Istanbul - Sultan Ahmed Mosque
2007-03-05 04:15:17
History The mosque was built between 1609 and 1616 by order of the Sultan Ahmed I, after whom it is named. He is buried in the mosque’s precincts. It is located in the oldest part of Istanbul , in what was before 1453 the centre of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. It is next to the site of the ancient Hippodrome, and a short distance from what used to be the Christian Church of the Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) which has now been converted into a museum. It is within walking distance of the Topkap? Palace, residence of the Ottoman Sultans until 1853 and only a short distance from the shore of the Bosporus. Seen from the sea, its domes and minarets dominate the skyline of the old part of the city, as was its builders’ intention. The mosque was deliberately sited to face Hagia Sophia. However, the architect was unable to construct a bigger dome than Hagia Sophia’s, so he instead made the mosque splendid by the perfect proportion of domes, semidomes, a...
More About: Mosque , Ulta

Istanbul - Hagia Sophia
2007-03-05 04:15:17
Hagia Sophia is covered by a central dome with a diameter of 31 meters (102 feet) and 56 meters high, slightly smaller than the Pantheon’s. The dome seems rendered weightless by the unbroken arcade of arched windows under it, which help flood the colorful interior with light. The dome is carried on pendentives  four concave triangular sections of masonry which solve the problem of setting the circular base of a dome on a rectangular base. At Hagia Sophia the weight of the dome passes through the pendentives to four massive piers at the corners. Between them the dome seems to float upon four great arches. Do you want more information an Istanbul ? At the western (entrance) and eastern (liturgical) ends, the arched openings are extended by half domes carried on smaller semidomed exedras. Thus a hierarchy of dome-headed elements builds up to create a vast oblong interior crowned by the main dome, a sequence unexampled in antiquity. All interior surfaces are sheathed with polychrom...

Ankara - Anitkabir
2007-03-05 04:15:17
An?tkabir is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader of Turkish War of Independence and the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey. It is located in Ankara , An?ttepe quarter. It was designed by architects Professor Emin Onat and Assistant Professor Orhan Arda, who won the competition held by the Turkish Government in 1941 for a “monumental mausoleum” for Atatürk out of a total of 45 international proposals. The site is also the final resting place of ?smet ?nönü, the second President of Turkey, who was interred there after he died in 1973. His tomb faces the Atatürk Mausoleum, on the opposite side of the Ceremonial Ground. Architectural Properties The period of the Turkish architecture in between 1940 and 1950 is known as The Era of Second National Architecture. This period is characterized by mostly monumental, symmetry oriented, cut-stone clad buildings, with great emphasis given to detailing and workmanship in construction. An?tkabir carries ...
More About: Kara

A Nurturing Environment
2007-03-05 04:15:17
Early historical documents show that the basic structure of Turkish cuisine was already established during the Nomadic Period and in the first settled Turkish States of Asia. Culinary attitudes towards meat, dairy, vegetables and grains that characterized this early period still make up the core of Turkish cuisine.Turks cultivated wheat and used it liberally in several types of leavened and unleavened breads baked in clay ovens, on the griddle, or buried in ember. “Manti”, ( dumpling),and “bugra” (attributed to Bugra Khan of Turkestan, the ancestor of “borek” or dough with fillings), were already among the much-coveted dishes at this time. Stuffing the pasta, as well as all kinds of vegetables, was also common practice, and still is, as evidenced by dozens of different types of “dolma”. Skewering meat as well as other ways of grilling, later known to us as varieties of “kebab” and dairy products such as cheeses and yogurt w...
More About: Environment , Men , Ring , Iron , Turin

Raki
2007-03-05 04:15:17
Turkey’s National drink has to be undoubtedly Raki or “Lion’s Milk”! If you go to any good fish restaurant or to a local cafe where the men are playing backgammon, you will always see this famous adrink in abundance. It is quiet similar to Pernod or to the Greek’s “Ouzo” - an aniseed based drink which is clear until water is added, giving it a “milky” appearance - hence the name “Lion’s Milk”. It is said that if you get slightly merry on Raki, go to bed and then get up the following morning and have a cup of tea, the effects of the Raki will return in the morning, leaving you “merry” all day! Raki is accompanied by some mezes, cheese or fruits. Use a homeymelon as a starter with white cheese to eat with Raki.

Çiragan Palace
2007-03-02 04:12:04
From the first wooden summer mansion built on the spot in the 16th century to the grand waterfront palace that stands today, the Çiragan Pala ce was torn down and rebuilt no less than five times. Now a palace of deluxe suites for the adjacent Hotel Kempinski Istanbul, the palace takes its name from the hundreds of torches that lined these former royal gardens during the festivals of the Tulip Age in the latter part of the 18th century. The foundations were laid in 1855 when Sultan Abdülaziz ordered the construction of a grand palace to be built as a monument to his reign. The architect, Nigogos Balyan, ventured as far as Spain and North Africa to find models in the Arab style called for by the sultan. The fickle Abdülaziz moved out after only a few months, condemning the palace as too damp to live in. Murad V (who in 1876 deposed his uncle Abdülaziz), Abdulhamid II, and Mehmed V were all born in the palace, while Murad V spent the final 27 years of his life imprisoned in the palace w...
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Turkey Erzurum to host 2011 Winter Universiade
2007-03-02 04:12:04
Erzurum boasts some of the longest ski runs in Europe and some of the best winter sports facilities in Turkey . The eastern Turkish city of Erzurum has been chosen to host the World Univ ersity Winter Games in 2011, the Inter national University Sports Foundation (FISU) announced late Tuesday. Erzurum beat out the Slovenian city of Maribor in the competition to host the prestigious event. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin, who was in the Italian city of Turin for the announcement of the winning bid to stage the games, said that Turkey appreciated FISU?s decision to select Erzurum as the host city. ?We are very happy because of such decision,? he said. ?The real work starts now. We will fulfil our responsibilities as the state, the government, governorate and municipality from now on. We will organise the World University Winter Games in the most successful way.?
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Winter Universiade Erzurum 2011
2007-03-02 04:12:04
2011 Summer Univ ersiade Located on the northern slopes of the Palandoken Mountain in the Eastern Anatolia Region, southwest of the town of Erzurum. The distance between the center and Erzurum is 5 km and takes 10 minutes by car. The nearest airport is 25 minutes away. The duration of the skiing season is 150 days a year. The altitude in the skiing area of Palandoken is 2200-3176 m and the most suitable skiing conditions are between 10 December and 10 May. The average snow fall is 2-3 m in normal witer conditions. Due to the climate the quality of the snow is ”powdery’ all through the season. 2011 Summer Univers iade candidate Kazan (RUS) broke the ice with its presentation. Besides the Mayor of Kazan, Ilsur Metshin and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, Russian Minister of Sport and old time ice hockey great and former Olympic champion Viacheslav Fetisov took the floor to promote the Russian city. Then the floor was given to Kaohsiung (TP...
More About: Winter , Inter

Troy
2007-02-23 04:06:02
Legendary Troy According to mythology, the Trojans were the ancient citizens of the city of Troy in the Troad region of Anatolia (now Turkey). (Although part of Asia, Troy is presented in the legend as part of the Greek culture of City states.) Troy was known for its riches gained from port trade with east and west, fancy clothes, iron production, and massive defensive walls. The Trojan royal family was started by the Pleiad Electra and Zeus, the parents of Dardanus. Dardanus, who according to Greek myths was originally from Arcadia but according to Roman myths was originally from Italy, crossed over to Asia Minor from the island of Samothrace, where he met King Teucer. Teucer was himself also a coloniser from Attica, and treated Dardanus with respect. Eventually Dardanus married Teucer’s daughters, and founded Dardania (later ruled by Aeneas). Upon Dardanus’ death, the Kingdom was passed to his grandson Tros, who called the people Trojans and the land Troad, after himse...

Winter Sports
2007-02-23 04:06:02
Bursa - Uludag : This ski center, 36 km south of Bursa is accessible along a good asphalt road or by cablecar. The ski area lies between 1900 - 2500 m, and the best season is from December to February. A wide range of acomodation is available in hotels,family chalets and apres-ski facilities. At the resort, there are chairlifts, 11 ski-lifts, slalom and giant slalom courses, beginners slopes and a small hospital. Skis, equipment, and instructors are available for hire. Total bed capacity is 2,300. Kastamonu-Ilgaz Mountain : Situated between Kastamonu and Cankiri, 40 km from Kastamonu at the junction of the Istanbul - Kastamonu, Ankara - Kastamonu roads. In the Ilgaz National Park amidst beautiful woodlands, the slopes lie at 1850-2000 m. There are picnic facilities, an hotel, chalets, two ski-lifts, a baby lift and a chair lift;there is also good hunting in the area. Bolu - Kartalkaya : This resort situated on the Istanbul - Ankara highway, 50 km from Bolu is surrounded by pine fore...
More About: Sports , Sport , Winter , Inter , Port

Lake Van
2007-02-23 04:06:02
Lake Van (Turkish: Van Gölü) is the largest lake in Turkey, in the far east of the country. It is a saline lake of volcanic origin with no outlet, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. It is 119 km across at its widest point, and up to 451 meters deep. It has an area of 3,755 km² and is 1719 meters above sea level. The lake’s outlet was blocked at some time during the pleistocene, when lava flows from Nemrut volcano blocked westward outlet towards the Mus Plain. Now dormant Nemrut Dagi is close to the western shore of the lake and another dormant stratovolcano Suphan Dagi dominates the northern side of the lake. The water level of the lake has often altered dramatically: near Tatvan, Oswald (see Geology of Armenia, 1901) noted a raised beach high above the present level of the lake as well as recently drowned trees. The level of the lake rose by at least three metres during the 1990s, drowning much agricultural land, and (afte...
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Lake Bafa
2007-02-23 04:06:02
Lake Bafa is a lake situated in southwest Turkey, part of it within the boundaries of Milas district of Mu?la Province and the northern part within Ayd?n Province’s Söke district. The lake used to be a gulf of the Aegean Sea till the Classical period, until the sea passage has been closed by the alluvial mass brought by the river Menderes (Meandros). The gulf, and later the lake, was named Latmus in antiquity. The southern shore of the lake is traced by the highway connecting ?zmir-Ku?adas?-Söke to towns such as Milas and Bodrum that are situated in the south. The northern shore of the lake, where steep slopes are covered by wild or semi-domesticated olive trees, is virtually untouched to this day, and there are a number of projects for transforming the area into a national park. At the innermost tip (north-east) of the lake is the village of Kap?k?r?, as well as the ruins of Heraclea by Latmus (sometimes called Heraclea in Ionia), to distinguish from other ancient Greek sites...
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Ka?
2007-02-23 04:06:02
History Ka? was founded by the Lycians, and its name in Lycian language was Habesos or Habesa. It was a member of the Lycian League, and its importance during this time is confirmed by the presence of one of the richest Lycian necropolis. The ancient Greeks gave it the name of Antiphéllos or Antíphilos, since it was the harbor of the city of Phellos, which stood in front of it. During the Roman period, Antiphéllos was famous for exporting sponges and timber. Pliny the Elder refers to the town in the fifth book of his Naturalis Historia. After 395 the town became part of the Eastern Roman Empire. During the early Middle Ages Ka? - by that time under Byzantine rule - was a bishop’s see - and as Antiphellus is still a titular see. The town suffered because of Arab incursions, then was annexed (under the name of Andifli) to the Anatolian Sultanate of Rüm, led by the Seljuks. After the end of the Seljuk state, it came under the Ottomans. In 1923, because of the Exchange of populati...

Tourism in Turkey
2007-02-23 04:06:02
Tourism in Turk ey is focused largely on a variety of archaeological and historical sites, and on seaside resorts along its Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. In the recent years, Turkey is also becoming a popular destination for the SPA and health care tourism. Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, has a number of major attractions derived from its huge historical status as capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. These include the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the “Blue Mosque”), the Hagia Sophia, the Topkap? Palace, the Basilica Cistern, the Dolmabahce Palace, the Galata Tower, the Grand Bazaar, and the Pera Palas. Istanbul has also recently became one of the biggest shopping centers of European region by hosting malls and shopping centers like Metrocity, Akmerkez and Cevahir Mall(which is the biggest mall in Europe and second largest shopping center in the world). Major cultural and historical attractions elsewhere in the country include the sites of Ephesus, Troy, Pergamo...
More About: Tourism , Tour

Resort
2007-02-23 04:06:02
Turkey boasts of increasingly favored ports of call for international and local yachtsmen. The country’s popularity is certainly advantaged by her spectacular coastal straits, a past noted for the rich sea-faring literature, some of whose references are part of the everyday culture, as is the case for the Blue Cruise, and the search for the Golden Fleece. In recent years, modern infrastructure and facilities that are considered as requirements for nautical tourism are also being developed with increasing rapidity and sophistication, catering a whole range of services commonly expected by visitors. Modern services geared to recreational boating reaches back to more than three decades in Turkey and considerable momentum has been accumulated in terms of infrastructure, know-how and human resources, promising a still more active future for the business. Prominent Turkish private sector groups view marinas as an attractive investment that also enhances their prestige, thus have bui...
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Izmir - Kemaralti
2007-02-23 04:06:02
Kemeralt? is ?zmir’s historic market (bazaar) district. It was originally formed around the street surrounding the shallow inner bay of the city, which was filled in due course during the 17th century, availing the bazaar to be extended to a wider area. The street, that traces a wide curve and called today as Anafartalar Street (Caddesi), and known historically as the Street of the Mevlevis, in reference to the presence of a “dergah” situated by the street, constitutes the principal axis of Kemeralt?. The district covers a vast area extending from the level of the Agora of Smyrna (the quarters of Namazgah, Mezarl?kba?? and ?kiçe?melik), to the seashore along the Konak Square. It remains one of the liveliest parts of ?zmir. The first step that paved the way for the emergence of the present-day Kemeralt? area was the building in 1592 of Hisar Mosque. It is the oldest and one of the most significant Ottoman landmarks in ?zmir, although built by Ayd?no?lu Yakup Bey, a ...
More About: Aral , Mara , Izmir

Turkish State Cemetery
2007-02-23 04:06:02
History The cemetery was established upon an act dated November 10, 1981. It is situated around the “Karadeniz Havuzu” (Black Sea Pool) on the grounds of the historical “Atatürk Orman Çiftli?i” (Atatürk Forest Ranch) in Ankara. The architect Özgür Ecevit and the agronomist Ekrem Gürenli, who won the contest organized by the Ministry of National Defense in 1982, designed the state cemetery. It was opened on August 30, 1988 with a state funeral ceremony for the transferred bodies of two presidents,Cemal Gürsel and Cevdet Sunay, and of 61 commanders of the War of Independence. At the opening ceremony were present, President Kenan Evren, Prime Minister Turgut Özal, and leaders of the political parties represented in the parliament, Erdal ?nönü (SHP) and Süleyman Demirel (DYP), and members of the President’s Counsil. The cemetery is administrated by the Ministry of National Defense.
More About: Kish , State , Stat , Turkish , Meter