Since the founding of the republic in 1923 as the successor state to the Ottoman Empire, Turkey has been secular and Kemalist in orientation. The country's founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, initiated a modernization of Turkey through social and legal reforms modelled on various European nation states.
The current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been at the helm of the country since 2003. Since around 2012, he has led the country in an increasingly authoritarian manner. Freedom of expression and freedom of the press in particular are considered to be severely restricted. The currency and debt crisis triggered by its economic policies as well as high inflation have continued since 2018, which makes Turkey quite attractive from a tourist perspective.
The culture of today's Turkey is a fusion of the ancient Turkish nomadic culture of Central Asia and Siberia, the Greco-Roman era, the culture in the Ottoman Empire with its Byzantine, Persian, Arabic, Caucasian, Armenian and Kurdish influences, as well as the strong European direction since the founding of the Republic Ataturk. The cultural centre of the country is the metropolis of Istanbul.
With the political changes, the content of Turkish literature also changed. Early representatives include Fakir Baykurt, Sabahattin Ali, Sait Faik Abasıyanık and Yaşar Kemal, who put ordinary people at the centre of their work. With the turn to describing living conditions, social and political criticism of the state is inevitable. The state reacts with censorship and political violence. Authors like Nâzım Hikmet, Yaşar Kemal and Aziz Nesin spend many years in Turkish prisons because of the persecution of their publications. Kemal therefore referred to the prison as a “school of Turkish literature”.
Turkish cuisine has also influenced Greek and the rest of the Balkan cuisine - including etymology. For example, tzaziki comes from the Turkish cacık, and Ćevapčići comes from kabapcik. Yogurt also comes from Turkish Yoğurt. Doner kebab is made from beef, veal or poultry. In Turkey, but also in other countries, the kebab is also served on a plate.
A little bit of history about Taksim Square in Istanbul, which has once again attracted a great deal of attention from the media. Taksim Square in Istanbul has always been considered the city's most important transport hub.
The ancient Romans first had the idea of building a bypass next to the Bosphorus, which connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Black Sea through the strait near Istanbul, which would reduce the high load on the strait from shipping traffic.
For almost every traveler it is a must, the Maiden's Tower or as the locals say "Kız kulesi", the Maiden's Tower, because who does not at least know pictures of the old lighthouse from the 18th century, which has become one of the symbols of Istanbul.
How one imagines Istanbul in one's dreams: Sunrise over the Bosphorus. The yellowish light is reflected in the water of the Golden Horn, which divides the new and old parts of Istanbul in the Eminonu district.
Dating from Byzantine times, the huge architectural monument of Hagia Sophia, also known as the "Great Cathedral", was commissioned by Emperor Justinian I to have been built.
Hagia Sophia, which is located in Istanbul, was built by architects Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus in 532–537 A.D by the order of I. Emperor Justinian.
The sunken place in Istanbul has a story which is told over the sounds of water. One of the charming constructions left from the Byzantine era is the Basilica Cistern located at Sultanahmet Square in old Istanbul across the street from Hagia Sophia.
A small, almost insignificant park in Istanbul has made the headlines of the world press in recent weeks and there is currently no end in sight.
In addition to the Turkish provinces of Bursa, Sakarya, Bolu, Kütahya and Eskişehir, all of which are known far beyond the country's borders due to some product or event (Bursa for large industrial concentrations,
On the Turkish part of the Balkan peninsula, the province of Kırklareli stretches from the Black Sea to the main connecting road Istanbul - Edirne, which is one of the four provinces of the European part of Turkey.
During our exploration along the Dursunbey Cayi, we came across a small stream which was to pass by car before we could reach into a rich, green lawn that was used by backpack hikers traveling with a tent during these days.
İstanbul’s Journey to Becoming the European Capital of Culture: The European Capital of Culture concept was launched for the first time in the 1980’s by Melina Mercouri, the Greek Minister of Culture of the period, and approved by the European Union Council of Ministers.
The Sultan Ahmet Mosque or with its more popular name, the Blue Mosque, is located in the oldest part of the city İstanbul, opposite of the famous Cathedral Hagia Sophia, just a short walk from Topkapi Palace.
Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (IATA: SAW, ICAO: LTFJ) is one of the airports serving Istanbul, Turkey. The facility is named after Sabiha Gökçen, the first female combat pilot in the world. It is on the Asian side of the bicontinental city, Istanbul.
Istanbul Airport (formerly Ataturk Airport (IATA: IST, ICAO: LTBA) (Turkish: Ataturk Uluslararası Havalimanı) is an international airport in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
The provincial capital of Çanakkale, is located in the Çanakkale Strait’s most narrow region. Çanakkale is located in an area and important stop to be able to take a trip to the 30 km Troy and Gelibolu peninsula.
There are many islands in the immediate vicinity of the Turkish mainland, which, however, mostly belong to the territory of Greece.
Not far from the border with Greece, about 10 kilometres away from the city of Enez near Ipsala, known to many travellers as a border crossing point, is the Lake Gala in South-West of Turkey, which is sometimes also known with the name Celtik Gölü.
Many buildings were built by Sinan, the master builder, during the Ottoman Empire, but his “masterpiece”, as he had seen it, is the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne (Edirne Selimiye Camii).
Another late Roman bridge worth seeing is in the ancient landscape of Bithynia (in North-Western Anatolia), just about five kilometres outside the city of Adapazarı across the Sangarius River.