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The Seljuk and Ottoman wooden mosques of Anatolia are rare examples of religious architecture with nailess use of wood and impressive handcrafted decoration. Wooden roofed and wooden columned mosques concentrate in Konya, Ankara and Kastamonu from Anatolian Seljuks period and Beyliks period. Building tradition of wooden roofed and wooden columned mosques continued until the beginning of 20th century in the remote regions from the center in the Ottoman period. Wooden Roofed and Wooden Columned Mosques in Anatolia are included in the the UNESCO World Heritage List. Sivrihisar Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque) is located in Eskişehir and is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is the largest of the rare wooden pillar mosques of Anatolia and has survived from the Seljuk period. The eight-century old Sivrihisar Ulu Mosque, where 2,500 people can worship at the same time, is one of the rare examples of the large wooden-columned mosques in Anatolia. In the center of the district, the word “ulu” (grand) finds its full meaning in this work. Afyonkarahisar Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque) is one of the largest mosques of Afyonkarahisar and was built in the Anatolian Seljuk period between 1272 and 1277. The mosque, which was reconstructed by preserving its old form, is one of the unique examples of the Seljuk period with its wooden and brick architecture with glazed tiles. A wooden beam roof that stretches across nine naves is supported by 40 wooden columns whose capitals are adorned with stalactine decorations. Göğceli Mosque in Samsun is considered Türkiye’s oldest surviving wooden mosque. It is one of the most significant samples of Turkish wooden architecture. It was constructed using a technique of interlacing wooden beams without using nails. There is no record of the date of construction; however, according to radiocarbon tests the mosque was built in 1206 and the porch in 1335. In 2007, the mosque underwent a comprehensive restoration. Bekdemir Mosque is located in the village of Kavak, Samsun. Although there is no inscription regarding its construction date, the date on a historical embroidery (1877) is accepted as the date it was built. According to a survey, the main floor was built in 1596. The mosque is another example of a “nailess” wooden construction. It is adorned with various floral motifs colored with natural dyes, and there is a stonework fountain in the courtyard. Mahmutbey Mosque is located in the village of Kasaba in Kastamonu, 18 kilometers northwest of the city. It is the only work in Kastamonu that is on the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List. It was built as the Friday Mosque in 1366 by Emir Mahmut Bey, the ruler of the Candaroğulları Principality. The exterior walls of the mosque are made of hewn stone. The roof is made exclusively of wood with no metal elements and plaster was only used in the mihrab. One of the most eye-catching and important elements of the mosque is the door built by Abdullah, son of Nakkaş Mahmut from Ankara. Eşrefoğlu Mosque in Beyşehir, Konya is the largest and one of the most original of the wooden-columned mosques in Anatolia and was built between 1296 and 1299. The mosque is one of the most beautiful examples of the Turkish wooden architectural tradition. The monumental white marbel gate, and the unique mihrab and minbar (pulpit) display superior quality wood and tile craftmanship. The mihrab is covered with glazed tiles and is 4.58 meters wide and 6.17 meters high - larger than all the tiled mihrabs around Konya. The minbar is carved entirely out of walnut wood with a superior workmanship and rich ornamentation. It is covered in octagonal, pentagonal, star, and geometric shapes and vegetable embellishments. The ceiling of the mosque is decorated in vivid ornaments using the “kalem isi” (hand-drawn) technique. Eşrefoğlu Mosque is a unique structure that contains all the features seen across numerous Seljuk mosques: multiple wooden columns, a ceiling completely decorated with wood and “kalem isi” work, a minbar made completely out of wood, and the kündekari technique (using interlocking pieces of wood with no nails or glue). The mosque, which reflects the magnificence of stone and wood workmanship of the period, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List in 2012. Aslanhane Mosque: Aslanhane Mosque, located in the district of Samanpazarı in Ankara, despite its very plain appearance from the outside, is an important work with a history of eight centuries long. Built by the architect Ebubekir Mehmet, this mosque with rare wood work is also known as Ahi Şerafettin Mosque. It was named Aslanhane Mosque because of the ancient lion statue buried in the wall of the tomb complex. The single-storey mosque stands on 24 wooden legs. The column heads of each of these pillars, made of walnut wood, are made of spolia marble Roman-Byzantine materials. With its architectural features and ornaments this Seljukian mosque will fascinate visitors with its architectural features and ornaments from the moment you stepped into it
Earth Mother & Mother Goddesses Türkiye is the home of the earliest human farming settlements in the world. Early farmers worshipped a mother god, who they symbolically saw as a personified Earth giving them food. The earliest shrine of this Earth Mother is at Çatalhöyük. She was the major divinity for over 6,000 years and was worshipped under different names. Her earliest name is Kubaba. Sometimes she is Kybele, sometimes she appears in the form of Greek goddesses such as Artemis, Aphrodite, or Demeter. One of her most recent great shrines was the Temple of Artemis (Artemisium) in Ephesos, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Due to their geographical locations at the crossroads of ancient trade routes, such as the Silk Road, the cities of Sivas and Erzurum boast multilayered cultural heritages. These cities thrived as religious centers as a result of their strategically important locations between Asia and Anatolia. Erzurum’s citadel was first founded by the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius. The continuous settlement of the region endowed the city with many architecturally and historically important monuments. Among these, Ulu Camii (Grand Mosque), a 12th-century mosque located next to Çifte Minareli Medrese (Twin Minaret Madrasa), which was commisioned by the Saltukid ruler of the era, and Lala Paşa Mosque have unique architectural styles. Grand Vizier Lala Mustafa Pasha, a commander of Suleyman the Magnificent, commissioned the mosque bearing his name in the 16th century. Lala Paşa Mosque is the first mosque built in Erzurum during the Ottoman period, and later became a model for other Ottoman mosques built in the city. Erzurum’s other important religious monuments bear features from different ruling perionds: three monuments belong to the Ilkhanid period (Twin Minaret, and Yakutiye and Ahmediye Madrasas), and three to the Ottoman period (Kurşunlu/Fevziye, Pervizoğlu, and Şeyhler Madrasas). While the Ilkhanid period madrasas in Erzurum were built as independent monumental-looking madrasas, the Ottoman period madrasas were smaller in size and were arranged as a part of a külliye (religious complex). Erzurum’s many layers of culture show signs of its rich religious heritage. Demirciler Kilisesi (Blacksmiths Church), which now serves as Fethiye Mosque, and the church in the village of Gez were built in the 18th century. When Demirciler Kilisesi was transformed into a mosque, some changes were made: a mihrab niche was placed on the south wall and a minbar (pulpit) was placed inside. The tomb of Emir Saltuk has a special place among the tomb structures in both Erzurum and Anatolia by virtue of its architecture and decorative features. The tomb monument, which is dated to the earliest period in Anatolia, differs from other Anatolian burial monuments. Sivas is located on the historical Silk Road and became an important Anatolian Seljuk center of science, trade, culture, and civilization. During the Seljuk period, religious life in Sivas was vibrant. Seljuk madrasas, which were among the most famous higher learning centers of the period, did not only teach religious sciences. They also taught secular sciences such as logic and mathematics, and, among others, history, philosophy, medicine, and chemistry. These madrasas were built as parts of complexes with mosques and other related edifices. The building group known as Divriği Ulu Mosque and Hospital (Darüşşifa) is a complex consisting of a mosque, a hospital, and a tomb. This 13th-century complex is described by art historians as the "Divriği Miracle" or "Anatolia's Alhamra" and was included on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1985. The magnificent motifs, especially the doors and columns, which are found in many parts of the complex, were made by masters from Ahlat and Tbilisi, and reflect the rarest and finest examples of stonework. Çifte Minareli Medrese (Twin Minaret Madrasa) is one of the symbolic structures of Sivas with its two minarets and was commisioned by the vizier of the Ilkhanid Şemseddin Cüveyni in 1271. One of the most important features of the building is that it has the tallest stone door in Anatolia. Gök Medrese, one of the Seljuk works in the region, was instrumental in the training of many scholars. Today, the main building of the madrasa, which impresses with its magnificent crown gate and ornamental stonework, awaits visitors as a museum.
The Jewish people have deep historical ties to Anatolia. The remains of Jewish settlements in ancient cities along the Aegean, Mediterranean, and Black Sea coasts, such as Sardes date back to as early as the 4th century BC. A bronze column found in Ankara shows the rights accorded to the Jews by Emperor Augustus. Throughout its reign, the Ottoman Empire became a welcoming place for Jews. In the early 14th century, a number of Jews expelled from Western Europe settled in Ottoman territory. İstanbul had a vibrant Jewish community for more than 1,000 years and there are several synagogues both on the Asian and European sides of the city. Neve Shalom Synagogue is the largest synagogue in Türkiye. Apart from Neve Shalom, Ahrida Synagogue and Yanbol Synagogue in Balat, Ashkenazi Synagogue in Karaköy, and Etz Ahayim Synagogue in Ortaköy are the most visited synagogues of İstanbul. The Grand Synagogue of Edirne is a newly restored building erected in 1905. It was modelled on the famous Leopoldstädter Tempel, the largest synagogue of Vienna, and was intended to demonstrate the community’s achievements and modernity. The Grand Synagogue of Edirne was designed by the French architect France Depré in the architectural style of the Moorish Revival. The location of the new synagogue was the site of the ruined synagogues Mayor and Pulya in the neighborhood of Suriçi. The Gerush Synagogue, Mayor Synagogue, and Etz Hayyim Synagogue can be found in Bursa. İzmir (Smyrna) The Jewish heritage of İzmir exhibits a unique character with its Sephardic traditions and the architectural styles of the synagogues which drew inspiration from medieval Spain. The Sephardic synagogues of Kemeraltı are Bikur Holim, Beth Hillel, Seniora, Shalom, Algazi Synagogues & Beth Israel in Karataş. Bergama Synagogue, the recently restored Yabets Synagogue in Bergama (Pergamon), was rededicated in a ceremony in the spring of 2014 for use as a cultural center. The synagogue is believed to have been built in the second half of the 19th century. It was abandoned after being seriously damaged in a fire in the 1940s that caused the roof to collapse. Sardes Synagogue, a monumental synagogue, was the center of Jewish religious life in Sardis, in ancient Lydia, during the Late Roman period. The synagogue occupied the corner of the Roman bath-gymnasium, converting part of this public building into a Jewish house of worship. The majority of the current ruins date back to the 4th and 5th centuries.
The first seven ecumenical councils were all held in Asia Minor and specifically in today’s cities of İznik, Bursa, İstanbul, and Selcuk, İzmir. The seven councils, held between AD 325 and 787, are known primarily for their consideration of doctrinal conflicts. They also ruled on practical matters which were set down in canons. A trip covering the historical sites and magnificent monuments in İznik (Nicaea), İstanbul, and İzmir will take you to the ancient settings of these seven councils. First Seven Ecumenical Councils First Council of Nicaea (AD 325), İznik, Bursa First Council of Constantinople (AD 381), İstanbul First Council of Ephesos (AD 431), Selcuk, İzmir Council of Chalcedon (AD 451), Kadıköy, İstanbul Second Council of Constantinople (AD 553), İstanbul Third Council of Constantinople (AD 680-681), İstanbul Second Council of Nicaea (AD 787), İznik, Bursa
St. Paul was born in Tarsus, Cilicia, a region in southeast Türkiye, around AD 5. On his several missionary journeys, St. Paul visited many parts of Asia Minor and spread the word of Christ throughout the region. Reading Paul's epistles and the Acts of the Apostles we learn about his life and journeys. Paul traveled over 10,000 miles by sea and on foot on three missionary journeys with his companions. He set off on his fourth missionary journey from Jerusalem to Rome alone, and died in the capital city. Highlights of St. Paul’s Journeys in modern-day Türkiye: ◉ FIRST JOURNEY Antioch ad Orontes (Antakya) – Seleucia Pieria – Perge (Antalya) – Pisidian Antioch (Yalvaç/Isparta) –Iconium (Konya) – Lystra (Konya) Derbe – Attalea (Antalya) ◉ SECOND JOURNEY Antioch ad Orontes – Derbe – Lystra – Galatia – Phrygia – Mysia – Alexandria Troas – Ephesos ◉ THIRD JOURNEY Antioch ad Orontes – Galatia – Ephesos – Alexandria Troas – Assos – Miletos – Patara ◉ JOURNEY TO ROME Myra (and its port Andriake) – Knidos
When Turks arrived to Anatolia in the 11th century, philosophers like Mevlana Cellaledin-i Rumi (Jalal ad-Din Rumi), Hacı Bektaş Veli, and their disciples, dexteriously combined elements of Islam and the traditional Turkish culture. The soil of Anatolia, where they also had access to ancient sources and beliefs, was the perfect place for these ideas to integrate. The full name of Mevlana, the 13th-century Sufi poet, was Celaleddin-i Rumi. He is considered one of the world’s great mystic philosophers, and his poetry and religious writings are among the most beloved and respected in Islam and beyond. Sema, the whirling dervish ceremony is credited to Rumi and has become a part of Turkish customs, history, beliefs, and culture. The Sema ceremony represents the mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind and love to perfection. Konya, one of Türkiye’s most important pilgrimage centers, is the location of the former lodge (dergah) of the whirling dervishes and home to the Mevlana’s Mausoleum. The mausoleum and the former lodge can now be visited as a museum by visitors of all faith. The Mevlevi Lodge of İstanbul, located in Galata, is the oldest Mevlevi Lodge of İstanbul. It was built in 1491. The lodge was built as a complex and contained rooms and spaces for Sufi chanting, dervish cells, quarters for the master (şeyh), a special prayer (namaz) area for the sultan, a section for female members, a library, a fountain for the public, a clock room, a kitchen, mausoleums, and an enclosed graveyard. You can embark on this spiritual journey by visiting the major Mevlevi lodges (Dergahs) located in different parts of Türkiye.
The tradition of the Seven Sleepers exists in both Christian and Muslim (ashab al kahf, “people of the cave”) tradition. The Islamic version of the legend of the Young Sleepers is well known in the Muslim world as it is quoted in the Qur’an in Surah 18:9-26. In this version, the exact number of sleepers is not given and is known only to Allah. The legend speaks of young men who slept for 300 or 309 solar years. In the Islamic version of the legend there is also a faithful dog that accompanied the young men on their way to the cave and slept at its entry. People passing nearby saw the sleeping dog and were afraid to look inside because they thought it was guarding the cave’s secrets. The young men are known as the “people of the cave.” The Christian version tells the story of seven young men who were accused of belonging to the Christian community at the time of the persecutions by the Roman Emperor Trajan Decius, who reigned in AD 249-251. At this time, a group of young Christian men fled from the city and hid in a cave. When they were found sleeping in the cave, at the behest of the emperor the entrance was sealed. Many years passed and from a persecuted religion Christianity became the official state religion. After over 250 years, during the reign of Theodosius II (AD 408-450), a landowner decided to demolish the walled-up cave entrance. He was genuinely surprised to find seven men sleeping inside. They woke up with the conviction that they had been sleeping for just a day.
The multicultural heritage of Türkiye dates back thousands of years and bears witness to the continuous settlement of civilizations and people of different faiths. Local cultures merged through commercial routes and language, literature, music, architecture, and almost every aspect of culture. Following the conquest of Constantinople by Sultan Mehmet, Armenians from Anatolian villages settled in the town of Samatya within the domain of historical İstanbul. Many of İstanbul’s Armenian churches are found in this region that faces the Marmara Sea. The majority of the local Armenian population spread throughout the centuries across Central and Eastern Anatolia leaving behind a rich religious and cultural heritage. You can find the traces of the culture from İstanbul’s various churches to Kars in the ruins of the ancient city of Ani located in northeast Türkiye, 42 kilometers from the city of Kars, on a secluded triangular plateau, to Akdamar Church located on the Lake Van.