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3 Turkey is linked to the oceans through the Black Sea, Marmara and Mediterranean Seas, which encircle it on three sides. The country borders Georgia, Armenia, Nachiczevan and Iran to the east, Bulgaria and Greece to the west, and Iraq and Syria to the south.

HISTORY Antiquity The Anatolian peninsula (also called Minor Asia), comprising most of modern Turkey, is one of the oldest continually inhabited regions in the world due to its location at the intersection of Asia and Europe. Göbekli Tepe, the first evidence of man presence in the world. Portion of the legendary walls Troy (VII), identified as the site of the Trojan War

The Turks and the Ottoman Empire In the 10th century, the Seljuks started migrating from their ancestral homelands towards the eastern regions of Anatolia, which eventually became the new homeland of Oğuz Turkic tribes following the Battle of Manzikert (Malazgirt) in Map from Mahmud al-Kashgari's Diwanu Lughat at-Turk, showing the 11th century distribution of Turkic tribes. The Republic Era The occupation of İstanbul and İzmir by the Allies at the end of World War I prompted the establishment of the Turkish national movement. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey

6  Turkish Architecture (Türk Mimarisi):  Turkish architecture reached its peak during the Ottoman period. Ottoman architecture, influenced by Seljuk, Byzantine and Arab architecture, came to develop a style all of its own.  In Ottoman times the mosque did not exist by itself. It was looked on by society as being very much interconnected with city planning and communal life. Beside the mosque there were soup kitchens, theological schools, hospitals, Turkish baths and tombs.

Examples of Ottoman architecture of the classical period, aside from Istanbul and Edirne, can also be seen in Egypt, Tunisia, Algiers, the Balkans and Hungary, where mosques, bridges, fountains and schools were built. 7

8 During the years , Ottoman art deviated from the principles of classical times. In the 18th century, during the Lale (Tulip) period, Ottoman art came under the influence of the excessive decorations of the west; Baroque, Rococo, Ampir and other styles intermingled with Ottoman art. Fountains became the characteristic structures of this period.

LANGUAGE Turkish is the sole official language throughout Turkey. RELIGION Turkey is officially a secular Republic. The Turkish Constitution provides the freedom of religion and conscience, but does not represent or promote a religion. The population of Turkey is predominantly Muslim (99%), the majority are Sunni (75%) and a large minority are Alevi (15-25%).The remainder of the population are mainly Christians (mostly Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic) and Jews (96% Blue Mosque Sephardi and 4% Ashkenazi). According to a nationwide survey in 2007, 96.8% of Turkish citizens have a religion, while 3.2% are irreligious and atheists. 56% of male Muslim citizens regularly attend Friday prayers.

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Popular figures Popular figures Nasrettin Hoca He is a medieval legendary satirical Sufi figure. ] Nasreddin was a populist philosopher and wise man, remembered for his funny stories and anecdotes. ] Much of Nasreddin's actions can be described as illogical yet logical, rational yet irrational, bizarre yet normal, foolish yet sharp, and simple yet profound. What adds even further to his uniqueness is the way he gets across his messages in unconventional yet very effective methods in a profound simplicity.

Traditional Turkish Puppets Shadow Play. Developed from religious, moral and educational urge to imitate human actions. Hacivat and Karagöz

one of the most important Turkish poets. He was a Sufi Muslim ascetic of Anatolia. He probably lived in the Karaman area. His poetry expresses a deep personal mysticism and humanism and love for God. Yunus Emre

the hero "son of the blind man", defending his clan against threats from outside. Köroğlu earns his name from the wrongful blinding of his father, an act for which the son takes his revenge and which initiates his series of adventures. He is portrayed as a bandit and a poet. A number of songs and melodies attributed to Köroğlu survives in the folk tradition. Köroğlu

15 Orhan Pamuk is a world famous and Nobel prize winner Turkish novelist from modern times. He was born in Istanbul on 7th of June During his childhood in Nisantasi neighborhood, he dreamed to become a painter so he kept painting until he was 22 years old. Orhan Pamuk became a writer in Orhan Pamuk won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006, becoming the first Turkish citizen to win such a prize and one of the two youngest persons to get this prize in the history of Nobel. His books are translated into dozens of languages for over 100 countries around the world.

TRADITIONALDANCES Horon Kaşık Oyunu

Kılıç Kankan Zeybek

Whirling Derviches Sufi Dancing Mevlevi Sema Ceremony

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21 Turkish coffee is served hot from a special coffee pot called "cezve". Tradition states that after the guest has consumed the coffee and the cup is turned upside down on the saucer and allowed to cool, the hostess then performs a fortune reading from the coffee grounds remaining in the cup. Rich in tradition and flavor, Turkish coffee remains a favorite today.

 Come!  Come whoever you are.  Doesn't matter if you are an unbeliever.  Doesn't matter if you have fallen a thousand times.  Come!  Come whoever you are. For this is not the door of hopelessness.  Come,  Just as you are! 22