Türkiye – broad history and mass tourism today
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.
St. Nicholas in the church of Myra
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Myra, located in the south-west of Turkey, in the magical landscape of Lycia, was the city where St. Nicholas had worked as a bishop in the fourth century.
Kaputas Beach next to Kalkan and Kaş
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Kaputas beach is a truly wonderful spot on earth, almost untouched by tourist influences, and when we discovered it, we weren't aware that it was already an insider tip among some "permanent Turkiye holidaymakers" who live in Kaş or Kalkan.
Pedestrian crossings in the focus of the Vali of Antalya
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Good luck to those who have been able to cross one of the busy streets in Turkey, even on the pedestrian crossing! A statement that Europeans receive with great surprise in their ears.
On the way to Izmir Asansör Elevator Tower
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Traveling through Izmir again, today we will go to the so-called Asansör, a historic passenger and goods elevator in the Konak district, correctly in the Karataş district.
Italy contacts - camper visit from Pinneberg in Germany
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We met Silvia and Anselm at a campsite near Venice as part of our project "Comprehension and Cultural Trip along Roman Roads" and were able to experience their experience and knowledge of the city of Venice on a shared city tour. For the first time with the two of them, the idea of wintering for campers on the Turkish Riviera was pushed so strongly that we subsequently looked more and more into this possibility.
Dağ Pazarı - Lebanon Cedars and basilica from Roman times
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We drove through the foothills of the Taurus over wonderful pass roads near Ermenek to the apricot town of Mut and then continued our way towards Karaman. Patrick, our paragliding friend from Strasbourg, had reported courageously about the ruins of a basilica and a wonderfully shimmering lake during a sightseeing flight in the region, which he had seen from the air near the town of Dağ Pazarı.
Cistern "Illos" in Akkale, the "White Castle" near Kizkalesi
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Kumkuyu, the modern Turkish name of the ancient settlement area of the semi-nomadic Tirtar ethnic group, is located in the south of Erdemli County on the D-400 highway, about 15 kilometres southwest of the district town of the same name and about 50 kilometres southwest of the provincial capital Mersin.
Hamaxia - lost city near Alanya
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A few years have passed since we were last on the 400-meter-high mountain right next to the new road tunnels near Alanya to visit the Helenistic ruined city of Hamaxia, which is just over half an hour's walk and within sight of Cleopatra's beach.
Yilan Kalesi at Ceyhan close to Adana
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On the way to Sanliurfa we first passed Adana on the toll road E90 towards Ceyhan.
Lampron Castle close to Çamlıyayla - Yilan Kalesi
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After visiting Yilan Kalesi fortress near Ceyhan and some very interesting days in Sanliurfa and Göbekli Tepe, we arrived in Tarsus on the way back towards Alanya.
Adrasan - Sleepy village with a beautiful bathing bay
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We accepted the invitation to participate in the event "Human Landscapes - Six Author Portraits of Turkey" at Akdeniz University (AKVAM) in cooperation with the Goethe Institute Izmir, which included the seminar on the presentation of 6 well-known writers (Nazim Hikmet, Yasar Kemal, Orhan Pamuk , Elif Safak, Murathan Mungan, Asli Erdogan) by the documentary filmmaker Osman Okkan in his own facility in Adrasan.
Crossing the Devil's Valley to Adamkayalar near Silifke
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Another sight of Roman antiquity awaits the traveller of the Kizkalesi area at the end of a river bed, which the locals call Devil's Valley. Almost always dry as a bone in summer, you can use the Teufelstal river bed for a hike to the ancient stone sculptures of people – let’s go to Adamkayalar.
Silifke's Ayatekla - student of the Apostle Paul
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Excavations in the extremely fertile region of the Göksu Delta show a number of prehistoric relics, so that the settlement history at Silifke can be traced back to at least the Bronze Age.
The Viaduct of Aspendos next to Side
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Shortly after our return to Turkey, after an extensive round trip through Germany, our friend Detlef from Halle announced that he would be visiting us for the coming weekend.
Gazipaşa - Antiocheia ad Cragum - castle hill near Selinus
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About 18 kilometers east of Selinus, which is now known as Gazipasa, the ancient city of Antioch ad Cragum once stood high on the rocks above the sea.
Sefa Hammam and Antalya Weekly Market in Pro 7 Galileo
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In March of this year we received a call from Germany, which came about through contacts at the Goethe Institute. On behalf of the Pro 7 series Galileo, Maximus Film GmbH was looking for places for the non-typical tourist documentation of travel destinations or tourist offers that the majority of German tourists might not find right away.
Rafting on the Alara River between Eskibag and Alarahan
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Our friend Martin had already invited to an event that required strength last year, but we couldn't do it due to time constraints. We were only able to talk our way out of it at the time because of the promise of participation this year: an insider rafting tour on the Alara River.
Short trip to high pasture at Geyik Dagi to the Lebanon cedars
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When our co-author Wolfgang Dorn travels to Turkey, it usually comes to a short get-together for a short trip to one of the many possible destinations along the Turkish Riviera.
Rhodiapolis - ancient home of the Opramoas
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About 3 kilometres northwest of the city centre of Kumluca you will find the ancient city of Rhodiapolis on a hill that overlooks the entire valley to the sea and thus also Kumluca and Finike.
Kumluca, the fruit and vegetable garden of Antalya
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After leaving Antalya on highway 400, passing Kemer, Phaselis and Olympos, the road rises briefly to more then 500 meters above sea level. Reaching the other side, the view falls down to the valley and plain of Kumluca in Finike Bay, well known for its fruit and vegetable growing.