Turkey is a land which has been
the home of many civilizations since the beginning of history.
It is difficult to find another land on earth in which one
civilization leads to another. Turkey, with its rich past,
stands as a challenging resource for both art historians and
archaeologists; it is a real open-air museum of art and
architecture. The artistic history of Turkey is very rich and
goes back to the beginning of history.
The Hittites rose to prominence in Anatolia in 1800 BC and
reigned until 1200 BC. They were experts in metal-work and have
left behind delicate statues made from gold, bronze and copper,
particularly of the fertility goddess they worshipped. Many
examples of these are on exhibition at the Museum of Anatolian
Civilizations in Ankara. Metal tablets written in Hittite
hieroglyphics give us some clues about the daily, and
ceremonial, lives of the Hittites. The capital of the Hittites,
Hattusas (Bogazkoy), still preserves the remnants of the temple,
the "Royal Gate" and especially the "Lion Gate", from which,
when passing through, you can sense the splendor of the Hittite
Empire.
The intensity and the quality of the remains from the Greek and
Roman Empires in Turkey, especially in the southern
Mediterranean coast, imparts the feeling that you have traveled
through a time-machine and arrived in the Hellenistic Era. The
remaining artistic and architectural pieces provide us with
information about the daily life of the ancient Greek and Roman.
Most of the cities have museums preserving the artifacts, such
as sculptural reliefs, statues, jewelry, household utensils,
frescoes and mosaics. Besides these, the ruins of the period
still standing, exhibit their treasures as an open-air museum.
The most memorable of these are; Pergamum, on the Aegean coast,
Aphrodisias with the Temple of Aphrodite, and Ephesus, with its
wide streets bordered by Corinthian columns, with its
amphitheaters, and with its world famous Temple of Artemis; one
of the seven ancient wonders of the world.
By the 4th-century, the Roman Empire had been divided into East
and West, and Christianity was firmly rooted in both, giving
rise to the numerous churches and monasteries spread all over
the country. Cappadocia especially, displays magnificent
examples of these monuments, carved into rock and decorated with
colored frescoes. The Byzantine churches have their own style
that is an integration of Roman and oriental influences and they
are termed as "basilica". The great Saint Sophia In Istanbul,
built during the reign of emperor Justinian, is the largest
Christian basilica on earth. Its interior is marble and
decorated with mosaics of rich colors like deep blue and red.
The Sumela Monastery near Trabzon is another important Byzantine
ruin.
In 1071, The Seljuk Turks won a decisive victory over the
Byzantine Empire and from then on, the Turkish presence in
Anatolia was permanent. The Seljuks brought with them new
artistic elements from Asia. The outstanding characteristics of
the Seljuk architecture were tall gateways with ornamental
stalactites, ogival archways and ceramic tiling. The exterior of
the mosques of the Seljuk period are impressive, although not as
decorative as Ottoman mosques. The Alaeddin Mosque in Konya is
one of the most typical of Seljuk mosques. The Ulu Mosque in
Konya is also a memorable Seljuk mosque with its interior
elaborately patterned and ornamented. The "medrese"s
(universities of that time), mosques, inns, bridges and roads
and many other artifacts of the daily life of the Seljuks can be
observed in any part of the country.
After the Seljuks, came the world famous Ottoman Empire which
contributed considerably to Turkish art and architecture. They
built mosques with rich, elaborate interiors. The Green Mosque
in Bursa carries all the characteristics of the Ottoman art and
architecture, its tiles are very specific of the age and Ottoman
artistic style. After the Ottomans took over Istanbul, they
contributed the great architect Mimar Sinan, to the
architectural world. His mosques, among which Suleymaniye in
Istanbul and Selimiye in Edirne are the most famous, are
masterpieces in themselves. The Ottomans also made nacreous
ornamentation's which were used in interior decoration, weapons
and helmets. Precious examples of Ottoman arts and crafts, such
as carpet weaving, tile-making, miniature and many other arts,
are exhibited in the Turkish Islamic Arts Museum and in Topkapi
Palace in Istanbul.
TransAnatolie Tour
A - Group
License N°4938 - The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
