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.
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.
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.
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 two masterpieces of religion and architecture that Byzantine emperors devoted to the attributes of God, peace and wisdom, are found in İstanbul. Aya Irini (Hagia Eirene) was devoted to Divine Peace and was built before Ayasofya Grand Mosque which was devoted to Divine Wisdom. Both were built by Byzantine Emperor Constantine the Great when the city was founded and were rebuilt several times until the reign of Justinian in the 6th century.
Topkapı Palace, both the administrative and residential heart of the Ottoman Empire, houses invaluable sacred relics which are kept in Has Oda, the Sultan’s Privy Chamber. Precious belongings of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and objects that belonged to prophets including Prophet Muhammad, Prophets Moses and Joseph, and Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w.) daughter, son-in-law, and companions along with the key to Ka'bah have been preserved at Topkapı Palace for 500 years. The most important of the relics is the Hirka-i Serif, Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w.) mantle, which was brought to İstanbul during the reign of Selim I. Another sacred relic is the Sakal-ı Serif, hair from the beard of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).
Selâtin mosques are the names given to the mosques built by the sultans during the Ottoman Empire. They were large mosques with several minarets. The first Selâtin Mosques in the Ottoman period are the Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) and Green Mosque (Yeşil Cami) in Bursa, the Ottoman Empire’s first capital city. The oldest Selâtin mosque that preserves its original form in İstanbul is considered as the Bayezid Mosque built by II. Bayezid
The ancient city of Byzantion stretched from the Historical Peninsula to the Golden Horn. The name “Golden Horn” derives from its color during sunset. In recent years, the modern buildings of the area were removed, and many historic buildings were excavated and then opened as museums. There are several churches and mosques along with a palace of the Eastern Roman Empire here. The local houses and neighborhood add a unique atmosphere to this area.
From Karaköy & Galata to Taksim along the “Grand Rue de Péra”
On the banks of the Bosphorus and just across from the Historical Peninsula, Karaköy functions as the passage between old and contemporary. As the main port area and the center of trade and sea transportation, Karaköy became the melting pot of many cultures and faiths.