Fethiye – TURKEY

Fethiye is a city and district of Muğla Province in the Aegean region of Turkey with about 68,000 inhabitants (2008). Modern day Fethiye is located on the ancient city of Telmessos, ruins of which can be seen in the city, e.g. Hellenistic theatre by the main quay.

It is one of Turkey’s well-known tourist centres and is especially prized during the summer.

Fethiye Museum, very rich in ancient and more recent artifacts, displays and testifies to the successive chain of civilizations which existed in the area, starting with ancient Lycia.

Fethiye was formerly known as Makri (Μάκρη); Greeks deported from the area under the terms of the 1923 exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey founded the town of Nea Makri (New Makri) in Greece.

Marmaris-TURKEY

Marmaris is a port city and a tourist destination on the Mediterranean coast, located in southwest Turkey, in the Muğla Province.

Marmaris’ main source of income is tourism. While little is left of the sleepy fishing village that Marmaris was just a few decades ago after a construction boom in the 1980s, Marmaris still retains its charm due to the exceptional natural beauty of its location. The district’s population is 18 000 (2005) and is estimated to reach 300,000 – 400,000 people during the tourism season, when the flow of people reaches critical levels. Marmaris’ nightlife rivals anything on the Turkish coast.

It is also a major centre for sailing, possessing two major and several smaller marinas. It is a popular wintering location for hundreds of cruising boaters. There are regular ferry services to the Greek island of Rhodes, and large cruise ships call at the port.

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Bodrum – TURKEY

Bodrum (from Petronium; formerly Halicarnassus (Turkish: Halikarnas, Ancient Greek: Ἁλικαρνασσός)) is a Turkish port town in Muğla Province, in the southwestern Aegean Region of the country. It is located on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula, at a point that checks the entry into the Gulf of Gökova, and it faces the Greek island of Kos. Today, it is an international center of tourism and yachting. The city was called Halicarnassus of Caria in ancient times. The Mausoleum of Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was here.

Bodrum Castle, built by the Crusaders in the 15th century, overlooks the harbor and the International Marina. The castle grounds includes a Museum of Underwater Archeology and hosts several cultural festivals throughout the year.

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Musical instruments of Turkey

Saz (Turkish Long Neck Lute)

The Saz is the grandfather of the Greek Bouzouki. It’s originated in Central Asia where Turks lived before their westward migration. Like the guitar in Spain and the bouzouki in Greece, the Saz is the most popular stringed instrument in Turkey. Although similar in shape to the Greek Bouzouki, the construction, size and sound of the Saz is different. You need a baglama saz to be able to play the microtones (Perde) of Arabic music. These instruments have traditional tied frets that are movable, and 3 courses of strings.
Baglama

baglamaBaglama is the most commonly used string folk instrument in Turkey. It takes different names according to the regions and according to its size such as Baglama, Divan Sazi, Bozuk, Çögür, Kopuz Irizva, Cura, Tambura, etc.

Cura is the smallest member of the baglama family with the highest pitched sound. The member one size bigger than cura which gives a sound that is one octave lower than cura is the tambura. And the one with the deepest sound is the Divan sazi whose sound is one octave lower compared to tambura.

Baglama has three main parts called Tekne, Gögüs and Sap. Tekne part is generally made from mulberry trees as well as from woods of juniper, beech, spruce or walnut. The gögüs part is made from spruce and the sap section from homespun or juniper.

There are pieces called burgu (screw) at the end of the sap which is opposite to tekne part to which the strings are tied. These screws are used for tuning. There are pitches on the sap tied with fish line. Baglama is played with a Mizrap or Tezene made from cherry wood bark or plastic and fingers are used in some regions. The later technique is called Selpe.

There are three string groups on Baglama in groups of two or three. These string groups can be tuned in a variety of ways. For example in the tuning style called baglama Düzeni, the strings in the lower group give ‘la’, middle group strings and upper group strings give ‘mi’ notes. Besides this type of tuning there are Kara Düzen, Misket Düzeni Müstezat, Abdal Düzeni, Rast Düzeni etc. styles.
Tar

tarTar is a Turkish folk instrument played with a plectrum (tezene). It is widely used in the Kars region. It is also a commonly used instrument in Azerbaijan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Georgia. Its body is composed of two bowls of different size and is generally made from mulberry trees. The gögüs section is covered with a membrane taken from the heart of water buffaloes or cattle. Sap section is from hard wood and fish line pitches are tied onto it.

There are two main groups of strings on tar. Those in the first group are used in playing the tune and consists of three groups of two strings. The other group of strings are called Kök and Zengi and are tuned according to the mode to be used and enhance the tone.
Kabak Kemane

Kabak Kemane is a bowed Turkish folk instrument. Shows variation according to regions and its form. It is known that instruments known as Kabak, Kemane, Iklig, Rabab, Hegit at Hatay province, Rubaba in Southeastern Turkey, KemanÁa in Azerbaijan and Gicak, Giccek or Gijek among the central Asian Turks all come from the same origin.

Its body or the tekne part is generally made from vegetable marrow but wooden ones are also common. The sap is from hard woods. There is a thin wooden or metal rod underneath the body which is placed on the knee and enables the instrument to move to the left and right. The bow is made by tying horse hair on two ends of a stick. Previously strings made from gut called Kiris were used which were replaced by metal ones at the present.

Kabak kemane is an instrument without pitches and produces all types of chromatic sounds easily. Its sound is suitable for long plays and can be used for legato, Staccato and Pizzicato paces.
Karadeniz Kemencesi

kemenceKaradeniz Kemencesi is a bowed Turkish folk instrument. As can be surmised from its name it is an instrument widely used in the Black Sea Region. Its body is made from mulberry, plum and juniper woods. The wooden part of the bow generally rose wood or box wood. Horse hair is tied to the ends of the bow.

Kemence is a three-string instrument. While kiris strings from gut used be put on kemences, these days mostly metal strings are used.

Kemence is an instrument without pitches and and it is possible to get from it all types of chromatic sounds easily. It is generally played by pressing two strings at the same time and getting parallel quarter notes. It is furthermore played with a special technique which is achieved with wrist movements.

Zurna

zurnaZurna is a Turkish folk instrument of the wind type. Because of its strong sound it is generally played in the open air, on occasions such as village weddings, sending off the boys to military service, sport encounters, folk dances and similar ceremonial events. It was the first melody instrument of the Mehter teams (Janissaries Band) in the Ottoman period. It was also used in some traditional theater (orta oyunu) performances. It is generally accompanied with a drum. Because of the difficulty of its intonation and its high sound level, it is not used in musical groups. However, in the recent years it started to be used by some folk music groups.

Zurna has a sound range of nearly two octaves and has eight melody keys with seven of them on the front and one on the back. The key at the back is so located as to come between the first two notes towards the reed section at the front. The keys are generally round with 6-8mm diameters. The length of the instrument changes between 30 – 60 cm and widens out like a funnel starting from the part the melody holes end. This section is called the kalak. At the blowing end there is a thin pipe like rod over which the reed goes. This rod is called Metem. A separate circular piece with a hole in the middle is put over the Metem to help the breathing technique. This piece is called Avurtluk. The most common zurna playing technique is the continuous playing technique where while the air collected in the cave of the mouth is blown out from the reed, inhaling through nostrils occurs simultaneously.

There are seven holes besides the melody keys on the kalak section which are smaller in diameter. They are called seytan deligi (devil’s hole) or cin deligi (genie’s hole). They can be closed with wax or a similar material according to the sound hunting of the player.

The instrument which changes between 60 and 30 cm. in length as we have already mentioned is divided into three types according to its sound : Kaba Zurna, Orta Kaba Zurna and Cura Zurna (Zil Zurna). They are generally made from wood of trees such as plums, apricots, walnut, saber etc.
Kaval

kavalKaval is a Turkish folk instrument of the wind type. It is known as the instrument of the shepherds. It is also called Guval and Kuval in different regions. The belief that the shepherd leads his sheep flock with his kaval is a wide spread belief among the people. The word kaval is probably a derivative from the word “kav” which means hollow on the inside.

Its sound range is about 2.5-3 octaves. It is widely used instrument in the folk music groups of today and can be used as a solo instrument within an ensemble. Kaval preserves its sound characteristics when played together with other instruments.

As kavals are not produced to any defined standards what can be said about its dimensions has to be very general. Its length may vary between 30 cm and 80 cm and its diameter is approximately 1.5 cm. It has 7 melody keys on the front and one underneath. Besides these, there are also 4 other keys at the lower section of the instrument called Seytan Deliği and Hazreti Ali.

Kavals are divided into two main types as Dilli Kaval and Dilsiz Kaval and are generally made from the wood of the plum tree.
Çigirtma

cigirtmaCigirtma is a Turkish folk instrument of the wind type. Cigirtma is made from the wing bone of the eagle. It is known to be used mostly by the shepherds and is an almost forgotten instrument today. It has a total of seven melody keys with six on the top and one underneath It is about 15-30 cm long.
Mey

meyMey is a Turkish folk instrument of the wind type. It consists of three parts . Ana Gövde (main part), Kamis (reed) and Kiskac (clip). The clips mounted to the end of the reed and can be pushed up and down on the reed and thus enabling tuning by providing one note variation in the sound.

Mey which is made of wood from plum walnut, beech etc. has sound distance of about one octave. It has a total of eight melody keys with seven on top and one underneath. There are three types of Mey: Cura Mey, Orta Mey and Ana Mey. Mey is called Balaban in Azerbaijan.
Tulum

Tulum (bagpipe) is a Turkish folk instrument of the wind type. It consists of three parts with Deri Kismi (leather section), Nav and Agizlik (mouth piece). The air is stored in the leather section and is let into the nav section by pressing the bag under the arm. Nav is the part where the melody is played. It also has two parts called Analik and Dillik. Agizlik is the section which sends the air to the leather bag of the pipe.

Tulum is used in Turkey at Trabzon, Rize, Erzurum, Kars, Northern and Eastern Anatolian regions and in Thrace. Tulum, which is generally made from lamb or kid skin, is called Gayda in Thrace.
Sipsi

sipsiSipsi which is a Turkish folk instrument of the wind type is made from bone, wood or reed. The reed ones are more common. It has a second smaller part at the end which is made of reed that produces the sound. This part is completely taken into the mouth and the air is blown.

It is most widely used in the Aegean Region the instrument has a total of six melody keys with five on the top and one underneath.
Çifte

cifteCifte is a Turkish folk instrument of the wind type. It is made by tying two reed pipes side by side. Two small reed pieces which produce the sound are added to the ends of both reeds. These two small reeds are taken into the mouth cavity and it is played by blowing the air at the same time.

There are two cifte types known as Demli cifte and Demsiz cifte. In demli Cifte one of the reeds does not have any pitch keys and it just produces a background sound. There are melody keys on the other red and the main melody is played through them.

Cifte is also known as Argun, Argul, Kargin or Zambir at different regions.
Davul

davulDavul (drum) is the oldest known percussion instrument. It can be in different sizes and is generally used in open spaces on occasions such as weddings, folk dances or different ceremonies. It consists of a circular wooden frame and a hoop made from two skins and covered with skin which is put on the frame with the help of strong strings or leather ribbons.

It is played while hung on the shoulder with knitted or leather strap. The skin on one side of the drum is thick while on the other is thinner. The thin one is made from goat, the thick one from sheep skin. The thick skin side is hit with a tokmak and the thin skinned one with a light wooden stick. It is possible to scan or treble with the thin stick. The drum can either be played hung to the shoulder or holding it under the arm and using hands.

Davul is especially used during Ramadan to wake people up before beginning the fast.
Nagara

nagaraNagara (Koltuk Davulu) is a Turkish folk drum or percussion instrument. It is placed under the arm and beaten with hands. It is longer compared to the regular drums and its diameter is smaller.
Tef

tefTef (tambourine) is a Turkish percussion instrument. It consists of a metal or wooden hoop over which a skin is stretched. There are two types of tambourines, with or without the cymbals.
Kasik

kasikKasik (spoon) is a Turkish percussion instrument. The ones made from boxwood are particularly favored. The handles are taken between the fingers and the oval parts are held towards the inside of the hand in a back to back position. There are also different holding styles.

Source: Ministry of Culture

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Music of Turkey

The music of Turkey includes diverse elements ranging from Central Asian folk music and music from Ottoman Empire dominions such as Persian music, Balkan music and Byzantine music, as well as more modern European and American popular music influences. In turn, it has influenced these cultures through the Ottoman Empire.[1] Turkey is a country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, and is a crossroad of cultures from across Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus and South and Central Asia.

The roots of traditional music in Turkey spans across centuries to a time when the Seljuk Turks colonized Anatolia and Persia in the 11th century and contains elements of both Turkic and pre-Turkic influences. Much of its modern popular music can trace its roots to the emergence in the early 1930s drive for Westernization.[2]

With the absorbance of immigrants from various regions the diversity of musical genres and musical instrumentation also expanded. Turkey has also seen documented folk music and recorded popular music produced in the ethnic styles of Armenian, Greek, Polish, Azeri and Jewish communities, among others.[1] Many Turkish cities and towns have vibrant local music scenes which, in turn, support a number of regional musical styles.

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Marmara – Turkish Tourism

The Basilica of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), now called the Ayasofya Museum, is unquestionably one of the finest buildings of all time. Built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, its immense dome rises 55 meters above the ground and its diameter spans 31 meters. Linger here to admire the building’s majestic serenity as well as the fine Byzantine mosaics. (Open every day except Monday).

The Archeological Museums are found just inside the first court of the Topkapi Palace. Included among its treasures of antiquity are the celebrated Alexander Sarcophagus and the facade of the Temple to Athena from Assos. The Museum of the Ancient Orient displays artifacts from the Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Hatti and Hittite civilizations. (Open every day except Monday).

Archeology Museum, Istanbul

Rumeli Hisan, or European Fortress, was built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to his capture of Istanbul. Completed in only four months, it is one of the most beautiful works of military architecture in the world. In the castle is the Open-Air Museum amphitheater that is the site for some events of the Istanbul Music Festival. (Open every day except Wednesdays).

Originally built in the 15th century as a kosk, or pavilion, by Mehmet the Conqueror, the Cinili kosk, which houses the Museum of Turkish Ceramics, contains beautiful 16th- century specimens from Iznik and fine examples of Seljuk and Ottoman pottery and tiles. (Open every day except Monday).

Temple of Aphrodite, Assos

Like the Ayasofya Museum, the St. Irene Museum was originally a church. It ranks, in fact, as the first church built in Istanbul. Constantine commissioned it in the fourth century and Justinian later had the church restored. The building reputedly stands on the site of a pre-Christian temple. (Open every day except Monday, but requires special permission for admission).

The dark stone building that houses the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art was built in 1524 by the Grand Vizier to Suleyman the Magnificent, Ibrahim Pasa, as his residence. it was the grandest private residence ever built in the Ottoman Empire. Today it holds a superb collection of ceramics, metalwork, miniatures, calligraphy, textiles, and woodwork as well as some of the oldest carpets in the world. (Open every day except Monday).

Statue of Aphrodite, Sadberk Hanim Museum

Across the street from the Ibrahim Pasa residence is the Museum of Turkish Carpets which contains exquisite antique carpets and kilims gathered from all over Turkey. (Open every day except Sunday and Monday).

Near Hagia Sophia is the sixth-century Byzantine cistern known as the Yerebatan Sarnici. Three hundred and thirty-six massive Corinthian columns support the immense chamber’s fine brick vaulting. (Open every day except Tuesday).

The Mosaic Museum preserves in situ exceptionally fine fifth and sixth-century mosaic pavements from the Grand Palace of the Byzantine emperors. (Open every day except Tuesday).

Yerebatan Palace

The Kariye Museum, the 11th-century church of “St. Savior” in the Chora complex, is, after Hagia Sophia, the most important Byzantine monument in Istanbul Unremarkable in its architecture, inside, the walls are decorated with superb 14th-century mosaics. Illustrating scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, these brilliantly colored paintings embody the vigor of Byzantine art. In restored wooden houses in the area surrounding the church you can enjoy tea and coffee in a relaxed atmosphere far removed from the city’s hectic pace. (Open every day except Wednesday).

The Aviation Museum in Yesilkoy traces the development of flight in Turkey. (Open every day except Monday).

In the Military Museum the great field tents used by the Ottoman armies on campaigns are on display. Other exhibits include Ottoman weapons and the accoutrements of war. The Mehter Takimi (Ottoman military band) can be heard performing Ottoman martial music between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. (Open every day except Monday and Tuesday).

Ataturk’s former residence in Sisli now serves as the Ataturk Museum and displays his personal effects. (Open every day except Saturday and Sunday).

The grand imperial caiques used by the sultans to cross the Bosphorus are among the many many other interesting exhibits of Ottoman naval history that can be seen at the Naval Museum located in the Besiktas district. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday).

Also in Besiktas is the Museum of Fine Arts that houses Turkish paintings and sculptures from the end of the 19th century to the present. (Open every day except Monday and Tuesday).

Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia)
Museum

The City Museum, located within the gardens of the Yildiz Palace, preserves and documents the history of Istanbul since the Ottoman conquest. (Open every day except Thursday). Also within the gardens are the Yildiz Palace Theatre and the Museum of Historical Stage Costumes, with its richly decorated scenery and stage, and its exquisite costumes. (Open every day except Tuesday).

The Rahmi Koc Industry Museum, in the suburb of Haskoy on the coast of the Golden Horn, was an Ottoman-period building, formerly called Lengerhane, for iron and steel works. Today it houses exhibits on industrial development. (Open every day except Monday).

Up the Bosphorus in the picturesque suburb of Buyukdere, the collections of the Sadberk Hanim Museum fill two charmng 19th- century wooden villas. A private museum which originally displayed only Turkish decorative arts, it has recently been expanded for a new collection of archeological finds. (Open every day except Wednesday).

For something different try the Caricature and Cartoon Museum in Fatih on Ataturk Boulevard under the Bozdogan Aqueduct in the 16th century Gazanfer Aga Medrese. (Open daily 9:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m.)

The restored Saatci Efendi Konak in Izmit, a typical 18th- century Ottoman mansion, now serves as the Ethnography Museum.East of Izmir, is Adapazari, the provincial capital of Sakarya, an important agricultural and industrial region. In the city of Adapazari, itself, the Ataturk and Ethnography Museum displays personal effects of the founder of the Turkish Republic as well as regional artifacts.

Temple of Athena, Assos (Behramkale)

Tourist attractions in Sogut include the life-size busts of famous figures from Turkish history and the Ethnography Museum which traces the history of Turkey through its displays.

The Ataturk Mansion, located in Yalova, is now a museum (open to the public weekdays except Monday and Thursday). Built in 1929, Ataturk’s former summer residence displays original furnishings from the early 20th century.

Cunda Island, Ayvalik – Balikesir

Iznik was the center of exquisite ceramic ware production which made an important decorative contribution to mosques and palaces throughout Turkey. A museum displays the finds of nearby excavations.

When you reach to Bursa, you are amazed with the museums the city embraces in itself. A medrese nearby completes the Yesil Mosque complex and is also home to the Ethnography Museum. The nearby Ottoman House Museum is in a restored 17th century dwelling that provides an interesting glimpse into the lives of wealthy Ottomans. Other places of interest in Bursa include the Culture Park with the Bursa Archeological Museum, and the Ataturk Museum on the road to Cekirge.

Bursa Houses

Take in artifacts from the Balikesir area are displayed in the newly completed Balikesir Museum (Kuva-i Milliye).

Hotels, restaurants-and cafes along the promenade of Canakkale, offer a place to enjoy the traffic in the harbor, as well as a view of the Kilitbahir Fortress and the Canakkale Archeological Museum. In addition, the Cimenlik fortress serves as a military museum dedicated to the World War I Battle of Canakkale. In Bayramic, 60 km from Canakkale is the beautiful 18th- century Hadimogullari Mansion (Ottoman House) with its ethnography museum.

Tekirday also has several imporant museums: The Archeology and Ethnography Museum displays an extensive collection of artifacts from the area. The Rakoczy Museum occupies the house where the Hungarian prince, Rakoczy Ferench 11 (1676-1735) lived out the last years of his life after fighting for his people’s liberation.In Kirklareli, the Archeological Museum exhibits finds from local excavations.

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