Edirne

For our weekend group excursion we went as a group to Edirne, Adrianople in Greek, which is located in the European part of Turkey just a few miles from both the Greek and Bulgarian boarders.  Before the conquest of Constantinople Edirne served as the Ottoman capital for almost 100 years.  Consequently, it contains many beautiful examples of early Ottoman architecture.

Medical College and Hospital

We visited an Ottoman medical school and hospital complex that was as forward thinking as it was beautiful.  

Both physically and mentally ill patients were housed and cared for in a purposefully soothing setting.  There was a fountain in the middle to provide calming background noise and musicians were employed to play music for the patients several times a week.  Patients also benefited from medicines created at the hospitals pharmacy and occupational therapy if necessary.

Ottoman medical experimentation

Turkish museums often feature elaborate reconstructions featuring mannequins.  The Edirne medical museum was no exception.  To its credit, the displays at this museum were much less creepy than some of the others I have seen and depicted usual scenes such as animal experiments and mentally ill patients.

The complex also contains a lovely mosque.  Edirne is most well known for its architecture, especially its uniquely beautiful mosques.

Selimiye Cami

Inside Selimiye Camii

Inside Selimiye Camii

Selimiye Mosque is one of the most famous mosques in all of Turkey.  It was comissioned by Sultan Selime II, hence the name Selimiye, in 1569.  The architect of the mosque was Mimar Sinan and it is considered his crowing achievement.  Sinan is better known for the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, but I agree that Selimiye mosque is the more interesting of the two.  Maybe it was because there were fewer tourists, but the Selimiye mosque felt more peaceful and balanced inside than the Blue Mosque.  The space is huge but does not feel overwhelming.  The details and tile work in the mosque is absolutely gorgeous.

Inside Eski Cami, a man prays in front of the word Allah

Piece from the black stone in the Ka'aba in Mecca displayed in Eski Cami

Edirne's Eski Cami or Old Mosque has some very unusual and strikingly modern looking decor.  Built between 1403 and 1414, both the interior and exterior walls of the Old Mosque are covered with enormous examples of Arabic calligraphy.

One of the three unique minarets of the Üç Şerefeli  Camii

Stained glass and tile work at the front of the Üç Şerefeli Camii

The last of the four mosques we visited is called Uc Serefeli Cami or the Mosque of the Three Balconies.  It has three minarets, each of a different design.  The interior beautiful tiles and stained glass.

Legends of Oil Wrestling

Sweet Oil Wrestling moves

Edirne is the capital of Turkish Oil Wrestling, a sport that has origins that date back thousands of years.  We unfortunately just missed the annual festival, but we did see the stadium and various statues depicting wrestlers.  And, most importantly, I got a sweet T-shirt with oil wrestlers in action on it.

Fashion and Religion in Turkey

A thing as worldly and secular as fashion seems to have little connection to religion.   However the intersection between religion and fashion is visible everyday on the streets of Turkey.  The majority of young Turkish women who dress according to traditional Islamic notions of female modesty do so in a way that is modern and fashionable.  Women pin beautifully patterned scarves tightly around their face and wrap the ends around their neck or shoulders in a number of different trendy ways.  Blouses or layers of tops cover arms to at least below the elbow.  Long, swingy skirts or sometimes pants and tunics provide coverage to the calves or below.  Trendy and stylish shoes, often heals or wedges, are very popular as are designer bags and statement accessories.  The entire outfit is color coordinated and often topped with a long, fitted trench coat in a light color.  In contrast, the mothers and grandmothers of women now in their teens, twenties or thirties tie their scarves babushka-style under their chins.  Their scarves, long skirts and blouses or sweaters are seemingly chosen at random, and colors and patterns often loudly clash.  Western notions of "matching" or creating an "outfit" are largely foreign to these generations and clothing is chosen for its modesty and comfort only.

The phenomenon fashionable covered woman has created a market for elegant, trendy and beautiful modest clothing and scarves.  Stores like TekBir, Akar and Armine cater to the fashion conscious upper-middle class covered woman.  The latest trends in modest Muslim fashion as well as health and beauty are covered by magazines like Hesna and Ala.  These magazines have features and stories similar to mainstream fashion magazines, but are conscious of the needs and interests of the covered Muslim woman.  Fashion spreads feature items from Islamic fashion brands as well as pieces from mainstream brands that conform to accepted notions of modesty.  There is also a heavy focus on accessories such as shoes and bags since these are not subject to modesty restrictions.  Though interest in and the market for Islamically modest fashion is clearly growing, both Turkish-produced and Turkish editions of international fashion magazines still direct their fashion spreads and articles exclusively to secular women.  None of the secular magazines I surveyed had any photos of covered women, nor were their fashion spreads noticeably different from those one would see in Western Europe or the US.

I talked with four covered women in their twenties regarding their views of fashion and experience finding fashionable but appropriately modest clothing.  Unsurprisingly, the consensus among the group was that it is completely possible to properly modest while still wearing modern styles of clothing.  They described the difference between how they dress and think about clothing and how their mothers or grandmothers do.  They labeled the clothing choices of the older generations “traditional” and in contrast described their modern interpretation of Islamic modesty as “careful” or “conscious.”  Three of the four were very positive about the influence of fashion on Islamically modest women.  One woman felt it was important to dress fashionably because it has a positive effect on a woman’s self-esteem.  More importantly, she feels that when covered women dress in a beautiful and fashionable way, they make Islamic modesty an attractive choice for other women.  She thinks that through their example they can influence other women to wear hijab.  The one woman who had negative feelings about fashion complained that it creates conformity in society and feels that it discourages people from thinking for themselves.  However, she agreed with her friend that fashion can have a positive impact on how people perceive covered women and encourage other women to adopt an Islamically modest lifestyle.

The women I interviewed are in school or just starting out their careers and, like young people in the US and elsewhere, do not have much income.  Stores like Akar and TekBir as well as the designer clothing in Islamic fashion magazines are generally out of their price range.  They acknowledged that while it has become much easier for upper middle class Islamic women to find fashionable and modest clothing, women like them still struggle to find appropriate fashion choices.  Their outfits are pieced together from the bazaar shops and inexpensive chain stores that secular and covered women alike shop at.  It is not uncommon for these young women to layer clothing in order to wear fashionable pieces while simultaneously maintaining appropriate levels of modesty.

The phenomenon of the Islamically modest but modern and fashionable woman is clearly not a passing trend in Turkey.  Young women from both traditionally pious families as well as secular ones are adopting this style of dress as an outward expression of their desire live in the modern world while maintaining their Muslim faith.  This modern but modest lifestyle is clearly a matter of personal choice rather than a reaction to family or patriarchal pressure.  As is the case with one of the women I interviewed, some young women choose to adopt this mode of dress against the wishes of their family.  My interviewees were all quick to emphasize the difference between their interpretation of Islamic dress and that of older generations.  Their description of their mothers’ dress as “traditional” implies that they dress in certain ways because of societal pressure rather than personal choice.  In contrast, the women I interviewed described their way of dressing as “özenli” which roughly translates as painstaking or careful.  By implication, the carefulness these women want to demonstrate in their Islamically inspired dress is an outward reflection of the carefulness in which they feel they practice their religion.  In this way, through the very worldly medium of fashion, a woman reflects her inner spiritual state.

Yesil

Yesil Turbe

Yesil Camii and Yesil Turbe (the Green Mosque and Green Tomb) are two of the most significant tourist attractions here in Bursa.  They are so named because of the blue-green tiles that cover much of both buildings inside and out.  They are both gorgeous, like massive jewels perched on the side of Uludag. 

close up, Yesil Turbe

Yesil Turbe contains the tomb of Sultan Mehmet I and his family.  It was built in the early 15th century but most of the exterior tiles were replaced in the 19th century.

Inside Yesil Turbe

Door, Yesil Turbe

Yesil Camii

Built around the same time as Yesil Turbe, Yesil Camii is not as thickly covered with tiles as Yesil Turbe but it maintains the same blue-green color scheme.

Inside Yesil Camii

Yesil Cami has an unusual, cross-like shape with a recessed  central space, mithrab and prayer space in the front, the sultan's loge above the back entrance and prayer rooms to the right and left.

Central space with fountain, side prayer space with fountain

Side prayer room with recesses for candles.

Turkish Weddings

Summer is also wedding season here in Turkey.  Many of us CLS students have had the opportunity to attend a wedding or two with their family.  Like much of Turkish culture, a typical Turkish wedding blends traditional Turkish and Islamic elements with Western traditions.   Video and photography was limited to the professionals hired for the event at the weddings I attended, so I unfortunately do not have any of my own photos to share.  


Unlike in the US, inviting guests to your wedding is a last minute consideration.  Typically, a guest will receive an invitation the day before the reception.  Receptions usually take place in a rented hall similar to those in the States.  The official "marriage" part can take place at the hall or before or after at a separate location.  I have yet to witness the marriage ceremony, most guests only come to the reception.  The reception guest list can be much more inclusive than the guest list at a typical American wedding as the reception is much more informal in Turkey.  In addition to family and friends, neighbors and coworkers are typically invited to a Turkish wedding.  Children are not excluded from invitations or left with a babysitter.  Even toddlers and babies are brought along even though, like American weddings, Turkish wedding receptions are typically held in the evening.  


At the reception, guests seat themselves and while non-alcoholic drinks and cake are expected, a meal is not served.  As is typical at an American wedding, a DJ plays music and acts as an MC for the event.  The MC announces the bride and groom and there is a Western-style "first dance."  To make this special moment even more spectacular, it is common to for the couple to dance inside a square of Roman candles.  This can be quite disconcerting for someone used to American fire codes.  Other dances are typically Turkish traditional line dances and not accompanied by fireworks.  Unlike in the US, men are enthusiastic participants in Turkish dancing.  At one of the wedding went to, a group of men started the dancing off even before the bride and groom arrived.  


Near the beginning of the evening, the bride and groom do a ceremonial cake cutting.  However, the cake cutting I witnessed was a little bit different.  An enormous styrofoam cake was brought out.  It was wheeled right by us so I could see grooves where previous couples had "cut" the cake.  The bride and groom proceeded to make the groove a bit deeper and the faux cake was wheeled back out.  While this wedding salon offered a fake cake cutting option, most couples in Turkey cut a real cake. 


 Guests do not bring wrapped gifts for the newlywed couple.  Instead, the bride and groom have a receiving line and guests pin money, gold coins or, for close family, add gold bracelets to the bride's wrists.  My host mother has had a hard time understand why I did not receive gold jewelry at my wedding.  Gold gives a couple a the financial security that paper currency cannot.  Even in the recent past, Turkey's currency has undergone periods of debilitating inflation and it is quite understandable that most people consider gold a much better investment.  


Fashion choices at Turkish weddings vary greatly.  Turkish brides typically wear over-the-top, lavish princess gowns.  The close family and attendants also wear elaborate, formal clothing.  However, guests can choose to be as formal or informal as they like.  Outfits range from formal wear, to cocktail attire to jeans and a t-shirt.  It is always fun to see what the newest and most outrages dresses are gracing the windows of local bridal and formal wear shops.

Iznik / Nicea

On Friday, we took a group trip to the nearby historic town of Iznik.  Iznik has a archaeological museum located in and around a restored hamam.  Artifacts from prehistoric to Ottoman times found in the Iznik region are on display.  The town of Iznik is small today, but it has been inhabited for thousands of years and has played a variety of important roles in regional and world history.  During the Ottoman period, Iznik became famous for its ceramic production, especially its decorative hand-painted tiles.  Iznik tiles decorate many of the Ottoman mosques in Istanbul, including the famous Blue Mosque.  Example of Iznik pottery from its 16th century golden era were also on display at the museum.

Iznik ceramics from the 16th century

Ottoman graveyard next to the museum

Near the Archaeology Museum is the 14th century Green Mosque.  It is so named because of the tiles on the minaret, which appear more blue in real life than green.

We also explored a restored Ottoman Hamam whose original fountain is now home to goldfish.

When restoration work was being done on the haman, a Roman road was discovered.  Interestingly, it now sits around 15 below the current central road in Iznik.

The biggest attraction in Iznik is the now mostly ruined church of Hagia Sophia, first built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century when Iznik was called Nicaea. The church was built on the same plan as the larger, more famous Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.  The 7th and last of the early, united church ecumenical councils was held here in 787 AD.  The purpose of this council was to clarify church policies on the veneration and use of icons after a period of iconoclasm.  The present building dates from the 11th century but it retains the same plain and major features of the original building.  The building is mostly a ruin with a modern roof covering what remains.  During the Ottoman period, this church, like many other major churches, was used as a mosque.  The building had for decades been in a state of disrepair and disuse when in 2007 it was restored and open to visitors as a state run museum.  Within the past year it has been put to use as a mosque once again.  

Entrance with new sign

Inside with prayer space.

According to the New York Times, the decision to once again use the building as a mosque seems to be an independent initiative of a single local minister.  The vast majority of locals and Turkish tourists oppose the building's reversion into a mosque.  We visited Iznik on a Friday, the Muslim day of communal prayer.  Outside the Green Mosque, which was already filled to capacity, men lined up dozens of rows deep for the mid-day prayer.  The call to prayer echoed from the Ottoman minaret of what a sign now identifies as the Aya Sofya Mosque, however the area was nearly abandoned, with just a few men hanging around outside.  It certainly appears that locals prefer to pray at other mosques, even when they are overflowing, rather than use this church turned mosque turned ruin turned museum turned mosque.  My pious host family was shocked and surprised to hear that the church-museum was now a mosque.  Because hardly anyone actually uses it as a prayer space, the re-sanctification of the building made little real impact on our ability to visit and look around the building.  There is even a small benefit to the visitor.  Since the building is now a mosque rather than a church, there is no entrance fee.

Church apse with an early-Christian style stepped choir.

Ceiling with faint frescos

We finished the day relaxing next to the large lake whose banks nearly touch the old city walls.

I would definately like to return to Iznik in the future.  We had a bit of a whirl-wind tour, staying in the city about 5 hours.  There are lots of other Roman, Bzyantine and Ottoman Era ruins and buildings in the area that we didn't have a chance to visit, including a stadium and an obelisk.  The area around Iznik was a gorgeous Mediterranean stereotype: steep hills covered with olive and fruit trees and sleepy little villages.  The Iznik area produces a lot of olive oil and many studios in the city still produce traditional style painted pottery.  We got a brief tour of one such studio.  It had some beautiful pieces, but because of the time and labor intensive nature of the process, they were unfortunately prohibitively expensive.

Holidays

I hope everyone in the States had a fun Independence Day.  For practicing Muslims here in Turkey, another holiday began this evening.  It is called Berat Kendili in Turkish or Laylat al-Bara'at in Arabic.  According to some hadiths, records of the doings or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.  God forgives the sins of Muslims and bestows great blessings on the night of 15th of the month of Shaban, according to the Islamic lunar calender.  It is believed that prayers made tonight will be answered in the upcoming year.  There are several TV stations here in Turkey broadcasting live from famous mosques in Istanbul where large crowds have gathered to pray and listen to Qur'an recitations.  My host family has been calling and receiving calls from close family and friends wishing them a good holiday.  Muslims do not necessarily fast on this holiday and some hold night-long prayer vigils.

Hidden Gems

A few weeks ago, we went as a group to Hunkar Kosku, an Ottoman era mansion that was later used by founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.  Apparently Ataturk had an official residence in every major city or town.  In Bursa, as in many places, his residence has been turned into a museum, preserving the building's furnishings and decor as it was when it was used by Ataturk.  The house looks like many restored historic houses, in the sense that there are few overt reminders of it's illustrious former resident.  We were not allowed to take photos inside the building, but this page on the website of the greater Bursa tourist board has a few good ones.  Unfortunately, I could not find a photo of what I think is the most interesting room in the building.  The house is built on the slope above the city, with the entrance on the top floor and more living space on the bottom.  The second "living room" on the bottom floor was built for maximum comfort in the summer heat.  It is lined with marble and has a small fountain built into the floor.  The fountain provided natural "air conditioning" when running.  The room is windowless, having been built into the hillside, but features large, north-facing French doors which provide a view of the terraced backyard garden that overlooks the city.  It reminded my of luxurious man-made cave, the perfect retreat from Bursa's hot and humid weather.

One of my favorite things about Turkey is the hidden courtyards and gardens that were built into seemingly every structure during the Ottoman period.  One of my favorite is the Ipek han here in Bursa.  A Han is an open courtyard in the midst of a traditional bazaar structure.  They were orginally used for workshops but now serve mostly as tea gardens.

Ipek is the Turkish word for silk.  In addition to being a stop on the famed "Silk Road", silk worms were raised and silk was made in Bursa up through the mid-20th century.  Many silk goods are still sold in Bursa, although I am unsure if they are still made locally.

Ipek han is like a secret garden, with large trees, a fountain and a mini mosque in the middle.  Though the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is impressive for its sheer scale and variety of architecture, none of its hans compare to this one.

I am currently writing this from the Ordekli Hamam, a 15th century Turkish bath that has been restored and turned into a arts and culture center.  Until a few years ago, the building was a crumbling ruin.  It has been restored too look as it did centuries ago, but equipped for modern art exhibits and cultural events. You can take a virtual tour here. As is the case in all Turkish public facilities, there is tea and snacks available.  One of the main rooms is now a tea room, with Ottoman style benches and a fountain.  It beats Starbucks as a wifi hangout by a long shot.  

In sokak kedi news I have a heartwarming story of a baby sokak kedi who is now a ev (house) kedi.  One of my fellow CLS students was walking to class one morning and encountered a man who handed her a kitten.  The kitten was quite young and, being separated from its mother, needed care.  The program coordinator here has been taking care of the kitten until a good Turkish home can be found for it.  The coordinator's Turkish mother-in-law has been cooking for the kitten and, though still small, it apparently now has a round little tummy.  Here is an especially cute photo of her taken by another CLS student.

Bursa's Hill Top Fortress

This weekend, I hope to catch everyone up with the sites I have seen around Bursa.  Last week, I walked around the edges of Tophane, the ancient hill-top fortress where Bursa was first settled.  Like Istanbul, this most ancient part of Bursa is surrounded by the remains of the Byzantine-era fortress walls.  

The highest point is now a park and contains the tombs of Osman Gazi, the founder and namesake of the Ottoman Empire, and Orhan Gazi, his son and conqueror of Bursa.  Sultan Orhan captured Bursa in 1326, just before his father Osman died.  Osman never entered Bursa while he was alive but his son brought his body to the new capital of the Empire to be buried.  

Tomb of Sufi Saint Uftade, one of the largest tombs in Bursa

The city first expanded beyond the borders of Tophane during the Ottoman period, but the walled old city remained its administrative and spiritual center.  Encompassing a relatively small area, about 1 mile by .5 mile, Tophane is packed full of small but ancient mosques and tombs of Sufi holy men.    

Tophane offers great views of the surrounding valley and Uludag.  Even from Tophane, Ulu Camii  (Mosque) is nearly lost amongst the tangle of streets, shops and apartments. 

The area is also characterized by its winding streets and tightly packed, crumbling Ottoman era buildings.

I haven't posted a picture of a fun Turkish sokak animal in a while.  Here is a one member of the herd of chickens that roams the park surrounding the Sultans' tombs being chased by a fellow CLS student.

Return to Istanbul

I have more to share from Bursa, but I'm going  to take a brief detour to Istanbul and some current events.  There were no program activities scheduled for this weekend, so I decided to head back to Istanbul to relax, drink tea and take in the views.  I stayed in a very modern and comfortable hostel in Kadikoy, the neighborhood I lived in last year.  It was wonderful to be back on a Bosphorus ferry catching the salt water breeze and watching the city go by.

Friday night I watched the sun set over the old city from Kadikoy once again.  It is a time of day when Istanbul truly feels like an axis mundi, a place around which the rest of the world, and history, turns.  

On Saturday I went to the Istanbul Modern museum, which I had not visited previously.  I am very bipolar when it comes to contemporary art, I tend to either love or hate a piece.  Not everything in the Istanbul Modern was to my taste, but there was more good than bad and even some great.  It was a nice break from the frantic pace of Turkish city life and it didn't hurt that the museum is located on the Bosphorus shore near Karakoy and has a good (if pricey by Turkish standards) restaurant with a waterside terrace.
After the Istanbul Modern, I headed to the tea garden in Gulhane below Topkapi palace (which I had visited last year), to drink tea and watch the ships pass.  Then it was back to Kadikoy and Moda for a walk and some ice cream.  It was a rough day.

I mentioned in my post previous to this trip the violence in Syria and my interest on how it is being perceived in Turkey. In my family's home in Bursa, the latest incidences and death tolls and Syria can be seen on the news nightly.  However the chaos in Syria still feels, and is, very far away from everyday urban Turkish life.  Friday, Turkey's stake in the Syrian conflict was raised.  A Turkish military jet that entered Syrian airspace while flying over the Mediterranean was shot down by Syria.  As of Saturday night, it was still unclear what, if any, action Turkey will take in response.  The two governments are talking and, according to the Times, Syria is not eager to start a war with Turkey.  This could be a turning point in Turkey's involvement in the Syrian rebellion, its role to this point consisting of passive support of the rebels.  However, a full on military response could be perceived negatively in the Arab world.  Turkey is eager to be a leader in the Middle East and inspiration for its emerging democracies.  The Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, enjoys unprecidented popularity in the Middle East due not only to his charisma but the perception that he has managed to bridge the gap between Muslim piety and democratic politics.  On the other hand, Turkey has been battling the tendency to label their engagement with the region as Neo-Ottomanism.  The Egyptians, for example, may welcome Erdogan like a rock star, but his popularity is far from unconditional.  A Turkish incursion into Syria could be perceived as a step toward the reestablishment of Turkish power beyond its present boundary.  However, there must be a limit to what aggression Turkey will endure or else its government will loose much of its international political and military credibility.  The question is where does the balance lie between neo-imperialism  and international doormat.


In lighter news, after having spent several weeks in Bursa, it is quite obvious how proportionally few sokak kedis and kopeks there are there in comparison to Istanbul.  I spotted this guy from my hostel window getting a better view of the neighborhood from a car roof.