INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Goynuk: a living Ottoman villageAn old Ottoman village hidden amidst forested valleys, Goynuk is ready to show you Anatolian hospitality with its oriel-adorned houses and rich cuisine

MELIH USLU

The village of Goy-nuk: genuine treas-ure that preserves the culture of Otto-man daily life and

West Anatolian architecture, an ideal destination for those who love culture and food. Lo-cated within the borders of Bo-lu province, itself a green island between Ankara and Istanbul, Goynuk awaits you with stories of the old times told by histori-cal town houses on wood-scent-ed cobblestone streets. Enchant-ing visitors at first sight with its elegant houses, this is the kind of town that draws you in with its beauty the more time you spend there. The fame of this town, located on two sides and the bottom of a barren valley, stems from the Ottoman town houses that are predominant-ly located on the streets with a view of the valley. These nearly 400 historical houses are under conservation, and more than half of them have already been restored. Aksemseddin Man-sion, Pulcular House, Haci Ali Pasa Mansion, Yahya House, Muderrisoglu Mansion, Yerli-kaya House, and the Governor’s Mansion are among the most beautiful examples of Goynuk

houses, which are between 80 and 200 years old. These build-ings are generally named af-ter their owners. The elegance of the local architecture is seen in the cages and oriels on the windows; the pediments on the

roofs and doors; and door han-dles with creative figures that are found on these houses, which are built inside gardens. The wooden frames of these houses are still in good shape and most of them have their roofs covered

with century-old Turkish-style tiles. Bringing life to the shores of Goynuk Stream that flows through the town with their pas-tel and bright toned colours, the houses look as if they are dec-orative objects in a movie set that will be removed as soon as the shooting is over. Shy glanc-es from behind the curtains tell you that Goynuk houses are far from soulless tourist attractions – they are living and breathing residences.

The code of Turkish housesGoynuk was a centre of silk

production during the Ottoman period, and its houses reflect inside out and outside in, just like a mirror. It is not difficult to figure out how many rooms a house has, even if you don’t set foot inside. For instance, every three windows indicate

a room. If there are more than three windows, a room with a sofa comes to mind. The land-lord is likely wealthy if there is an oven in the garden, or if the door handles or pediments are ornamented. It may be surpris-ing for a big city dweller to re-ceive an intimate greeting in Goynuk streets, but this is quite normal in the region. A long walk through the public build-ings, coffee shops, restaurants, tombs, local grocers, and shops with colourful gifts in small dis-play windows is best finished with a pleasant break in the cof-fee houses on the town square. Whether you see it at the begin-ning or the end of your stroll, the town square is a tour site on its own. Also called the Grand Mosque, the Gazi Suleyman Pa-sa mosque was built by Suley-man Pasa, son of Osman I, the

HOW TO GET THEREGoynuk is 210 kilometres from Is-tanbul, 220 kilometres from Anka-ra, and 98 kilometres from Bolu. It is possible to reach Goynuk by car or by intercity bus. There are dai-ly round trips to the town from the Harem Bus Terminal in Istanbul.

founder and the first sultan of the Ottoman Empire, who add-ed Goynuk and its environs to the Ottoman lands in 1323.

In the middle of lakes, neigh-bour to thermal springs

Abant, Golcuk, Sunnet-gol and Cubuk Lake… Goynuk is in close vicinity to all these lakes that shine like emeralds between green forests. Being close to the Mudurnu and Bo-lu thermal springs, Goynuk is a popular destination for tour-ists throughout the year. What about staying in a boutique ho-tel built in a century-old man-sion? Goynuk has strengthened its tourist potential with invest-ments in the last few years. In short, this is a town that has managed to maintain its iden-tity and spirit despite a rapid growth in tourism. Ü

In collaboration with the commercial department of The National

A mouthful of delight Spring in IstanbulIt might just be jelly made of starch, water and sugar, but the Turkish Delight has found a way into the hearts and homes of millions across the world Page 8

Discover the city on the two continents while the summer heat hasn’t yet gained its power and the crowds have not yet filled the streets and markets of one of the most beautiful metropolises in the world Page 4

Abant, Golcuk, Sunnetgol and Cubuk Lake… Goynuk is in close vicinity to all these

lakes that shine like emeralds between green forests

APRIL 2016 02

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Spain to beyond Iran. If you happen to be in Is-

tanbul between April and mid-May, be sure to visit the “Magnificent Calligra-phy of the Miraculous Book: KUFIC” exhibition at the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum to see the best ex-amples of this art written in holy books. The exhibit in-cludes Koran manuscript

Kufic is the old-est calligraph-ic form of the various Ara-bic scripts and

is straight and angular. It takes its name from the town of Kufa, Iraq. Stud-ies carried out to correct-ly understand and inter-pret the Koran and hadiths gave birth to the science of calligraphy, while efforts to write holy scripts gave birth to calligraphy art.

Turks began using cal-ligraphy when they first arrived in Anatolia. They created the most precious works during the Ottoman era. For example, the Koran written by the calligrapher Ahmed Karahisari in the 16th century Ottoman pe-riod is regarded as the ul-timate expression of the art of calligraphy. This copy of Koran, which bears the seal of Sultan Mahmut I, is now on display at the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum in Istanbul. Kufic, devel-oped around the 7th cen-tury as a Koranic script, is a very simplified angular font style and has a monu-mental view when written even in a very small for-mat. Kufic had long been a universal script in the Is-lamic world extending from

pages from the late Umayy-ad and Abbasid periods, Koran scrolls, and hardcov-er examples as well as mas-terpiece copies of the Koran from the 15th century from the Islamic world. You will see nearly 150 pieces of art in this most extensive exhi-bition of Turkish and global calligraphy.

First copies are hereCopies of the Kufic Ko-

ran written by calligra-phers with the passion of worship can be seen in the exhibition. Each copy of the Koran on display is also a historical document due to the records and stamps they bear. These master-pieces reflect the develop-ment of Kufic calligraphy throughout history across the Islamic world. The ex-hibit also features Koran manuscript pages found in the first known charity re-cords, as well as copies of the Koran covered and re-stored at the palace work-shops for Ottoman sultans.

Thousands of works of art throughout history re-flect the tolerance of Islam in the best way possible. The Koran, the most repro-duced book among these works of art, was the mas-terpiece of Islamic books in each era. This exhibi-tion aims to create aware-ness and accurately inform visitors about Islamic civ-ilisations, with the early copies of the Koran craft-ed skilfully and patient-ly for centuries by callig-raphists, illustrators, and master bookbinders. Do not forget to add the other mag-nificent pieces of art at the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum to your list of “Is-tanbul Must-Sees”. Ü

AIDAN MCMAHON

One of Istanbul’s most intriguing yet unpretentious districts lies on the Asian side of the Bos-phorus. Uskudar is a hectic, mostly residential neighbour-

hood that is home to around 550,000 peo-ple, making it one of the largest in the city. Despite also being among the oldest settled areas in what is now modern Istanbul, even predating the foundation of Byzantium, the bulk of its architecture is of the undistin-guished, functional apartment block varie-ty. These homogeneous structures, however, are punctuated by sites of considerable his-torical importance and buildings of aesthet-ic beauty, making Uskudar a treasure trove of hidden attractions and a thoroughly re-warding area to explore.

One iconic edifice is clearly visible though. Beylerbeyi palace is situated just under the Bosphorus bridge, and stands as the grand-est of the Ottoman palaces lining the east-ern shore. Commissioned by Sultan Abdulaziz in 1861, the location was already the site of a wooden palace which burned down like oth-er mansions in the city dur-ing that era. Used primari-ly as a place to host visiting dignitaries and heads of state on diplomatic missions, the last Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Abdul Hamit II, was domiciled here during World War I and the years immediately preceding the foundation of the Turkish Republic. The building itself was built in the Baroque Revival style which was popular in Europe and Russia at the time, and though not as extravagant as ear-lier palaces constructed in this manner, its garden of pine and beech trees complements an already arresting waterside setting.

Closer to the centre of Uskudar, a num-ber of esnaf lokantalari, which are basical-ly cheap diners with a broad range of hearty staple dishes, are dotted around the main street and market area. Coming from the port, the ornamental Ahmet III fountain greets visitors alighting from the many fer-ries which serve the neighbourhood. Heav-ily ornamented with flower motifs and a weighty cantilever roof, the fountain is flanked on either side by two major mosques. Designed and built in the late 1540s, the Mihrimah Sultan mosque is known locally

as the port or quay mosque, and dominates the main square of the neighbourhood. It is an imposing yet graceful structure, with two narrow minarets and a large portico and ab-lutions area in the courtyard in front of the main entrance. It was designed by the re-vered Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who was responsible for some of the city’s finest examples of Islamic and imperial design. On the opposite side of Uskudar’s main street stands the Yeni Valide Mosque, which has re-cently been extensively restored and newly reopened. Founded in the early 18th century by Ahmed III, it displays elements of classi-cal Ottoman mosque design in the style of the master Sinan, and features a hospice, school, and tombs within the complex, a common-ly-utilized concept in the layout of larger mosques from that era. Distinct stone reliefs on the ablutions fountain and the portal of the main building add to the dignified gran-deur of the structure.

But arguably the most quintessential Uskudar experience is to the south of the dis-trict in the Salacak neighbourhood. By the

Bosphorus once again, the coastal road winds down be-tween leafy seaside apart-ment buildings and the wa-ter itself. A series of long concrete blocks run along the shore, serving as seating for hundreds of young peo-ple and families in the ear-ly evening. Pavilions and ki-osks dole out tea to the many waiting locals, who watch the

sun setting over one of the most spectacular views in the city. This is also the ideal spot to taste traditional fish sandwiches, packed with sliced onions and drenched in lemon juice, which are associated with port areas of Istanbul such as Eminonu, Karakoy, and Uskudar. In its various roles over hundreds of years, from toll booth to maritime defen-sive position, the charming nearby Leander’s Tower, or Maiden’s Tower, is of uncertain or-igin. Though numerous stories assert myth-ical explanations for its existence, it stands today as a reference point on the Uskudar coastline. Just a couple of hundred meters from land, it can be reached today by taking a small boat, where visitors can enjoy a 360 degree view of the historical peninsula, Euro-pean side neighbourhoods like Beyoglu and Besiktas, and the stunning Bosphorus bridge. From palaces to religious buildings, Uskudar is not lacking in attractions, and is a memo-rable place to spend a day while in the city. Ü

The Other SideUnassuming Uskudar may be better known as a transport hub, but it is home to many impressive examples of Ottoman architecture, and is the site of the ancient pre-Byzantine settlement of Scutari

Copies of the holy book written in the oldest known script of Islamic calligraphy are now on display in Istanbul

Early Korans reveal best examples of Kufic script

USKUDAR IS A MEMORABLE PLACE TO SPEND A DAY WHILE IN THE CITY

COPIES OF THE KUFIC KORAN WRITTEN BY CALLIGRAPHERS CAN BE SEEN IN THE EXHIBITION

TURKISH AND ISLAMIC ARTS MUSEUMThe Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, which houses the exhibition, is located in Sultanahmet Square. It is the first Turkish museum containing Turkish and Islamic artworks. Rare manuscripts, glassworks, stone and earthenware works, metallic and ceramic objects from different parts of the Islamic world are on display at the museum. The most comprehensive collection of hand-woven Turkish carpets from the 13th to 20th centuries can also be found here.

The exhibition, which is organised under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, was opened by Professor Mehmet Gormez, the President of the Presidency of Religious Affairs

By the Bosphorus once again, the coastal road winds down between leafy seaside apartment buildings and the water itself

APRIL 2016 03

DON’T MISS

The Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology

A Blue Voyage tour

A diving tour

The racing sailboats at the Bodrum Cup

Seafood at Gumusluk

The tangerine groves in Bitez

The sunset in Geris village

Bodrum with its spectacular sea-side, abundant natural beauty is a popular tourist

haunt. Homer once described this beautiful stretch of the Aegean as “a land of eternal blues”. With this picturesque eternal blue backdrop as your setting, take a stroll to the St Peter’s Castle, built in the fifteenth century by the Crusaders who used stones from the Mausoleum of Hal-icarnassus - one of the Sev-en Wonders of the World – to construct it. Bodrum is an idyllic location complete with white-walled houses decked in bougainvillea. The best thing about this city is that it provides accommodation to suit every kind of tourist budget - from guesthouses for those on a shoestring to luxury hotels for those who want to splurge.

History, sea and natureBodrum is home to many

ancient ruins and dilapidat-ed relics from the Carian, Roman and Byzantine pe-riods. The Cedar Island, fa-mous for its Cleopatra Beach, is one of its most popular lo-cations. Each town in Bod-rum (Gundogan, Turkbuku, Bitez, Ortakent, Yahsi, Yalika-vak, Gumusluk, Turgutreis) has something distinctively beautiful about it. You could venture out on a three-sev-en day voyage on the calm bays of Gokova where you can spend the night on a boat deck watching millions of stars in the crystal clear night sky.

Yacht tourism The Icmeler shipyard

is where some of the best

yachts in the world seek sanctuary, whether it is for construction, maintenance or repairs. And while it has all the technology in the world to wow you, it still cre-ates something that is dis-tinctly traditional - the gullet or traditional wooden seafar-

ing boats. The marina in cen-tral Bodrum has a capaci-ty for 275 yachts. Palmarina Bodrum, the first high-capac-ity mega yacht accommoda-tion port of Turkey, opened in Yalikavak. If you are in Bod-rum in October, then don’t forget to watch The Bodrum

Cup, which is the most ex-tensive international marine festival of the Mediterranean that features sailboat races.

Time to indulgeAfter you have sorted out

your accommodation in the city its time to explore its var-

Located at the south-west of Turkey, Bodrum has always been a playground for the rich and the famous, but what many people don’t know is it has a host of options for those on a tight budget

The land of the eternal blue

ious options. Treat yourself to some amazing spa treat-ments or get a reinvigorating scrub at one of the many in-dulgent Turkish hammams across the city’s various ho-tels. For those who love good food, sample the cui-sine prepared by some of the best Turkish chefs who have honed their skills all over the world before returning to this popular destination and cre-ating mouth-watering delica-cies for all those visiting its pristine surroundings.

Joy of shopping...Apart from the sea and the

sun, Bodrum offers differ-ent possibilities for lovers of shopping at any hour of the day and night. For those who wish to shop in Bodrum there are two choices: the first is the traditional bazars and lo-cal markets, and the second is modern malls. Midtown Mall, which is very close to the city centre can be your preference. Here, you can find a lot of internationally renowned brands, and take a pleasant break to taste deli-cious foods. In this mall, you also have a playground for children. Ü

Acret, ublicer opotistra publin sulicere dela erum ne que oc, cit

auctus o nostrum fue

What about you?of Midtown!

beats in the heart Bodrum

ortakentBeribaBeriba

Terzi Erbay

DISCOVER THE BEAUTY AND THE SILENCE OF BODRUM BAYS

APRIL 2016 04

ANASTASIA GORLOVA

Istanbul is gorgeous in any season but spring provides the city’s visi-tors with the special lux-ury of enjoying the beau-

ties of its blooming streets and parks together with var-ious events and attractions in a peaceful atmosphere be-fore the tourists are not yet out in force and the weather, though sunny enough to make the Bosphorus breathtakingly blue, is not exhaustingly hot. We invite you to take a spring walk in the streets of Istanbul and offer you some tips to en-joy this grand city even more.

1. Tulip festivalTulips are one of the most

prominent symbols in the Ot-toman Turkish culture and art. Every year in April Istanbul celebrates its most beautiful flower by organizing various events in the different parts of the city. The tulips themselves, represented in all possible col-ours and forms in the streets, parks and squares of Istanbul are a breathtaking site worth experiencing. And don’t forget to get yourself a couple of tulip bulbs to prolong the festive joy at home.

2. Bosphorus toursSpring is definitely the best

time of the year to take a short (two hour) or long (six hour) trip on Bosphorus – one of the most picturesque straits in the world. Tour ferries depart regularly from ferry stations in Eminonu, Kadikoy, Besik-tas and Ortakoy. The timetable may be found on the stations’ information walls or online. All tours provide an audio guide in Turkish and English, and at Eminonu ferry station you can also rent an audio guide in various languages.

3. Turkish breakfastTurkish breakfasts are al-

ways special – they set the mood for the day with the boun-tiful greens, fresh spring veg-etables, cheese and olives, ap-petizers called ‘meze’ as well as traditional scrambled eggs with vegetables and cheese called ‘menemen’, washed down with little glasses of strong tea. Bread for breakfast is always fresh-ly baked, the two most popu-lar kinds being Turkish sesame bagel ‘simit’ and stuffed pas-try ‘poacha’. Enjoy your spring breakfast on a sunny terrace with a beautiful view.

4. Streets in blossomEvery spring the streets of

Istanbul blossom – there are plenty of flowers of all colours of the rainbow, and among them are gorgeous tulips. Walk along the narrow streets of Sultanahmet where the col-ourful Ottoman homes look especially lovely among cher-ry and apricot trees in blos-som or head to Besiktas where

you can enjoy the colours by the seaside. You can also take a ferry across Bosphorus to the Asian side and enjoy the beau-tiful tea garden in Moda with a breathtaking view of the historical peninsula, or stroll down the old streets of Bey-lerbeyi and Chengelkoy in the shadow of trees that are hun-dreds of years old.

5. It’s warm and quietEveryone who has visit-

ed Istanbul in summer knows that the most exhausting thing about walking around the city is the summer heat. Hot and humid air makes it rather dif-ficult to enjoy Istanbul in sum-mer but spring is marvellously pleasant on the shores of Bos-phorus and the Marmara Sea. Still far from the peak of the tourist season, spring offers Is-tanbul’s visitors the pleasure of enjoying its sites without rush and long queues.

6. Farmers’ marketsSpring is the best season to

visit local farmers’ markets in all parts of Istanbul. There are places where you can go eve-ry day and find organic fruits and vegetables as well as plen-ty of other products including grains, honey and different kinds of jam, spices and milk products. There are also trav-elling bazaars that are organ-ized right in the streets of eve-ry city district on a certain day of a week.

7. Princes’ islandsThe islands are a real peace-

ful heaven for those who get tired of the rush of the city. Just an hour-long ferry trip across Marmara and you are at Buy-ukada – the Big Island, the big-gest of the nine islands in the Marmara Sea. The only trans-ports allowed are bicycles or horse-drawn carriages. Take a ride around the island in a horse-drawn carriage or just stroll among the blooming trees in the streets and gardens of the 19th century mansions.

8. CatsIt is not the people who

own the streets of Istanbul. They are always in a rush, al-ways doing something or talk-ing about things that are of very little interest to the true kings and queens of Istanbul – its gorgeous cats. In spring these majestic felines do not yet have to hide away from the summer heat and are enjoying the sun on virtually every cor-ner of any street. They know how to enjoy their city and themselves – and that’s defi-nitely a lesson to learn. Ü

Discover the city on the two continents while the summer heat hasn’t yet gained its power and the crowds have

not yet filled the streets and markets of one of the most beautiful metropolises in the world

Spring in Istanbul

WE INVITE YOU TO TAKE A SPRING WALK IN THE STREETS OF ISTANBUL

Spring is definitely the best time of the year to take a short or long trip on Bosphorus

Every year in April Istanbul celebrates its most beautiful flower by organizing various

events in the different parts of the city

HANDAN AÇAN

We visit other countries not just to see the attrac-tions but also to discover and taste their authentic dishes. Turkey and Istan-

bul have become gourmet travel destina-tions with an incredible diversity in cui-sine. One of the recent culinary trends in Turkey is the Ottoman palace cuisine. De-raliye Restaurant, located in Sultanahmet, Istanbul, is a distinctive representative of this cuisine. We interviewed the restau-rant’s manager Necati Yilmaz and its chef Nuri Ozer to learn how the palace cuisine was created and how they acquired the recipes and their secrets.

Your restaurant has a special name. What does Deraliye mean?

Deraliye is an Ottoman Turkish word. After conquering the city, the Ottomans loved Istanbul so much that they gave the city many names. Meaning the “sub-lime port,” Deraliye is one of the four dozen names the Ottomans bestowed on Istan-bul. We also wanted the name of our res-taurant to evoke hospitality because along with cuisine, hospitality is a significant trait of Turkish culture.

What makes the palace cuisine special? What made you pick this cuisine?

We are located in a place that has been the seat of many important civilizations. These include the Ottomans with their pal-aces, and theirs was a very sumptuous pe-riod. The Ottoman sultans had a very re-fined taste particularly for cuisine and food. A lot of research has been carried out recently, but there aren’t many restau-rants that offer Ottoman cuisine. We chose to specialize in this cuisine to highlight this side of our culture.

How did you manage to find the recipes? When we saw the name of an interest-

ing dish in the archives, we would try to

find books that included this dish in or-der to find the recipe. We have many rec-ipes from that period as a result of having conducted research in this field for many years. For instance, Mehmet II, also known as Mehmet the Conqueror, had a distinc-tive palate. By then, Turkish cuisine did not include beef, the main source of meat was lamb and game. Along with lamb, Sul-tan Mehmet ate salt and freshwater fish, shrimps, and oysters. Our menu involves some of these dishes as well. Ibn Battuta is another source we use. As one of the great-est travellers of the Middle Ages, Ibn Bat-tuta was a very inquisitive man and a man of great appetite. There is also the cook-book by Muhammed bin Mahmud Shirva-ni, a famous Anatolian physician who lived in the first half of the 15th century. He has written about the dishes which he recom-mends and uses as remedy in detail. We al-so have recipes from this book.

We see from your menu that you have as many vegetarian dishes as meat dishes.

Ottoman cuisine actually has it all. There are just fewer mezes, olive oil dishes, and salads. What they cook and consume the most are pastries, meats, sherbets, dried fruit compotes, pilaffs, and desserts. Lamb is the most consumed type of meat, followed by game, fish, and veal. Of course soups should be mentioned as well.

Are there any ingredients which you are not able to find?

We try to stick by the original ingredi-ents but it is not an easy task to source all of the ingredients used in those periods. We state that our recipes are adjusted to mod-ern eating habits because for instance, un-like today, they used much more oil. We are careful about such things. For example, they used an ingredient called musk for a dessert. This is produced by deer in their sweat glands and is collected in a fist-sized sac under their belly. We use rosewater in-stead of this fragrant ingredient.

When foreign guests ask you to suggest a menu for them, what do you recommend?

We would start with almond soup. This is a crushed almond soup with pomegran-ate seeds. Stuffed vine leaves with cherries would follow. In winter there would also be stuffed cabbage with chestnuts and green olive paste. Let’s not forget to include lamb chuck pate with black peppercorns, thyme, and plum sauce. The main course would be the goose kebab, or the Mutancana dish, lamb with honey. An alternative would be lamb shank in red pepper paste with cin-namon. We would definitely wish them to taste the stuffed melon as well. And rose pudding as a dessert and of course our pomegranate flower sherbet to top it. Ü

THE SPLENDID DELICACIES OF THE OTTOMAN PALACEIn the heart of Old Istanbul, Deraliye Restaurant offers visitors the favourite dishes of the Ottoman sultans

One of the most delicious dishes of the restaurant is the stuffed melon

The restaurant’s manager Necati Yilmaz and its chef Nuri Ozer

APRIL 2016 05

Haldun Kilit said: ‘‘AHK is one of the most sought after Turkish companies for ‘turn-key projects’ at home and abroad”

KNDU villas pro-ject is one among the few projects in Turkey, which was reward-

ed with the “BREEAM VERY GOOD” green building certif-icate. Energy and water are used efficiently. The solar en-ergy is used for the heating system and electricity and the rainwater is re-used for the irrigation of the common green areas. The sustainable architecture with the clere-story window fittings is as-suring natural ventilation. All windows are remote con-trolled.

Some of the most impor-tant external amenities of this project are private green houses or winter gardens for each villa and the green land-scaped jogging paths.

AHK KNDU VILLAS is the nominee of INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY AWARD for Resi-dential Development Europe during the next competition. Beside this award and dur-ing the event organized at JW Mariott London, AHK World-wide in association with Dubai investment, won the “BEST RESIDENTIAL DEVEL-OPMENT TURKEY” Award for the project KNDU VILLAS among more the 300 devel-opment projects. AHK World-wide CEO and Interior de-signer Haldun Kilit proud of this achievement announced

that KNDU villas awards be-long at the same time to the whole team of AHK and GAD architecture.

Turkish Projects around the world by AHK Worldwide

Having carried out many projects for international ho-tel chains, such as Mandarin Oriental and Raffles in Tur-key, and Bvlgari, Waldorf Asto-ria, Sheraton Sharjah abroad, AHK Worldwide CEO Haldun Kilit stated that they have al-so executed four prestigious projects on the Dubai Palm Island. Also, the Fitout and FF&E implementations of the 1004-roomed Westin Hotel, which is an investment of the Starwood Group, and which is situated in the Al Habtoor City by the Al Habtoor Group, are all carried out by AHK World-wide. Haldun Kilit said the se-cret of AHK Worldwide’s suc-cess lies in “originality” and that they have made a point of using their own products in their projects.

Other than design and con-struction operations, the furni-ture it has been manufacturing in the Antalya Organized In-dustrial Zone is being shipped all around the world. With its

AHK KNDU Villas has won “The Best Residence” at the European Property Awards in London

‘The Best Residence’ award goes to AHK KNDU Villas...

19 years of experience, and as the first choice of many im-portant hotel chains, the pro-jects of AHK are organised un-der three main groupings: AHK Construction, AHK Interna-tional Fitout and AHK FF&E. From furniture and drapery, to lighting and all related accesso-ries, every product is prepared by the company. Haldun Kilit said: ‘‘AHK is one of the most sought after Turkish compa-nies for ‘turn-key projects’ at home and abroad”. Ü

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CLIFFORD RASQUINHA

Behold the gran-deur of Ottoman mosques, rejuvenate in the healing wa-ters of ancient ham-

mams, spend hours browsing a sprawling bazaar and dine in one of the numerous res-taurants dotting the winding streets and alleys. We’re de-scribing not your experience of Istanbul – which no doubt immediately came to mind – but Bursa, the thriving city on the southeast side of the Sea

of Marmara. Few know that Bursa was the first major cap-ital city of the early Ottoman Empire following its capture from the Byzantines in 1326 and, as a result, has fantas-tic historical and cultural sites to discover and explore. Scat-tered throughout the country-side are smaller towns and vil-lages, each with its own claim to fame. The hills surround-ing Gemlik are famous for their olive gardens and oils, while the remains of the an-cient Greek town of Kios can be found on its eastern side. Inegol is known for its out-

standing kofte (meatballs) and the Oylat Thermal Springs are close by. The village of Cuma-likizik is a Unesco World Herit-age site since it is considered to be the most authentic and the best preserved waqf (public en-dowments) village established by the Ottoman Empire. Iznik, better known as ancient Nica-ea, was at one time one of the most important cities in the re-gion and played a crucial role in the history of a number of civilizations and empires.

Nature’s bountyRising out of Bursa’s south-

ern border, Mount Uludag is one of the Turkey’s favorite winter sports centers and its richness of flora and fauna has led to its designation as a national park. During win-ter, skiers can choose from 25 runs ranging from begin-ner to expert, with the longest stretching to almost two kilo-meters. The national park is wonderful for trekking, camp-ing, bird watching, and pic-nicking in summer. A number of trails crisscross the moun-tain, leading to peaks, lakes, waterfalls, canyons, and vil-lages. Even if you’re not the ad-venture-seeking type, you can take the teleferik (cable car) to Sarialan and enjoy self-grilled kofte or sucuk in the shade of tall pine trees. From there, you can take a leisurely stroll through the lush forest and breathe in refreshing gulps of crisp mountain air while enjoying the nature around you. On the west side of Bur-sa in the village of Cekirge are six hot spring baths contain-ing sulphur and iron, whose fame has spread through-out the world. Unsurprising-ly, all the houses and hotels in Cekirge have hot spring water available. To truly appreciate the tradition, it is best to go to the hammam with friends, as historically visits to the ham-mam were as much a social event as a cleansing ritual.

Vibrant shopping experienceAlthough the days of trav-

elling caravans are long gone and Bursa’s status as a ma-jor Silk Road trading centre is quietly fading into distant memory, the traditional hans (workshop and warehouse complexes arranged around a courtyard) still remain a vi-

brant presence and enchant-ing pieces of its vast bazaar complex. Each of Bursa’s hans contributes to the city’s central marketplace, and collectively offer visitors countless places to shop, eat, and explore. Hand-made goods like silk scarves, ebru paintings, ceramics and tiles, calligraphy, metal art, Ot-toman-period antiques and wool clothing make for inter-esting purchases and special shopping memories.

And finally, when you need to rest your weary legs, retreat to the second floor of Geyve Han, from where it’s not dif-ficult to envision a crowd of traders bartering their goods animatedly in the now tranquil courtyard below. It provides a perfect setting that reveals the extraordinarily peaceful mod-esty of Bursa’s rustic charm. Ü

Outstanding natural beauty, history, culture and fantastic food – Bursa has it all

Glorious and green

Each of Bursa’s hans contributes to the city’s central marketplace, and collectively offer visitors countless places to shop, eat, and explore

A NEVER-ENDING FEAST

As is the case in the rest of Tur-key, Bursa serves up seeming-ly endless varieties of delectable food. The dilemma isn’t so much about where to eat, as what to eat. Here is just a brief list of lo-cal delicacies you must try when you’re in town…

Kebabs and durum - Tender slic-es of lamb roast on a bed of flat bread, topped with tomatoes and peppers, drizzled with butter and served with a side of sour yogurt. It was in Bursa in 1867 that a cook named Iskender first thought of grilling meat upright so that the dripping fat would self-baste it. To-day you can tuck into Bursa’s sig-nature dish anywhere in Turkey but there’s something special about sampling it in its home town.

Kofte – Flat grilled meatballs, usually served with tomatoes and peppers. The town of Inegol is fa-mous for its kofte, but good kofte can be found in lots of places.

Pide/cantik/lahmacun – These are all Turkish variations on piz-za. Pide is thick and big, cantik is thick and small, and lahmacun is thin. It is made with cheese and various kinds of meat.

Kestane sekeri – Bursa is famous for its candied chestnuts. Served plain, covered in chocolate, in cakes, in fudges, and in many oth-er variations.

Seafood – Arap Sukru is the fa-mous seafood alley off of Alti-parmak Avenue in the shadow of Tophane. Dinner at Arap Sukru is more than just a splendid meal, it’s a cultural experience. The entire al-ley is lined with seafood restau-rants serving fresh fish, along with delicious sides and appetizers.

APRIL 2016 07

BAU Global has tak-en significant steps in terms of globali-sation of education, making it one of the

leading brands in the world and the first to do so in Turkey. It has provided higher educa-tion to more than 2600 foreign students from 94 countries and it provides the opportuni-ty to become a truly interna-tional student with universi-ties, campuses, and centres it has established all around the world. BAU Global has started its education life as Bahçeşehir University in 1998 in Istan-bul. It was followed by BAU International Universities in the USA, Germany, and final-ly in Georgia. BAU Global Uni-versities provide undergrad-uate, graduate, and doctorate programmes in many depart-ments, including architecture, arts, business, design, educa-tion, engineering, health sci-ences, information technolo-gies, law, and medicine.

“THE WHOLE WORLD IS OUR CAMPUS”

BAU Global President En-ver Yücel says that the world has become a small city now, “In addition to campuses in which information is trans-ferred to the students and they are educated and given information, we want them to meet the universal world. If we are talking about design, we think about Italy. If we are talking about industrial-ising technology and making it into a sellable product, we think about the Silicon Valley in California. As BAU Global, we make our students trav-el the world. We want them to gain experience in plac-es related to their field, to the things they want to achieve. And we have decided to take our students to various plac-es around the world.”.

BAU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON D.C.

Students of Bahçeşehir University can participate in BAU International Universi-ty in Washington D.C., which is a fully accredited US uni-versity, and study undergrad-uate level Political Sciences and International Relations, Economy, Finance, and So-ciology, graduate level Glob-al Relations, Executive MBA, Economy Law, Cyber Securi-ty, and New Media. Professors from the USA, Turkey and other countries are provid-ing education. Students visit leading think tanks of Amer-ica and see how national and international institutions work on site. Programmes for this summer are as follows: Political Communication Summer Institute (Political Communication) and Sum-mer Institute on Engineer-ing and Introduction to the Smart Grid (Mini Project).

BAU INTERNATIONAL BERLIN UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

This school, which is es-tablished in Berlin, the cul-tural capital of Europe, provides graduate level Communication Design, In-terior Architecture, Product Design, and Business Man-agement education. Students of Bahçeşehir University can study here for one semester and participate to the pro-grammes. On the other hand, CO-OP Education Model, which was first introduced to Turkey by BAU and which provides short or long term internships for the students in select companies, is imple-mented here. Programmes at

the school for this summer are as follows; Unfolding the Layers of Berlin, Managing Digital Economies (E-Busi-ness and Internet Market-ing), Juxtaposition: Mix im-ages, German Language and Culture A1 and A2 and Com-munity Service Practices.

BAU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY BATUMI

This school is the latest investment by BAU Global, it has accepted its first stu-dents during the education year of 2015-2016, and is a fully accredited Georgian university. The school has

started its education life with a medical faculty; students will study in Batumi for 3 years and in İstanbul for an-other 3 years. There will al-so be a Faculty of Health Sci-ences in the coming years. The doors of this university is also open to the students of Bahçeşehir University. Students of BAU Medical Faculty will be able to study here for one semester with equivalent curriculum.

BAU SILICON VALLEY BAU Silicon Valley is in

the Silicon Valley region of the USA, where leading tech-nology companies of the world, such as Apple, Goog-le, Facebook, Twitter are lo-cated. During their educa-tion, students can spend any term here, and take lessons in their field. They have the opportunity to visit very im-portant companies that are located in the region. There will be Customer Experi-ence Design (Consumer Be-haviour BA 4664) and Ro-botics (MCH 4454 Humanoid Robotics) programmes this summer.

BAU BILDUNGSAKADEMIE KÖLN

Another investment of BAU Global in Germany, BAU Köln Education Academy provides university educa-tion consultancy for Turkish students living in Germany, as well as providing summer and winter schools for stu-dents coming from Turkey. The Academy also provides preparation for Abitur and CAT – Carrier Education Test and planning services. Pro-grammes for this summer in the institution are as fol-lows; Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Management of Health Institutions, Child De-velopment and Physiothera-py & Rehabilitation.

BAU HONG KONG CAMPUS Another campus is in the

new centre of world trade and innovation, Hong Kong. Here students work on areas such as commerce, finance, tourism, and entrepreneur-ship. This campus also hosts many lessons within the scope of Global MBA pro-gramme. Programme for this summer is as follows; Glo-balisation, International Fi-nance, Trade and Politics, Gateway to Asia, Industrial

Turkey’s global brand in education, BAU Global exists in 3 continents, 7 countries with its 4 universities, 2 language schools and 5 campuses; it is offering to its students a real international studentship experience

Turkey’s global brand in education: BAU Global

Psychology, Environmental Design and Sustainable En-ergy Systems.

BAU INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF ROME

Students can take under-graduate lessons as well as programmes of summer and winter schools. They can par-ticipate to many programmes such as Architecture and De-sign, Communication, Busi-ness and Entrepreneurship, Fashion, Food and Culture, Tourism and Hospitality, Le-gal Affairs. Programmes at the campus for this summer are as follows; Viral Market-ing, Cinematic Rome, Art & Design and Brand & Luxury.

BAU TORONTO CAMPUSBAU students can take

English preparation les-sons in Istanbul campus, or they can study at the uni-versity in Washington D.C., or at the campus in Toron-to, Canada. Along with the programmes of BAU Global universities, campuses, and centres programmes for this summer are as follows; Sum-mer Workshop at Universi-ty of Albany, NY / Effective Skills For Communication, New York University / Social Networking and Leadership.

Twitter: twitter.com/bauglobalFacebook: facebook.com/bauabroad

BAU OFFERS VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDY WITHIN TURKEY AS WELL AS ABROAD

BAU Global President Enver Yücel

BAU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON D.C.

BAU SILICON VALLEY

BAU INTERNATIONAL BERLIN UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

BAU HONG KONG

BAU INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF ROME

BAU BILDUNGSAKADEMIE KÖLN

APRIL 2016 08

nian, Arabic, or Greek shops, you can now find it everywhere from upscale Blooming-dale’s and Tiffany, to Macy’s, Claire’s, For-ever 21 and Urban Outfitters. The concept of the ‘evil eye’ finds resonance within re-ligions ranging from Judaism and Hindu-ism to Buddhism, and Christianity. How-ever, since the spread of Islam in the Arab world, the symbolism connected to the Nazar Boncugu was quickly discarded so as to ward off practices associated with

sorcery. Over time its relevance was lim-ited to fashion and cultural trends and it reappeared in the old bazaars and souks across Turkey and the Levant.

Traditionally a circle or round sphere, it is dark blue with the shape of an eye in the middle. Stroll through the grand bazaar of Istanbul and you will lose count of the number of times you see it. In Cappadocia and they hang off trees providing travelers with many perfect photo opportunities. For the sceptics who wonder if it does in fact work, the answer is, how do they know it doesn’t? The Turks believe that it just needs to be there; the Nazar Boncugu providing peace of mind. It is said that when an evil eye cracks, it has done its job of protecting the wearer or owner.

Traditionally the Turkish Evil Eye is handcrafted by artisans who have been in the trade for centuries. It has been passed down through generations and there are still craftsmen who sit sweltering hot fur-naces, twisting, shaping, and coloring the glass into the Nazar Boncugu. Glass-mak-ing is a traditional occupation in west-ern Turkey, especially Anatolia and has changed little over time. Turkish glass has become increasingly popular for its deli-cate and fragile appearance. The produc-tion of stained glass window tiles and mir-rors has always been widespread among glass makers and with a good luck talis-man as its mascot, the industry promises to grow further. Ü

SANAYA PAVRI

The trend of wearing the evil eye amulet that exploded a few years ago shows no sign of wan-ing. Transported from the bus-tling bazaars of Turkey to the

chic fashion enclaves of London, New York and Los Angeles, superstition’s most fash-ionable accessory has proven to be very popular among style-savvy celebrities. From Rihanna and Lindsay Lohan to Kim Kardashian, Kate Middleton, Paris Hilton and Madonna, A-listers have been sport-ing their superstitious side with their own set of delicate Evil Eye pendants, bracelets and anklets.

Most popular throughout the Middle East and the Levant, the talisman, known as the Nazar Boncugu in Turkey, is an an-cient cultural symbol found to have its ori-gins in ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian civilizations. It is believed to ward off the evil eye, that malevolent stare that can cor-rode your good fortune, and can be found dangling from absolutely any place it could hang from – key chains, belts, bags and boots. It can be found tied to cars, nailed to front doors and hung inside business es-tablishments. For those who can afford it, they can be studded with diamonds, sap-phires, or rhinestones or set in platinum, gold, silver, or non-precious metals. Once found exclusively only in Turkish, Arme-

Superstition’s best known accessory has evolved into a fashion trend. The Nazar Boncugu finds many takers both at home and abroad

A charm against harm

SANAYA PAVRI

There is no other candy in the world that is as synony-mous with an entire nation as Turkish Delight. Such is the popularity of these suc-

culent, chewy sugary cubes that at the beginning of the year when Cadbury UK launched the new Dairy Milk Spectacu-lar 7 chocolate bar with seven fillings, one of them included Turkish Delight.

Today this flavourful and sweet con-fectionary has found itself in unique cupcakes in the US, handmade artisan ice-cream in Australia and even the posh Harrods’s of London retails fancy boxes of this increasingly popular des-sert. Dusty rose pink or light lemon; ne-on green to murky brown; pale mint and vibrant orange, this chewy delica-cy, most often served with a strong cup of Turkish coffee or piping hot tea, is essentially a jelly made of starch, wa-ter and sugar, cooked for hours. These dice-sized cubes come in an array of fla-vours from the classic rose, mint, lemon and mastic to lavender, orange, choco-late and almond. But the biggest seller remains a plain jelly studded with pis-tachios. Another winner is nuts rolled in Turkish delight and dusted with desic-cated coconut and in other cases plain icing sugar to prevent the cubes from sticking to one another. Turkish delight can still be purchased in other imagina-tive flavours including sour cherry, ha-zelnut, cinnamon, apricot and ginger. Traditionally called lokhoum, from the original Arabic rahat ul hulkum, mean-ing “soothing to the throat”, its English name came about in the 18th century when an English traveller took home some of candy and, unable to pronounce the local name, coined ‘Turkish delight’.

This delightfully tasty piece of chewy goodness was created by master confec-tioner, Bekir Affendi in the 18th centu-ry and his first shop, in a narrow street close to the spice bazaar, is still owned by his descendants and run by the fifth generation of families he employed.

The family continues to prepare the confectionary in much the same way as it was done centuries ago, with cooked slurry of water, lemon and sugar which are added to a second pan containing flour, water and cream of tartar. Sim-mered for an hour or two, the flavour-ing is added before the mixture is left to cool. Dusted with powdered sugar and chopped into bite size chunks, this de-light is a definite treat for the taste buds. During the end of Ramadan and around the auspicious Eid festival, which is peak

It might just be jelly made of starch, water and sugar, but the Turkish Delight has found a way into the hearts and homes of millions across the world

A mouthful of delight

season for lokum consumption, compa-nies such as Haci Bekir sell hundreds and hundreds of kilograms in a day.

Such is the popularity of Turkish de-light that neighbouring countries, es-pecially the Greeks are not easily ac-cepting of the fact that the candy was in fact created in Turkey. In fact Cypri-ot and Greek grocers will sell it only as Greek or Cyprus delight. But legend has

it that the recipe was actually created when the Ottoman Sultan ordered his confectioner to create a unique sweet to appease his sulking wife. Delighted with this opportunity the confection-er blended a concoction of honey, fla-vourings, nuts and some dried fruit, and bound them together with mastic - a kind of natural gum that grows on a certain Mediterranean tree. Ü

WHEN NEXT IN ISTANBUL, SOME OF THE PLACES WORTH A VISIT FOR THIS CONFECTIONARY DELIGHT INCLUDE: The oldest, of course is Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir, which is a must-visit for the expe-rience of being part of the history of your favourite Turkish dessert. This beauti-fully renovated historic shop, with its marble floors, mahogany cases and wood-en roof with tiles, offers as many free samples as you like. Worth a try are the pistachio and rose flavour, as well as the mastic and fruit-flavoured ones. They also have blueberry-flavoured ones and their usu-al sour cherry, strawberry, orange, apricot, and lemon lines. Another place worth visiting is Lokum. The pis-tachio, rose, mint and walnut flavours came highly recommended. The packaging is as delightful as the stuff inside making the aesthetic boxes perfect for gifts. Divan Patisserie is well known for its excellent Turkish Delights, with roasted pistachio flavors high on their recommended list. Cafer Erol is a histor-ic store that has been producing all kinds of Turk-ish candy for more than 200 years. Hafiz Musta-fa 1864 is anther popular haunt for those with sweet tooth; their quality products make it a must-visit.

With a mandate to raise awareness about Turkey’s unique history, the ONE Association has been tasked with an important mission: preserv-ing and promoting Turkey’s cultural,

historical, and natural treasures at home and abroad. The association, a key part of Turkey’s country-

branding strategy, was founded in April 2014, and kicked off its activities with the worldwide promo-tion of Gobekli Tepe, the oldest known temple com-plex in the world.

Pre-dating the Egyptian Pyramids by 7,000 years and Stonehenge in Britain by 6,000 years, the Asso-ciation organised site visits as well as conferences, for local and international press, foreign missions of various countries, and UNESCO Ambassadors in Is-tanbul. The project culminated with a series of events in Paris including a conference at the UNESCO Head-quarters, and a press conference and a cocktail re-ception at the Turkish Embassy in Paris.

Led by one of the founders, the historian Prof. Dr. Ilber Ortayli, in coordination with the Ministry of Cul-ture and Tourism and metropolitan municipalities; the latest project of the Association, ‘Mosaic Road’, focuses on the mosaics unearthed in the cities of Ga-ziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras and Sanliurfa. The beautiful mosaics reveal the traces of countless civ-ilisations and cultures that formed the foundations of Turkey today. Showcasing the richness of historic Southern Anatolia, these mosaics were often found

in the lavishly decorat-ed homes of the wealthy merchants and generals of the Roman Empire. A prosperous trading centre, with the local economy boosted by the salaries of the soldiers of the 4th Le-gion who settled in Zeug-ma, near modern-day Ga-ziantep, the wealth of the population grew and the

city lured the Empire’s best artists and craftsmen. The mosaics displayed in Hatay were made between the 2nd and 6th Century AD, and are famous for their size, production techniques and variety of themes. Kahramanmaras, home to the Roman city of Ger-menicia, has mosaics dating back to 5th century AD, while in Sanliurfa, splendid early Byzantine mosaics were discovered dating from the Eastern Roman Em-pire in the 5th and 6th century AD.

On February 4, the ONE Association hosted an event at Elgiz Museum to launch the Mosaic Road, with main sponsorship from Şölen. Following that, the Association hosted its first international pro-motion event at Gstaad Palace Hotel in Switzerland on February 11, featuring an exhibition of selected works of the renowned artist Sevan Bicakci. At both events, a video telling the stories of the mosaics, cre-ated with the help of Vodafone Turkey, as well as a fashion show featuring mosaic-themed dresses by designer Ozlem Suer were on display.

The ONE Association will take the Mosaic Road to Venice, hosting an event at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection on May 28. The Association is also work-ing with international museums including the Vic-toria and Albert Museum in London and the Smith-sonian Institute in Washington DC for further events and conferences. Ü

PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGEONE Association: An institution that aims to inform and raise awareness about Turkey’s unique treasure

THE ONE ASSOCIATION WILL TAKE THE MOSAIC ROAD TO VENICE

This delightfully tasty piece of chewy goodness was created by master confectioner, Bekir Affendi in the 18th century