The music of Turkey includes mainly Turkic elements as well as partial influences ranging from Central Asian folk music, Arabic music, Greek music, Ottoman music, Persian music and Balkan music, as well as references to more modern European and American popular music. The roots of traditional music in Turkey span across centuries to a time when the Seljuk Turks migrated to 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.
With the assimilation 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 Greek, Armenian, Albanian, Polish and Jewish communities, among others.
Many Turkish cities and
towns have vibrant local music scenes which, in turn, support a number of
regional musical styles.
Pasabag, in Cappadocia, Turkey, derives its name from the remarkable earth pillars rising in the middle of a vineyard, the Pacha or General’s vineyard. Pasabag valley contains some of the most striking, mushroom-shaped, fairy chimneys in Cappadocia, with twin and even triple rock caps.
The Blue Mosque, aka The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, was commissioned by and named after the 14th Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I. Begun in 1609, it took seven years to build on the site of the Palace of the Byzantine Emperors, which had to be demolished. The design incorporates both Ottoman and Byzantine architecture.
Hagia Sophia
The Hagia Sophia, Ayasofya in Turkish, was built on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine II in 360 AD, destroyed in 404 AD by a mob, rebuilt in 405 AD, and once again destroyed in 532 during the 'Nika Revolt', riots which resulted in almost half of Istanbul being burnt down. Rebuilt under Emperor Justinian with marble columns from Lebanon, it survived a series of earthquakes in 553, 557 and 558, though the main dome collapsed in the latter. The new dome lasted until another devastating earthquake in 989 AD caused the whole building to crumble, although it was rebuilt to its former glory.
Topkapi Palace
From 1465 to 1856, Topkapi Palace in the heart of Istanbul was the primary residence of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire. Construction began in 1459 under Sultan Mehmed II. The name ‘Topkapý’ (Cannon Gate), refers to the Topkapý Gate and shore pavilion, although these no longer exist.
Ephesus
Inhabited as long ago as 6000 BC., Ephesus, one of the 12 cities of the Ionian League, was spared destruction in 546 BC as it did not join the Ionian Rebellion against the Persians. After the defeat of the Persians it came under the guardianship of Athens.
From the 6th century BC, Side - named after Sida, daughter of Danaus – was renowned for its harbour; during the Hittite period it became a prominent commercial town trading with the countries in the eastern and western Mediterranean.
Kayaköy
Until 1923, Kayaköy, aka Levissi, was a thriving village with a population of several thousand people. Today it is a ghost town of deserted houses, shops, schools and churches.
Göbekli Tepe, Turkish for "Potbelly Hill", is an archaeological site in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, northeast of the city of Şanlıurfa.
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