8th July 2023: Gallipoli, Turkey

The Gallipoli is a peninsula at the entrance of the Dardanelles Strait. The Battle of Gallipoli of World War I was fought by British and French forces from April 1915 onwards. They tried to open the Dardanelles strait to the Allied fleets to get access to the Ottoman capital Constantinople, today's Istanbul. The campaign ended in January 1916 with an Ottoman victory.

Thank You very much Marcel!

7th July 2023: Chora Church, Turkey

The Chora Church is one of the most famous examples of Byzantine architecture and is best known for its mosaics and frescoes. Under Ottoman rule it was turned into a mosque, became a museum in 1945 and was converted into a mosque once again in 2020. 

Thank You very much Marcel!

Turkey: Dolmabahçe Palace

On 27th April I got nine postcards: three from Turkey, four from Germany and two from Austria.

One of the cards from Turkey shows the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul. The Dolmabahçe Palace was built between 1843 and 1856 at the behest of Sultan Abdülmecid I. It replaced the medieval Topkapı Palace as official residence, which according to the sultan was lacking in contemporary style, luxury, and comfort, as compared to the palaces of the European monarchs. The construction however placed an enormous burden on the state purse and contributed to the deteriorating financial situation of the Ottoman Empire. Between 1856 and 1924 the palace was home to six sultans and afterwards Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, used the palace as a presidential residence during the summers, enacted some of his most important works there and even died in the palace in 1938.

Three stamps were used on the card. Two identical ones are from a set of six about Postal Buildings (issued 22-02-2016) and show the Post Office of Izmir. The other stamp is from a souvenir sheet with three stamps about Traditional Gastronomy (issued 13-07-2020). It is an Euromed issue.

Thank You very much Marcel!

Turkey: Derinkuyu Underground City

On 27th April I got nine postcards: three from Turkey, four from Germany and two from Austria.

One of the cards from Turkey shows the Derinkuyu Underground City. The Derinkuyu Underground City is an ancient multi-level underground city extending to a depth of approximately 85 metres. It is large enough to have sheltered as many as 20000 people together with their livestock and food stores. Most likely the underground city was first created in the 8th and 7th century BC. After the Christianisation of the population it was used until as late as the 20th century as an refuge from persecutions. It is the largest excavated underground city in Turkey and is one of several underground complexes found throughout Cappadocia, some of which are linked by tunnels. As part of the Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia it is since 1985 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Three stamps were used on the card. Two identical ones are from a set of six about Postal Buildings (issued 22-02-2016) and show the Post Office of Izmir. The other stamp is from a souvenir sheet with three stamps about Traditional Gastronomy (issued 13-07-2020). It is an Euromed issue.

Thank You very much Marcel!

Turkey: Göreme National Park

On 27th April I got nine postcards: three from Turkey, four from Germany and two from Austria.

One of the cards from Turkey shows the Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia. The Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia contains spectacular landscapes shaped by erosion and sanctuaries that provide unique evidence of Byzantine art. It is a mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.

Three stamps were used on the card. Two identical ones are from a set of six about Postal Buildings (issued 22-02-2016) and show the Post Office of Izmir. The other stamp is from a souvenir sheet with three stamps about Traditional Gastronomy (issued 13-07-2020). It is an Euromed issue.

Thank You very much Marcel!

Turkey: Selimiye Mosque in Edirne

On 31st August I got two postcards: one from Turkey and one from Japan.

The card from Turkey shows the interior of the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne. Edirne is a city in western Turkey near the border with Bulgaria and Greece and Turkey's westernmost big city. Between 1363 and 1453 was Edirne, then known as Adrianople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The Selimiye Mosque was built between 1569 and 1575 according to plans by Mimar Sinan, who said it was his masterpiece, and is considered the be one of the most important monuments of Islamic architecture. The Selimiye Mosque with its social complex is since 2011 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The stamp is from a set of two about Views of Istanbul (issued 24-11-2020). It shows the Maiden's Tower.

Thank You very much Marcel for arranging this card for me!

Turkey: Çeşme

Recently my mother was in Turkey, where she got three postcards of Çeşme for me. 

Çeşme is a coastal town and the administrative centre of the district of the same name in Turkey's westernmost end. It is a popular holiday resort.

Turkey: Manavgat

Last Friday I got two postcards: one from Turkey and one from the USA.

The card from Turkey shows various views of Manavgat. Manavgat is a town in the Antalya Province. It is especially known for its waterfall, which was once shown on a Turkish lira banknote.

My mum sent this card to me on her recent trip to Turkey.

Stamp:
Ruins of Perge (issued 22-05-2018)

Turkey: Waterfalls, Antalya, Manavgat, Gündoğdu and Side

Last Thursday I got three postcards: one from Turkey, one from France and one from Germany.

The card from Turkey shows four waterfalls.

My mum sent this card to me on her recent trip to Turkey.

Stamp:
Ruins of Perge (issued 22-05-2018)

My mum also brought back some other cards from her trip for me.

Antalya is the fifth largest city in Turkey, the largest Turkish city on the Mediterranean coast and the capital of the Antalya Province. It is settled since the 2nd century BC and was later an important Roman city in the region. Today the city is best known as Turkey's biggest international sea resort.

Manavgat is a town in the Antalya Province. It is especially known for its waterfall, which was once shown on a Turkish lira banknote.

Gündoğdu is a village near Manavgat.

Side is an ancient Greek city on the southern Mediterranean coast of Turkey and one of the best-known classical sites in the country. Today it is a popular tourist destination.

The other cards are general view cards of Turkey.

Turkey: Bridge in Rize

On Monday I got a postcard from Turkey.

It shows a bridge in Rize. 

With related stamps:
EUROPA (whole set) (issued 09-05-2018)

Thank You very much Muammer!

Turkey: Anıtkabir in Ankara

Last Saturday I got two postcards: one from Turkey and one from Liechtenstein.

The card from Turkey shows Anıtkabir in Ankara. Anıtkabir is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. It was built between 1944 and 1953 and also includes a museum and the final resting place of Ismet Inönü, the second President of Turkey.

Stamps:
Centenary of the Victory in Kut (from set of two) (issued 29-04-2016)
The Siege of Kut Al Amara took place between the 7th December 1915 and the 29th April 1916, when a British-Indian garrison was besieged by the Ottoman Army in the town of Kut in modern day Iraq. The siege happened, as Allied troops had to retreat after the Battle of Ctesiphon and as General Townshend decided to stay in Kut instead of moving forward to Basra. The Ottoman army was supported by the German general and military historian Baron von der Goltz. After some efforts to relieve the city had failed, the Allied surrendered after 147 days of siege. The surviving soldiers became prisoners and were forced to march to Aleppo. The British went back on the offensive in December 1916 and retook Kut on the 23rd February 1917.
94th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey (from set of four) (issued 29-10-2017)
Centenary of the Liberation of Van (issued 02-04-2018)
In 1915 the city of Van was one of the few places where Armenians with the support of the Imperial Russian Army fought against the Ottoman Empire's armed forces during the Armenian Genocide. The city was afterwards under Armenian control. The Russian Revolution of 1917 changed the situation in the region. In April 1918 the Ottoman Army started to attack again and on 6th April Van was again under Ottoman control.
Centenary of the Liberation of Erzurum (issued 12-03-2018)
Erzurum was captured by the Russian Army in February 1916. It returned to Ottoman control just in March 1918 after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed.

Thank You very much Steve!

cover from Turkey

On Thursday I got not only a postcard but also three covers including one from Turkey.

Stamp:

meter stamp

Inside was a Turkish postcard.

The card shows Mardin. Mardin is a city in Turkish Kurdistan and the capital of the Mardin Province. It is known for its old town which seeks for the inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Since 2016 the city is under forced administration.

Thank You very much Yalçin!

Turkey: Side

Last Tuesday I got two postcards from Turkey.

They both show the ruins of Side. Side is an ancient Greek city on the southern Mediterranean coast of Turkey and one of the best-known classical sites in the country. Today it is a popular tourist destination.

My mum sent these cards to me when she recently visited Turkey.

The first card shows the ruins of the theatre complex. 

Stamp:

Antalya (from set of four) (issued 04-04-2017)

The second card shows the ruins of the Temple of Apollo.

Stamp:
Antalya (from set of four) (issued 04-04-2017)

Turkey: Dicle Bridge in Diyarbakır

Last Monday I got my first two postcards from Turkish Kurdistan.

Turkish Kurdistan is the part of Greater Kurdistan located in Turkey's Eastern Anatolia Region and Southeastern Anatolia Region where Kurds form the predominant ethnic group. In the area there has been a long-running separatist conflict which has cost 30000 lives.

One card shows the Dicle Bridge in Diyarbakır. Diyarbakır is located in the Fertile Crescent and has been an important centre since the Hellenistic period. Today it is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey and the administrative capital of the Diyarbakır Province. It is also considered to be the unofficial capital of Turkish Kurdistan and as such it is a focal point for conflict between Turkey's government and Kurdish insurgent groups. The Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape is since 2015 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamps:
800th birthday of Haci Bektas Veli (two from set of four) (issued 12-08-2009)
Topkapi Palace (whole set) (issued 27-02-2014)

Thank You very much Helen!

Turkey: Nemrut Dağ

Last Monday I got my first two postcards from Turkish Kurdistan.

One card shows Nemrut Dağ. Nemrut Dağ is a mountain in the Adıyaman Province. It is known for the mausoleum of Antiochus I, who reigned over Commagene, a kingdom founded after the breakup of Alexander's empire. The mausoleum is considered to be one of the most ambitious constructions of the Hellenistic period. Nemrut Dağ is since 1987 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamps:
100 years Altay Sports Club (from set of four) (issued 16-01-2014)
Cuisine of the Mediterranean Region (two from set of four) (issued 29-09-2017)

Thank You very much Helen!

Turkey: Baklava

Last Saturday I got a postcard from Turkey.

It shows Baklava. Baklava is a rich, sweet dessert pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey. It originated in the Ottoman Empire.

Stamps:
Occupations sinking into Oblivion (two from set of four) (issued 03-09-2015)
The Morality and Law of Brotherhood (from set of two) (issued 14-04-2012)

Thank You very much Helen!