Archiv für 26. Juli 2013
This is Istanbul
Istanbul belongs to the largest cities and it is divided into a European side and an Asian side. The best time to visit this beautiful city is in spring or autumn when the city is filled with festivals. However, if you like hot weather and sun then summer time is better for you. On the other side if you want to experience something unique, then winter is also great as it is enlivened by magical snow falls.
During the golden days of the Ottoman Empire, extravagant celebrations were held on every possible occasion, with the sultan providing most of the excuses. For the circumcision of the three sons of the sultan Suleiman, tents sewn with tulips were raised on gold-plated poles at the Hippodrome. People were entertained by tightrope walkers on a cord stretched from the Egyptian Obelisk at its centre.
Within the 20th century new holidays were added, mostly those heavily marketed like Valentine´s Day, Mother´s Day or even Christmas which naturally tends to get confused with New Year´s Day which is given by the fact that more than 95 per cent of the population is Muslim.
The recent years have brought the full –blown festive spirit back. At present, except winter, there is a festival of some kind every month. The city´s youthful population gives these events dynamism. Many of these events are superbly managed and promoted by the Istanbul Foundation for Arts and Cultures which consistently attracts a roster of international big names.
The main event in the Islamic calendar is Kurban Bayrami which can be translated as the Feast of the Sacrifice. It marks Abraham´s near sacrifice of Isaac. Traditionally, families buy a kurban which could be a sheep, bull goat or came and they sacrifice it on the first or second day of the feast. Afterwards they share this meat with relatives, neighbours and the poor.