History

The Chora Church was originally built outside the walls of Constantinople, to the south of the Golden Horn. Literally translated, the church’s full name was the Church of the Holy Saviour in the Country: although “The Church of the Holy Redeemer in the Fields” would be a more natural rendering of the name in English. (Greek ἡ Ἐκκλησία του Ἅγιου Σωτῆρος ἐν τῃ Χώρᾳ, hē Ekklēsia tou Hagiou Sōtēros en tēi Chōrai).[2] The last part of that name, Chora, referring to its location originally outside of the walls, became the shortened name of the church. The original church on this site was built in the early 5th century, and stood outside of the 4th century walls of Constantine the Great. However, when Theodosius II built his formidable land walls in 413–414, the church became incorporated within the city’s defences, but retained the name Chora. The name must have carried symbolic meaning, as the mosaics in the narthex describe Christ as the Land of the Living (ἡ Χώρα των ζώντων, hē Chōra tōn zōntōn) and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as the Container of the Uncontainable (ἡ Χώρα του Ἀχώρητου, hē Chōra tou Achōrētou).

The majority of the fabric of the current building dates from 1077–1081, when Maria Dukaina, the mother-in-law of Alexius I Comnenus, rebuilt the Chora Church as an inscribed cross or quincunx: a popular architectural style of the time. Early in the 12th century, the church suffered a partial collapse, perhaps due to an earthquake. The church was rebuilt by Isaac Comnenus, Alexius’s third son. However, it was only after the third phase of building, two centuries after, that the church as it stands today was completed. The powerful Byzantine statesman Theodore Metochites endowed the church with much of its fine mosaics and frescos. Theodore’s impressive decoration of the interior was carried out between 1315 and 1321. The mosaic-work is the finest example of the Palaeologian Renaissance. The artists remain unknown. In 1328, Theodore was sent into exile by the usurper Andronicus III Palaeologus. However, he was allowed to return to the city two years later, and lived out the last two years of his life as a monk in his Chora Church.

During the last siege of Constantinople in 1453, the Icon of the Theotokos Hodegetria, considered the protector of the City, was brought to Chora in order to assist the defenders against the assault of the Ottomans.[3]

Around fifty years after the fall of the city to the Ottomans, Atık Ali Paşa, the Grand Vizier of Sultan Bayezid II, ordered the Chora Church to be converted into a mosque — Kariye Camii. Due to the prohibition against iconic images in Islam, the mosaics and frescoes were covered behind a layer of plaster. This and frequent earthquakes in the region have taken their toll on the artwork.

In 1948, Thomas Whittemore and Paul A. Underwood, from the Byzantine Institute of America and the Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies, sponsored a programme of restoration. From that time on, the building ceased to be a functioning mosque. In 1958, it was opened to the public as a museum — Kariye Müzesi.

The Church was dedicated to the Logos, the second person of the Holy Trinity,[2] its dedication feast taking place on 25 December, the anniversary of the incarnation of the Logos in Christ.[2] Although it is sometimes referred to as Sancta Sophia (as though it were named after Saint Sophia), sophia is the phonetic spelling in Latin of the Greek word for wisdom – the full name in Greek being Ναός τῆς Ἁγίας τοῦ Θεοῦ Σοφίας, “Church of the Holy Wisdom of God”.[3][4]

Famous in particular for its massive dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have “changed the history of architecture.”[5] It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520. The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian and was the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site, the previous two having both been destroyed by rioters. It was designed by the Greek scientists Isidore of Miletus, a physicist, and Anthemius of Tralles, a mathematician.[6]

The church contained a large collection of holy relics and featured, among other things, a 49 foot (15 m) silver iconostasis. It was the seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the religious focal point of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly one thousand years. It is the church in which Cardinal Humbert in 1054 excommunicated Michael I Cerularius – which is commonly considered the start of the Great Schism.

In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II, who subsequently ordered the building converted into a mosque.[7] The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were removed and many of the mosaics were plastered over. Islamic features – such as the mihrab, minbar, and four minarets – were added while in the possession of the Ottomans. It remained a mosque until 1931 when it was closed to the public for four years. It was re-opened in 1935 as a museum by the Republic of Turkey.

For almost 500 years the principal mosque of Istanbul, Hagia Sophia served as a model for many other Ottoman mosques, such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque of Istanbul), the Şehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, the Rüstem Pasha Mosque and the Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque.

Former names of the town have been Korama, Matiana, Maccan or Machan, and Avcilar. When Göreme Valley nearby was designated an important tourist destination, a “center” for all tourism in Cappadocia, the name of the town was changed to Göreme for practical reasons.

The Göreme National Park (Göreme Milli Parklar in Turkish) was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

The location of Göreme was first settled back in the Roman period. Christianity was then the prevailing religion in the region, which is evident from many rock churches that can still be seen today.

Among Göreme’s historically important sites are Ortahane, Durmus Kadir, Yusuf Koc and Bezirhane churches, in addition to the richly decorated Tokali Kilise, the Apple Church, and a number of homes and pigeon houses carved straight into the rock formations in the town.

This is an area of great natural beauty and historical importance, part of the ancient region of Cappadocia, near the much-visited Ihlara Valley.
History
Cappadocia has an important place in the history of Christianity and Gregory of Nazianzus lived in the area. There was a Christian (Greek) community in the area right up until the population exchange of 1924, when they were replaced with the Turks from Thessaloniki and Kavala.

Practical and very tasty this time you have a sweet recipe: false söbiyet dessert. I love dessert, but do not know what to do Söbiyet. This is reminiscent of a sweet taste and shape as the şöbiyet dessert. This tatlını Cooking is very easy, and I’m sure anyone can do.

That I do not remember much from this recipe, I guess I like my sugar Gülaydan görümcem. Kendisinede thank you very much. I hope you will try recipe and enjoy.

Materials

• A pack of puff pastry stock (10 sheets) (Dutch: bladerdeeg)
• A quantity of walnut (coarse crushed)
• Two egg yolks (for above)
• To Şerberti:
  • 1 kilo of granulated sugar
  • Sugar until the water will be released on 2 fingers
  • Half a lemon juice (note: ready to use lemon juice)

Construction of grout:

• Put sugar in a saucepan.
• Stir in sugar water to pass over the two fingers.
• Squeeze on lemon juice.
• Stir until sugar is dissolved. Then boil until syrupy kalınlaşıncaya.
• Syrup, then cool.

Built in:

• Provide resolution of puff dough ice. Only thaw as stick handling.
• Cut the puff pastry dough sheets each of four small squares.
• The center of each square put a small amount of crushed walnuts and fold the triangular frame. Fine heave over the edges of the push for the closing.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 220 degrees.
• Triangular index dough tray (tray or grease or wax paper spread) and with plenty of egg yolk on the crawl.
• Give heated in the oven.
• Pour cooled syrup over the oven and removes çıkartmaz.

NOTE: We need to consume in a dessert two or three days.

One day, when the father and son were in the area, a storm came through. The son told his father that he knew of a place to take shelter, however, the father assumed the son’s suggestion came from his desire to see his lover and that he didn’t care whether the ship sank or not. As the storm grew stronger, with the ship ready to crash into the rocks, the father took his oar and hit his son, knocking him into the sea. Soon after, the cove became incredibly still, and the father realized that his son was right after all. Unfortunately, it was too late, and his son was found dead upon the rocks. Belcekiz, seeing the boy dead, committed suicide in a passionate rage by jumping onto the rocks herself. Since then, on the place she jumped from was named as Belcekiz and the place the boy died were named as Oludeniz (Dead Sea).

Today, Ölüdeniz is one of the most popular beach resorts in all of Turkey, and arguably one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean. With a secluded sandy bay on a blue lagoon, it truly captures the essence of a Mediterranean experience. The lagoon itself is a national nature reserve, to which construction in the area is strictly forbidden. It’s famous for the beach’s turquoise colors, and has been rated among the top 5 beaches in the world by several tourism journals. The resort also boasts paragliding as one of its most popular activities, and due to its magnificent view of the beach and Babadag Mountain in the backdrop, has been touted as one of the best places in the world to paraglide.

Airport or Dalaman Airport. From there you’ll travel over the D400, a winding road through thick forests and along rocky formations. The road to Datca offers some especially incredibly impressive scenery. Whether you are looking to enjoy the excitement of the city or are looking for an alternative break farther down the peninsula, there are plenty of Marmaris hotels or Datca hotels that can suit any budget.

The Marmaris-Datca Peninsula offers holiday experiences all over the year. For the traveller who seeks an active holiday every season it is perfect, but during summer one should stop to take a siesta out of the hot Turkish sun. Spring and autumn are ideal for strolls and hikes and also for enjoying the peace and tranquility of the natural environment. Winter and spring are perfect for more strenuous sports, like trekking in Turkey and biking. For those seeking an active holiday, summer and fall are excellent for watersports in Marmaris because of the good water temperatures and strong winds. And for those who would like to combine the relaxing life of Datca with the swinging Marmaris nightlife, high summer is the best time to visit.

There’s a wide-range of selection for those seeking Marmaris accommodation. Holidaymakers who prefer all-inclusive resorts in Turkey can find beautiful resorts in Icmeler, Turunc and Marmaris resorts. As an alternative, travellers can stay at some of the many Eski Datca boutique hotels and Datca boutique hotels. Or for something a little more authentic, travellers can opt to stay at some of the antique style Datca hotels and Datca guesthouses in Eski Datca, Yakaköy and Resadiye. Travellers looking for a cosy B+B or apart should head for Ovabükü Beach, Hayitbükü Beach or Palamutbükü Beach, all about 20 km (13miles) west from Datca. For people who like to hibernate in a mild climate, fully equipped Datca villas may be an option. Prices for hotels in Marmaris-Datca range from € 30,- for budget to over € 200,- for Marmaris luxury hotels.