Exploring the History in Atabey Ertokuş Madrasah

Antalya City Blog visited Ghazi Ertokuş Bey Madrasah in Atabey in Isparta.

Who is Ghazi Ertokuş Bey?

Once, stars, the sun and the moon were studied in the Madrasah. There were scientists studying medicine and besides rigious education mathematics, physics, philosophy and geography were teached as well. In the madrasah which was built upon the command of Seljukian uçbey (ruler) Atabey Ertokuş Gazi in 1224 many university professors were educated during the time of the Ottoman Empire.

The Seljuk Empire:

The Seljuq Empire was a medieval Turkic empire (1037–1194), originating from the Qynyq branch of Oghuz Turks. The Seljuq Empire controlled a vast area stretching from the Hindu Kush to eastern Anatolia and from Central Asia to the Persian Gulf. From their homelands near the Aral sea, the Seljuqs advanced first into Khorasan and then into mainland Persia before eventually conquering eastern Anatolia. A branch of the Seljuks established their own state in Anatolia (the sultanate of Konya or Rum, survived until it was conquered by the Mongols in 1243. Most of Anatolia permanently conquered by the Seljuq Turks.

Atabey Ertokuş Madrasah:

When you enter the crown gate of the madrasah which is a typical example of Seljukian architecture, you see an inner court. Around the court are the madrasah rooms and there is a little pool in the middle. The peace of mind created by the voice of the water with the dome’s acoustic was envisaged at the time of planning. Right opposite the enterance gate you will see a tomb room. Madrasah is in the centrum of Atabey town. Walking around the outer court and the garden of the madrasah, you will see “devşirme (folding)” stones pertaining to Roman and Byzantian times and also writings and reliefs on these stones. 

Columns and capitals brought from the ancient cities of Agrai and Seleukeia Sidera were also used during construction. This building restored by the Directorate of Funds in 1993 is visited as one of the hictorical and important values of Isparta.

How to get there? 

Madrasah is in Atabey. Atabey is a town and district of Isparta Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. The museum is 150km away from Antalya airport, 45km from Isparta Airport, and 24 km from the city center of Isparta.

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Troy Dance Show in Antalya

Troy Dance Show is between 24th April-29th May 2012 in Antalya Aspendos Arena!

Troy is as old as the stories in the Sacred Book…Historical Ilion or “Wilusa” city, as called by the Hittites, located in Hisarlık region of Canakkale and founded thousands years ago has served as basis for many ancient myth… for one of the oldest and most known stories of the history of humankind, where the dreams and truth, science and utopia mixed into each other…

The western civilization is indebted its cultural inheritance to Troy Myth but nothing else. This story, which was deemed as happened in 1180 BC, was again written to the memory of the humanity by an Anatolian Poet. The story which had been written down by Homeros, born in Izmir, in his immortal books of Iliada and Odysseia, had taken its place among the most known compositions of world. Such that, it has an important and effective place as much as all sacred books and was turned into a mysterious adventure that made the history writers of all nations most curious throughout the history.

The one who put the last point on this curiosity, investigation and travels, containing a history of three thousand years, and get Troy out to the stage of history again and made the myth a real history was the German archeologist Heinrich Schliemann. The treasures of humankind, which was found manually by sheltering under the mysterious voices of rumors and taken out of the country with great adventures were also turned into one of the basis of contemporary archeology. What Schliemann has taught us is that : “The voice coming out of the ruins is the voice of our own history”. The ones who do not hear the voices of the history can not hear the voice of future. Fire of Anatolia Dance Group is giving life to myth of Troy. We are welcoming this immortal composition of history of art after three thousand years in its Motherland. The illuminated city which embellished the dreams of world leaders passing over the ages, from Hittite King Tuthalia to Alexander the Great, to Caesar of Roman Empire; from Persian King Kserkses to Constantine of Byzantine Empire, from Sultan Mehmet, the Conqueror to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk…. The scream rising from the ruins of Troy and the revival of a mystical dream of 3000 years…

From its Motherland to all humankind. Time in Troy, place in Troy, love and infinity in Troy …

A feverish work carried on under the shadow of lost myth, a history and musical revolt against a connivance history.

 TROY IN FIGURES

- 150 light robots are being used,
- 150.000 watt energy is used at each show,
- 2000 costumes have been designed and tailored,
- 12.000 m. fabric have been used,
- 450 type of fabric have been used,
- 1200 m. bandage has been used for dancers,
- 3150 pcs of hairpins have been used for dancers’ hair,
- 32 large hangers,
- 7200 hours of total reheasal,
- 5400 beads have been used on costumes,
- 2.5 tons, the weight of costumes,
- 5400 hours, preparation of musics,
- 550 pcs of sketches for projection of images,
- 850 pcs headdresses, 300 pairs of shoes have been specially designed,
- 10 different costumes have been tailored in the costumes’ workshop,
- 200 pairs of dance shoes,
- 500 earrings and 500 necklaces,
- 500 bracelets have been used as accessories,
- 3000 gold coins have been used for fez,
- 2000 specially designed flowers have been used,
- 3500 make-up articles are being used,
- 2500 m. felt fabric has been exclusively woven in Ouzbekistan,
- 2000 m. Chiffon has exclusively been hand painted,
And A horse statue with 8 meters’ height.

For buying tickets: www.biletix.com

For more information: http://anadoluatesi.com

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