:: News and Special Features - July 2006 ::
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Regaip Kandili: Prophet Muhammed's conception Regaip Kandili (reh-gah-YEEP kahn-dee-lee) is the "Beginning of the Three Moons," 4th of Recep (Rajab), celebrating the night of Muhammed's conception. These festivals are dated based on the Islamic lunar calendar and therefore fall on different dates of the Julian calendar each year. For 2006 the festival is estimated to fall on the night of July 29th-30th. |
Kütahya Ceramic/Earthenware Festival - July 12-15
Akşehir ("White City", from Old Turkish: "Aq", white, and Persian: "Shahr", town) is a town in the Konya Province of Turkey. It has a population about 65,000 as of 2006. It was known in the Roman and Byzantine Empires as Philomelium.
The town's landmarks include the alleged tomb of Nasreddin Hodja, the house used as headquarters by the Turkish Army during the last phase of the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922), other monuments and old Turkish houses.
Between July 5th and 10th each year, commemorations with concerts and other social activities are held to the memory of Akşehir's famous resident - Nasreddin Hodja.
With its rich architectural heritage, Akşehir is a member of the Norwich-based European Association of Historic Towns and Regions.
The town's landmarks include the alleged tomb of Nasreddin Hodja, the house used as headquarters by the Turkish Army during the last phase of the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922), other monuments and old Turkish houses.
Between July 5th and 10th each year, commemorations with concerts and other social activities are held to the memory of Akşehir's famous resident - Nasreddin Hodja.
With its rich architectural heritage, Akşehir is a member of the Norwich-based European Association of Historic Towns and Regions.
Bronze statue of Khodja Nasritdin from Rumania (public domain photo).
Van Culture and Tourism Festival - July 16-20
The explosion of Nemrut volcano led the formation of the largest lake in Turkey and second largest body of water in the Middle East - Lake Van. The modern city of Van is located on the plain extending from Lake Van, at a distance of 5 kilometers from the lake shore.
It has often been called "The Pearl of the East" because of the beauty of its surrounding landscape. Another expression in the same sense is, dünyada Van, ahirette iman, which can roughly be translated as "Van for this world, faith for the next".
It has often been called "The Pearl of the East" because of the beauty of its surrounding landscape. Another expression in the same sense is, dünyada Van, ahirette iman, which can roughly be translated as "Van for this world, faith for the next".
 In culinary terms, Van has distinguished itself with its breakfast culture. |
 Van Cat The Turkish Van cat breed is native to this town and was named after it. Nicknames: "swimming cat" and "white ringtail" |