27 Kasım 2014 Perşembe

A True Open-Air Museum:Safranbolu-Turkey



A True Open-Air museum

                            No doubt that many other places in theworld are defined as ‘open air museums’.


But Safranbolu really deserves this title.Throw yourself on the streets of Safranbolu; you will understand what we meaThe town, adorned with traditional houses reflecting classical Ottoman architecture is famous for its cultural heritage, as well as for its quiet way of life and soothing natural environment. Safranbolu,a district of the Province of Karabük, is one of the nine cultural assets in Turkey inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List; and as such, an important tourist destination. It owes its name to saffron, a rare plant growing in the region.The Safranbolu houses which were originally built in a particular architectural style were recently restored within the frameworkof a special project aimed at preserving the authentic texture of the relatively well-preserved old city. The youngest of these houses is almost 200 years old. Hence, you feel like strolling through an18thcentury Ottoman city as soon as you step into the district. Most of the famed Safranbolu houses are mansions usually situated on large courtyards, with separate entries for men and women. Each room is equipped with a let-in bathtub built in the wall. The walls andceilings are decorated with the best examples of wooden craft. The windows of the houses are narrow but sufficiently high to allow the maximum amount of daylight to penetrate inside. Rugs hand-woven from madder-dyed yarn keeping their original colours and properties adorn their floors.Some of the Safranbolu mansions were put in order and made ready for public visits and some others were converted into museums.


One of these houses is the District Governor’s House. An original Turkish house The “District Governor’s House” is eminently representative of the Safran-bolu houses which reflect the characteristics of the culture and way of life of the 18thand 19thcenturies Turkish society. 

Its exact date of construc-tion is unknown. It is believed to have been built at the beginning of the 18thcentury. The owner of this beautiful house was Hacı Mehmet Efendi, commander of the Garrison of Safranbolu. His rank as LieutenantColo-nel corresponding to the Ottoman administrative rank of QaimMaqam (District Governor), Hacı Mehmet Efendi’s house came to be referred to under this name.The house preserved all its architectural characteristics up until today. 
It was opened as a Training Centre on 16 December 1981. Located ithe Safranbolu Arcadeat Hıdırlık Slope Street, the building is a typical Turk-ish house in terms of its mass, lay-outand original façade. Ifyou go to Safranbolu, this is one of the most important venues to be visited. Kileciler MansionLocated at the junction of Kışlayanı and Akpınar streets, the Kileciler Mansion is known to have been commissioned by Hacı Mehmet Efendi in 1884. The structure was designed so as to fit the slope angles of both streets, as literally a“corner house”.Seated on stone foundations, the building’s upper floor walls are made of timber frames filled with adobe. Fine handiwork decora-tions on the walls stand out. The main entrance of the mansion is on the Kışlayanı Street and the ladies’ entrance is located on the Akpınar Street. Samples of the period’s table cloths, garments, cushions, tables, couches, sewing machines can be seen inside the house.

City History Museum:

Safranbolu City History Museum was built between 1904 and 1906 with the financial support of the people on “Castle Hill”. Completely made of cut stone, the building has a total of 800 square meters covered space and a cellar section.The museum consists of three floors; ground floor, entrance and first floor. The museum presents the different periods of Safranbolu’s history, life and culture in a chronological order. You can also walk through an old Safranbolu Bazaar in the museum.On the ground floor there are the items related to the history of the building and of the city; maps, cultural publications, satellite images, an exhibition hall and conference hall. In the Ethnography Hall, you find the Republican Period garments and old furnishings typical of Safranbolu.

Information materiel on Safranbolu history from the Ottoman period to the Republic Period such as visuals is on display at the ‘Safranbolu Pictures Hall’. Roman, Ottoman and Republican coins as well as
old manuscripts are also exhibited in this hall. On the ground floor, the his-tory of Safranbolu commercial life and handicrafts is presentedthrough a series of photographs.The museum includes also sub-sections such as a Pharmacy Museum a Turkish Delight (Locum) Museum and, life-size working space models of various Safranbolu trades and handicrafts, such as Spice-seller, Scarfmanufacturer, Shoemaker, Saddler, Ironsmith, Tinsmith, Coppersmith and an Artisan’s

Coffee House.

Historic Cinci Inn and BathOne of the hundreds of large and small caravanserais established on the Silk Road extending from China to Anatolia is the Cinci Han in Safran-bolu, which had been built in 1645 by Karabaşzade Hüseyin Efendi, a no 25 Kaymakamlar Evi binası, Saat Kulesi, kente adını veren safran bitkisi soğanı ile safran baharatı (sol sayfada, üstte). Cinci Hamamı kubbeleri (sol altta). Tarihi yemenici dükkanı ve yemeni örnekleri (üstte), Kent Tarihi binası ile Cinci Han (altta). District Governor’s House, the Clock Tower, and the bulb of the saffron plant which gives its name to the city and saffron spice (left page, top). Cinci Bath domes (left page, bottom). Historic scarves shop and scarf samples (top), the City History building and the Cinci Han (below). of timber frames filled with adobe. Fine handiwork decora-tions on the walls stand out. The main entrance of the mansion is on the Kışlayanı Street and the ladies’ entrance is located on the Akpınar Street. Samples of the period’s table cloths, garments, cushions, tables, couches, sewing machines can be seen inside the house.

City History Museum:

Safranbolu City History Museum was built between 1904 and 1906 with the financial support of the people on “Castle Hill”. Completely made of cut stone, the building has a total of 800 square meters covered space
and a cellar section.The museum consists of three floors; ground floor, entrance and first floor. The museum presents the different periods of Safranbolu’s history, life and culture in a chronological order. You can also walk through an old Safranbolu Bazaar in the museum.On the ground floor there are the items related to the history of the building and of the city; maps, cultural publications, satellite images, an
exhibition hall and conference hall. In the Ethnography Hall, you find the Republican Period garments and old furnishings typical of Safranbolu.

Information materiel on Safranbolu history from the Ottoman period to the Republic Period such as visuals is on display at the ‘Safranbolu Pictures Hall’. Roman, Ottoman and Republican coins as well as
old manuscripts are also exhibited in this hall. On the ground floor, the history of Safranbolu commercial life and handicrafts is presentedthrough a series of photographs.The museum includes also sub-sections such as a Pharmacy Museum,a Turkish Delight (Locum) Museum and, life-size working space m
odels of various Safranbolu trades and handicrafts, such as Spice-seller, Scarfmanufacturer, Shoemaker, Saddler, Ironsmith, Tinsmith, Coppersmith and an Artisan’s Coffee House.

Historic Cinci Inn and Bath:

One of the hundreds of large and small caravanserais established on the Silk Road extending from China to Anatolia is the Cinci Han in Safranbolu, which had been built in 1645 by Karabaşzade Hüseyin Efend
i, a no-table of Safranbolu called Cinci Hoca (the Spiritualist Hodja).Although its architect is not known for certain, the inn is believed to be built by Master Architect Kazım Agha. It was used as a caravanserai for
centu-ries up until the twentieth century where the Historical Silk Road began to lose of its significance. Henceforth it was utilized as a warehouse by the merchants of Safranbolu. Nowadays, the restored and refurbished structure serves as a hotel accommodating tourists from everywhere. The Cinci Hammam which is part of it is still operational.

Safranbolu Clock Tower:

The square shaped 10 meters high Clock Tower which had been built in 1797 by the Grand Vizier İzzet Mehmet Pasha, during the time ofSultan Selim III, is overlooking the entire city and can be seen from almost every corner of Safranbolu


26 Kasım 2014 Çarşamba

Museums and Galleries



Museums and Galleries:

1.      Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

2.      Le Louvre, Paris, France

3.      The Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece

4.      State Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia

5.      The British Museum, London, England

6.The Prado, Madrid, Spain

7.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York

8.The Vatican Museums, Vatican City, Italy

9.The Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

10.Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands



1-Smithsonian Enstitüsü:
 ABD hükümeti tarafından yönetilen bir müze ve araştırma merkezi öbeğidir. 1846 yılında "bilgiyi artırmak ve yaymak" amacıyla kurulmuştur. Washington, DC'deki merkezinde 137 milyon nesne bulunmaktadır.
2- Le Louvre:
Fransız ihtilâlinden sonra 1793 senesinde, Fransa'da açılan ilk devlet müzesi. Paris'te bulunan bu müze emsalleri arasında en ünlülerindendir.
3-Akropolis Müzesi:
 Mimar Bernard Tschumi tarafından Yunanistan'ın başkenti Atina'da inşa edilen ve Akropolis Tepesi'nden çıkarılan arkeolojik buluntulara ev sahipliği yapan müzedir.
Ermitaj Müzesi:
Rusya’nın Saint Petersburg şehrinde yer alan bir sanat ve kültür müzesidir. Dünyanın en büyük ve eski müzelerinden olan Ermitaj Müzesi, 1764 yılında Çariçe II
British Museum:( Kuruluş tarihi: 1753) İngiltere'nin Londra şehrinde Dünya'nın her yanından getirilen seçkin Eskiçağ yapıtları ve etnografya koleksiyonlarını kapsayan müze.
Metropolitan Sanat Müzesi, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met olarak da kısaltılınabilir), dünyanın en büyük ve en önemli müzelerinden bir tanesidir. Manhattan, New York City'deki Central Park'ın yanında yer alan müze, The Cloisters adı verilen orta çağ sanatını barındıran bölümü bünyesinde bulundurur

Prado Müzesi (İspanyolca: Museo del Prado),
 İspanya'nın başkenti Madrid'de yer alan bir müze ve sanat galerisidir.
Resim ve heykel müzesi olarak kurulmuş olup, ayrıca 5.000 den fazla çizim, 2.000 baskı, 1.000 madeni para, Madalyalar ve yaklaşık 2.000 süs eşyaları ve sanat eserlerini içerir. Heykel, küçük bir sayıdaki eksik heykelsel parçalara göre 700 den fazla eserle temsil edilir.Madrid'de en çok ziyaret edilen yerdir.Dünya'nın en önemli müzelerinden biri olan, 19 Kasım 1819'da Jean de Villanueva'nın yapmış olduğu yapıda hizmete giren Prado Müzesi, krallık koleksiyonlarının bir araya getirilmesiyle oluşturulmuştur.İspanyol ressamlarının (El Greco, Velazquez, Goya, vb.) ve Hollanda ressamlarının (Bosch, Rubens, vb.) pek çoğunun yapıtlarının yanı sıra, birçok heykel, çizim vb. sanat yapıtı içermektedir.
Vatikan Müzeleri:
 Vatican City'de bulunan dünyanın en büyük müzelerinden birisidir. Bu müze Roma Katolik Kilisesi tarafından Rönesans'da inşa edilmiş olup, dünyanın önemli heykellerine ev sahipliği yapan önemli bir binadır.
Uffizi Galerisi:
Floransa'daki bir saray ya da palazzo, dünyadaki en eski ve en ünlü sanat müzelerinden biridir. Ünlü Medici ailesinin sanat koleksiyonu sergilenir. İki katlı U şeklindeki müzede, dünyaca ünlü tablolar sergilenir.
Rijks müzesi :
Amsterdam ya da Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam'daki Museumplein'da yer alan bir Hollanda ulusal müzesidir. Müzede sanat, zanaat ve tarih alanındaki parçalar sergilenir.
The Smithsonian is the world’s largest research and museum complex, with 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and various research stations. More than 137 million objects detailing America’s story are housed here, so you’d better prepare for a long week of walking. There’s so much to see that, if you spent one minute day and night looking at each object on exhibit, in ten years you’d see only ten percent of the whole. Therefore, it’s wise to head out with a plan. Focus on only one or two exhibits at two or three different museums.
Main attractions: Dorothy’s ruby red slippers, the dresses of the First Ladies, and the original Star-Spangled Banner at the National Museum of American History; the Gem Hall (including the Hope Diamond) at the National Museum of Natural History; and the Wright brothers’ 1903 Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, and the Apollo 11 command module at the National Air and Space Museum.

6.      Le Louvre, Paris, France

The Louvre was a medieval fortress and the palace of the kings of France before becoming a museum two centuries ago. The addition of I. M. Pei’s pyramid shocked many when it was unveiled in 1989 as the new main entrance, yet it somehow works, integrating the palace’s disparate elements. The museum’s collections, which range from antiquity to the first half of the 19th century, are among the most important in the world. A good place to start is the Sully Wing, at the foundations of Philippe-Auguste’s medieval keep—it’s in the heart of the Louvre, kids love it, and it leads straight to the Egyptian rooms.
Main attractions: “Venus de Milo,” “Winged Victory of Samothrace,” and Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.”

7.      The Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece

The stunning ground floor gallery houses finds from the slopes of the Acropolis. Its amazing transparent glass floor provides a walk over history, with a view of the archaeological excavation, while sloping upward to the Acropolis with sanctuaries of the Athenians from each historic period nearby. Smaller settlements have been excavated, yielding glimpses of Athenian life. For the first time, the exhibits in the Archaic Gallery allow visitors to take in all sides of the objects, which are displayed in open spaces characterized by changing natural light.
Main attractions: The frieze of the Parthenon is mounted on a structure with exactly the same dimensions as the cella of the Parthenon, giving comprehensive viewing of every detail.

8.      State Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia

Russia may be isolated from the artistic centers of Paris, Rome, and London, but the Hermitage has managed to acquire a spectacular collection of world art—more than three million items—spanning the years from the Stone Age to the early 20th century. The museum occupies six buildings along the Neva River, the leading structure being the confection-like Winter Palace. This gloriously baroque, blue-and-white structure was finished in 1764 and over the next several centuries was the main residence of the czars. Catherine the Great founded the museum that same year when she purchased 255 paintings from Berlin. The museum’s focal point is Western European art—120 rooms in four buildings ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day. Rembrandt, Rubens, Tiepolo, Titian, da Vinci, Picasso, Gauguin, Cézanne, van Gogh, and Goya are all represented here. For in-depth tours, contact Glories of the Hermitage.
Main attractions: The Treasure Gallery’s Gold Rooms showcase golden masterpieces from Eurasia, the Black Sea Littoral in antiquity, and the Orient. The museum also houses pieces from Nicholas II’s private collection, including paintings, drawings, and medals created to commemorate his coronation.

9.      The British Museum, London, England

Britain’s largest museum looks after the national collection of archaeology and ethnography—more than eight million objects ranging from prehistoric bones to chunks of Athens’ Parthenon, from whole Assyrian palace rooms to exquisite gold jewels.
Main attractions: The Egyptian gallery boasts the world’s second finest collection of Egyptian antiquities outside Egypt, including the Rosetta Stone, carved in 196 B.C.

1.      The Prado, Madrid, Spain

The Spanish royal family is responsible for the Prado’s bounty of classical masterpieces. Over centuries, kings and queens collected and commissioned art with passion and good taste. In addition to stars of Spanish painting such as Velázquez, Goya, Ribera, and Zurbarán, the Prado has big collections of Italian (including Titian and Raphael) and Flemish artists. Fernando VII opened the collection to the public in 1819, in the same neoclassic building it’s housed in today, designed by Juan de Villanueva.
Main attraction: “The Three Graces” by Rubens.

2.      The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest museum in the Western Hemisphere. Its collection of more than two million items is not only broad—covering the entire world, from antiquity to the present—but deep, with holdings so large in a number of areas that some might be considered museums unto themselves. Its European paintings are stunning: works by Botticelli, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Degas, Rodin, and other luminaries. The Egyptian Collection showcases the tomb of Perneb (circa 2440 B.C.) and the exquisite Temple of Dendur (circa 23-10 B.C.). The American Wing contains American arts and crafts, including a room from a Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie House. And the list goes on and on.
Main attractions: “Adam and Eve,” the well-known engraving by Albrecht Dürer, is only one of the many impressive pieces you will discover at the Met.

3.      The Vatican Museums, Vatican City, Italy

Twenty-two separate collections comprise the Musei Vaticani, each one more spectacular than the next. The most famous are probably the Museo Pio-Clementino, with its splendid classical sculpture; the Raphael Rooms, entire rooms painted by Raphael; the Pinacoteca (picture gallery), which contains the cream of the Vatican’s collection of medieval and Renaissance paintings; and, of course, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. But there is also the ancient Egyptian exhibits of the Museo Gregoriano Egizio, as well as the Etruscan offerings of the Museo Gregoriano Etrusco. And that’s just a start.
Main attractions: The renowned Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms are not to be missed.

4.      The Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

“Great” is an overworked adjective in Italy, where so many of the country’s monuments and works of art command the highest praise. In the case of the Galleria degli Uffizi, it barely does justice to a gallery that holds the world’s finest collection of Renaissance paintings. All the famous names of Italian art are here—not only the Renaissance masters, but also painters from the early medieval, baroque, and Mannerist heydays.
Main attraction: “The Birth of Venus” by Botticelli is one.

5.      Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

About 900,000 objects fill the Rijksmuseum, the largest collection of art and history in the Netherlands. It is most famous for its paintings by 17th-century Dutch masters, including Ruysdael, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer, and Rembrandt van Rijn. Established in 1800 to exhibit the collections of the Dutch stadtholders, the Rijksmuseum also displays art from the Middle Ages. The main building is closed for renovation until 2013; collection highlights are displayed in the Philips Wing and at Rijksmuseum Schiphol.

·  The Prado, Madrid, Spain

The Spanish royal family is responsible for the Prado’s bounty of classical masterpieces. Over centuries, kings and queens collected and commissioned art with passion and good taste. In addition to stars of Spanish painting such as Velázquez, Goya, Ribera, and Zurbarán, the Prado has big collections of Italian (including Titian and Raphael) and Flemish artists. Fernando VII opened the collection to the public in 1819, in the same neoclassic building it’s housed in today, designed by Juan de Villanueva.
Main attraction: “The Three Graces” by Rubens.

·  The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest museum in the Western Hemisphere. Its collection of more than two million items is not only broad—covering the entire world, from antiquity to the present—but deep, with holdings so large in a number of areas that some might be considered museums unto themselves. Its European paintings are stunning: works by Botticelli, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Degas, Rodin, and other luminaries. The Egyptian Collection showcases the tomb of Perneb (circa 2440 B.C.) and the exquisite Temple of Dendur (circa 23-10 B.C.). The American Wing contains American arts and crafts, including a room from a Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie House. And the list goes on and on.
Main attractions: “Adam and Eve,” the well-known engraving by Albrecht Dürer, is only one of the many impressive pieces you will discover at the Met.

·  The Vatican Museums, Vatican City, Italy

Twenty-two separate collections comprise the Musei Vaticani, each one more spectacular than the next. The most famous are probably the Museo Pio-Clementino, with its splendid classical sculpture; the Raphael Rooms, entire rooms painted by Raphael; the Pinacoteca (picture gallery), which contains the cream of the Vatican’s collection of medieval and Renaissance paintings; and, of course, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. But there is also the ancient Egyptian exhibits of the Museo Gregoriano Egizio, as well as the Etruscan offerings of the Museo Gregoriano Etrusco. And that’s just a start.
Main attractions: The renowned Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms are not to be missed.

·  The Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

“Great” is an overworked adjective in Italy, where so many of the country’s monuments and works of art command the highest praise. In the case of the Galleria degli Uffizi, it barely does justice to a gallery that holds the world’s finest collection of Renaissance paintings. All the famous names of Italian art are here—not only the Renaissance masters, but also painters from the early medieval, baroque, and Mannerist heydays.
Main attraction: “The Birth of Venus” by Botticelli is one.

·  Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

About 900,000 objects fill the Rijksmuseum, the largest collection of art and history in the Netherlands. It is most famous for its paintings by 17th-century Dutch masters, including Ruysdael, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer, and Rembrandt van Rijn. Established in 1800 to exhibit the collections of the Dutch stadtholders, the Rijksmuseum also displays art from the Middle Ages. The main building is closed for renovation until 2013; collection highlights are displayed in the Philips Wing and at Rijksmuseum Schiphol.
Main attraction: “The Night Watch” by Rembrandt.