Lifestyle of the Ottoman Empire
Encyclopedia
Life in the Ottoman Empire
was a mixture of western and eastern life. One unique characteristic of Ottoman life style was it was very fragmented. The millet concept generated this fragmentation and enabled to coexist in a mosaic
of cultures. The Capital of the Ottoman Empire, Constantinople
also had a unique culture, mainly because it lay on two continents.
Some of the basic social structures with Ottoman flavours can be summarized under items such as Coffeehouse, Hammam etc.
Socialization was a very important function in Turkish culture. Coffee
shops were where people gathered and exchanged information
. Coffee was an excuse to bring people together from different homes
. The first coffeehouse was opened in 1473 in Istanbul, which was 20 years after the Fall of Constantinople
.
With the extension of the Ottoman Empire, such as in the Middle East
, since the 16th century, the coffeehouse (al-maqhah in Arabic
qahveh-khaneh in Persian
or kahvehane or kıraathane in Turkish
) has served as a social gathering place where men assemble to drink coffee or tea, listen to music, read books, play chess
and backgammon
, perhaps hear a recitation from the works of Antar
or from Shahnameh
.
baths were unique. They had played an important role in Ottoman culture, serving as places of social gathering, ritual cleansing and as architectural structures, institutions, and elements with special customs attached to them. After a long journey, cleaning at a bath
was a requirement for every Turkish house. There was a separate water fountain
for each patron.
tr:koor-BAHN bahy-rah-muh) where sheep, camels, etc are sold instead of agricultural products.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
was a mixture of western and eastern life. One unique characteristic of Ottoman life style was it was very fragmented. The millet concept generated this fragmentation and enabled to coexist in a mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
of cultures. The Capital of the Ottoman Empire, Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
also had a unique culture, mainly because it lay on two continents.
Some of the basic social structures with Ottoman flavours can be summarized under items such as Coffeehouse, Hammam etc.
Coffeehouse
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
shops were where people gathered and exchanged information
Information
Information in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...
. Coffee was an excuse to bring people together from different homes
Homes
Homes may refer to:*the plural form of "home";*an abbreviation of "homie".HOMES may refer to:*a mnemonic for remembering the names of five Great Lakes....
. The first coffeehouse was opened in 1473 in Istanbul, which was 20 years after the Fall of Constantinople
Fall of Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire, which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire, under the command of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, against the defending army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI...
.
With the extension of the Ottoman Empire, such as in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, since the 16th century, the coffeehouse (al-maqhah in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
qahveh-khaneh in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
or kahvehane or kıraathane in Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
) has served as a social gathering place where men assemble to drink coffee or tea, listen to music, read books, play chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
and backgammon
Backgammon
Backgammon is one of the oldest board games for two players. The playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice, and players win by removing all of their pieces from the board. There are many variants of backgammon, most of which share common traits...
, perhaps hear a recitation from the works of Antar
Antar
Antar may refer to:*Antarah ibn Shaddad, a 6th century celebrated pre-Islamic Arab warrior and poet.*Antares, the star that marks the heart of the Scorpio constellation and which Arab culture associates with Antar, the warrior-poet....
or from Shahnameh
Shahnameh
The Shahnameh or Shah-nama is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c.977 and 1010 AD and is the national epic of Iran and related societies...
.
Yalis
At the end of the 17th century, pashas, grand viziers and other distinguished citizens of Ottoman Istanbul began to build themselves elegant villas - yalis - along the shores of the Bosphorus. These served as summer residences, and the styles employed reflected their owners' prestige. Since then, the yalis that have been built have become larger and more elaborate, adopting Baroque, Art Nouveau and modern styles of architecture. Most of them still conform to a traditional plan, making maximum use of the waterfront and, inside, having a large sitting room surrounded by bedrooms.Hammam
TurkishTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
baths were unique. They had played an important role in Ottoman culture, serving as places of social gathering, ritual cleansing and as architectural structures, institutions, and elements with special customs attached to them. After a long journey, cleaning at a bath
Bathtub
A bath , bathtub , or tub is a large container for holding water in which a person may bathe . Most modern bathtubs are made of acrylic or fiberglass, but alternatives are available in enamel over steel or cast iron, and occasionally waterproof finished wood...
was a requirement for every Turkish house. There was a separate water fountain
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
for each patron.
Farmers' Market
On special days farmers brought their production and present them to public. This tradition also extends to the Kurban Bayrami (ar:Eid ul-AdhaEid ul-Adha
Eid al-Adha or "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a sheep— to sacrifice...
tr:koor-BAHN bahy-rah-muh) where sheep, camels, etc are sold instead of agricultural products.
Bazaar
- See also: The Grand Bazaar, Istanbul