🏛️ HARRAN: WHERE HISTORY LIVES BENEATH THE DOMES! 🌍✨ 📍 Harran, Şanlıurfa, Türkiye… A timeless land of history and culture. With thousands of years of history, distinctive architecture, and a rich cultural heritage, Harran is one of the most remarkable historical settlements in Anatolia. Its iconic domed beehive houses are not only architectural wonders but also precious reminders of the region’s deep-rooted history and traditions. 🏺🏡 🧱 Where Earth, Stone, and History Come Together! With their distinctive cone-shaped domes, Harran’s traditional houses stand out as remarkable examples of vernacular architecture. Built using traditional materials such as brick and mudbrick, these unique structures were designed to adapt to the region’s climate. Their architectural features help keep interiors cooler during the hot summer months, reflecting the ingenuity of generations who learned to live in harmony with nature. 🌿 Every Dome Tells a Story, Every Wall Preserves a Memory… Harran’s historic houses are much more than places to live. They represent the region’s traditional lifestyle, cultural identity, and architectural heritage, carrying the traces of the past into the present. With their timeless character, these extraordinary structures connect generations and offer visitors a glimpse into another era. 📸 An Unforgettable Destination for History and Culture Lovers! With its historic streets, earthy textures, and distinctive domes rising toward the sky, Harran offers a truly unique atmosphere for photographers, travelers, and cultural explorers. Every corner reveals a different perspective, showcasing the remarkable cultural richness of Şanlıurfa. ✨ Harran’s beehive houses are a legacy of the past, a treasure of the present, and a heritage worth preserving for future generations. Discovering our history, protecting our cultural heritage, and passing it on to future generations is a shared responsibility. Because some structures are far more than bricks and earth; they are the memory of a civilization, the identity of a region, and a living story connecting the past to the future. ❤️🌍 📍 Harran | Şanlıurfa, Türkiye 🏛️ Following the footsteps of history, discovering the heart of culture. #Şanlıurfa #Harran #HarranHouses #BeehiveHouses #HistoricHeritage #CulturalHeritage #AnatolianArchitecture #DiscoverTürkiye #HistoryAndCulture #TravelTürkiye #ExploreTheWorld #HiddenGems

The Malwiya Tower, a 52-meter-high spiral minaret with an anticlockwise ramp, is a notable architectural feature of the Great Mosque of Samarra, which was commissioned by Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil in 848 CE and completed in 852 CE. It was once the largest mosque in the world, spanning 17 hectares. It is primarily made of baked and sun-dried brick, with its design inspired by ancient ziggurats. The mosque was significantly damaged during the 1278 invasion by Hulagu Khan, with only the outer walls and the Malwiya Tower remaining unharmed. It is currently a component of the Samarra Archaeological City, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Recommended Readings: - The Monuments of Samarra: Historical Studies and Archaeological Writings by Alastair Northedge. - Early Islamic Art and Architecture by Jonathan M. Bloom. - The Art and Architecture of Islam 650–1250 by Richard Ettinghausen, Oleg Grabar, and Marilyn Jenkins-Madina (Yale University Press Pelican History of Art).

IN 1890, A JAPANESE FISHING VILLAGE SAVED 69 TURKISH SAILORS. 95 YEARS LATER, TURKEY PAID IT BACK 🇯🇵🇹🇷 September 1890. An Ottoman warship called the Ertugrul was heading home from Japan when a typhoon threw it onto the rocks near Kushimoto, at the southern tip of Japan's main island. More than 500 sailors died. The people of the small island nearby ran down to the water in the storm and pulled survivors out. By many accounts, they had very little food themselves, and gave the sailors what they had. 69 men survived. Japan sent them home on two of its own warships. Japan mostly forgot. Turkey didn't. Generations of Turkish kids learned the story at school. March 1985. War between Iran and Iraq. Iraq announced it would shoot down any plane over Iran after a deadline. More than 200 Japanese were stuck in Tehran, and under Japan's laws at the time, its own military planes could not go and get them. Turkey sent two Turkish Airlines planes. They flew 215 Japanese out before the deadline. When people later asked why, the answer from Turkey kept coming back to one word. Ertugrul. Today, Kushimoto still holds a memorial for the sailors, and Turkey still sends people to stand there.

🕌 The Ottoman Empire at Its Greatest Extent At its height, the Ottoman Empire was one of the most powerful states in world history, spanning large parts of Southeastern Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. 🌍 A Transcontinental Empire The empire controlled territories surrounding much of the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Red Sea, creating a strategic bridge between Europe, Asia, and Africa. 🗺️ Major Regions Under Ottoman Rule 🇹🇷 Anatolia — the Ottoman heartland 🌍 The Balkans — extensive territories across Southeastern Europe 🇬🇷 Greece — much of the region was incorporated into the empire at different periods 🇸🇾 The Levant — including Syria and surrounding territories 🇮🇶 Mesopotamia — major Ottoman territories in present-day Iraq 🇪🇬 Egypt — an important economic and strategic province 🌍 North Africa — Ottoman territories along much of the southern Mediterranean 🕌 The Arabian Peninsula — including the Hejaz and other regions ⛰️ The Caucasus — areas contested and controlled at different times ⚔️ Key Facts 🔹 Istanbul (Constantinople) became the imperial capital after the Ottoman conquest of 1453. 🔹 At its height, the empire controlled territories across three continents. 🔹 The Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Red Sea, and major land routes were strategically important to Ottoman power. 🔹 The empire ruled over a remarkable diversity of peoples, languages, religions, and cultures. 🔹 Ottoman influence lasted for more than six centuries, from its foundation around the end of the 13th century until its dissolution in the early 20th century. 🏛️ From a Frontier State to a Global Power What began as a small Anatolian principality developed into a vast empire that became a major political and military power between Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Ottoman Empire was not simply a European or Asian empire—it was a truly transcontinental power. #OttomanEmpire #OttomanHistory #History #Geography #WorldHistory

🌍🏙️ DÜNYANIN EN KALABALIK 25 ŞEHRİ! Dünyanın en büyük şehirlerinde milyonlarca insan aynı anda yaşıyor. Peki 2025 verilerine göre dünyanın en kalabalık şehirleri hangileri? 👀 Birleşmiş Milletler’in World Urbanization Prospects 2025 verilerine göre listenin zirvesinde Endonezya’nın başkenti Cakarta bulunuyor. 🥇 🇮🇩 Cakarta — 41,9 milyon 🥈 🇧🇩 Dakka — 36,6 milyon 🥉 🇯🇵 Tokyo — 33,4 milyon 4️⃣ 🇮🇳 Yeni Delhi — 30,2 milyon 5️⃣ 🇨🇳 Şanghay — 29,6 milyon 6️⃣ 🇨🇳 Guangzhou — 27,6 milyon 7️⃣ 🇪🇬 Kahire — 25,6 milyon 8️⃣ 🇵🇭 Manila — 24,7 milyon 9️⃣ 🇮🇳 Kalküta — 22,6 milyon 🔟 🇰🇷 Seul — 22,5 milyon Listenin devamında ise; 🇵🇰 Karaçi — 21,4 milyon 🇮🇳 Mumbai — 20,2 milyon 🇧🇷 São Paulo — 18,9 milyon 🇹🇭 Bangkok — 18,2 milyon 🇲🇽 Meksiko — 17,7 milyon 🇨🇳 Pekin — 17,0 milyon 🇵🇰 Lahor — 15,2 milyon 🇹🇷 İstanbul — 15,0 milyon 🇷🇺 Moskova — 14,5 milyon 🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh Kenti — 14,1 milyon 🇦🇷 Buenos Aires — 14,0 milyon 🇺🇸 New York — 13,9 milyon 🇨🇳 Shenzhen — 13,9 milyon 🇮🇳 Bengaluru — 13,2 milyon 🇯🇵 Osaka — 13,0 milyon 🌏 DİKKAT ÇEKEN BİR DETAY! İlk 10 şehrin 9’u Asya’da bulunuyor. İlk 25’te de Asya şehirleri açık ara çoğunlukta. BM’ye göre 2025 yılında dünya genelinde 10 milyon veya daha fazla nüfusa sahip 33 megakent bulunuyor ve bunların 19’u Asya’da. 🇮🇩 Cakarta ise yaklaşık 41,9 milyonluk nüfusuyla dünyanın en kalabalık şehri konumunda. Ama gelecek yıllarda sıralama değişebilir. 🔮 BM projeksiyonlarına göre 2050’de Dakka’nın yaklaşık 52,1 milyon nüfusa ulaşarak Cakarta’yı (51,8 milyon) geçmesi bekleniyor. Aynı dönemde Şanghay’ın da yaklaşık 34,9 milyon nüfusla üçüncü sıraya yükselmesi öngörülüyor. 🏙️ Dünyanın nüfusu giderek daha fazla şehirlerde yoğunlaşıyor. BM’ye göre 2025 yılında dünya nüfusunun yaklaşık %45’i şehirlerde yaşıyor ve 2050’ye kadar küresel nüfus artışının yaklaşık üçte ikisinin şehirlerde gerçekleşmesi bekleniyor. 📌 Not: Bu rakamlar belediye sınırları içindeki nüfusu değil, BM’nin 2025’te kullandığı karşılaştırılabilir “şehir” tanımına göre hesaplanan nüfus tahminlerini ifade ediyor. Bu nedenle bazı şehirlerin yerel kaynaklarda verilen nüfuslarıyla farklılık gösterebilir. 📚 Kaynaklar: • Birleşmiş Milletler (UN DESA) — World Urbanization Prospects 2025: Summary of Results • Birleşmiş Milletler — The World’s Cities in 2025: Data Booklet • Birleşmiş Milletler — World Urbanization Prospects 2025

🕌 Asia and Africa together are home to the overwhelming majority of the world's Muslim population. With 1.3 billion in Asia and 500 million in Africa, these two continents account for nearly the entire global total — while North America, South America, and Australia combined make up less than 15 million. As the infographic notes, these figures are approximate and vary by source and year. Which region's number stood out most to you? 👇 #GeoMystic #Population #WorldReligions #geography #muslim

🇹🇷 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wraps up his four-day visit to the US to address the 81st session of the UN General Assembly 🗓 On Monday, Erdogan delivered a speech at ‘100 Years of Friendship: Türkiye–United States of America’ event ❝It is obligatory to advance the defense industry, which is traditionally one of the strongest areas of our partnership, both bilaterally and within NATO❞ 🔹He also met with several world leaders, including from Vietnam, Lebanon, Kuwait, Kosovo, Georgia and Libya 🗓 On Tuesday, addressing 81st session of UN General Assembly, Erdogan said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ absence from the assembly hall was an injustice to Palestinians that ‘wounds consciences’ ❝Hereby, I once again call upon all countries that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to reconsider their decision❞ 🗓 On Wednesday, Erdogan addressed a meeting with representatives of the Turkish-American business community in New York ❝As we approach the 100th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, our strategic cooperation with the US is developing in all areas❞ 🔹Erdogan also made remarks at the UN Climate Summit convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ❝Last year, you will remember, I stated here that Türkiye was bidding to host COP31. This year, we will hold COP31 in Antalya from Nov. 9-20, 2026❞ 🔗 http://v.aa.com.tr/4067199

Urfa, in everyday life. Stone streets, old bazaars, bird sellers, street vendors, courtyards and minarets… The city carries its past not only in museums, but in its streets, its people, and the small details of daily life. 📍 Şanlıurfa, 2026. #documentary #urfa #culture #history #travelphotography

🌍 Can you believe that Europe and Asia are just 700 meters apart in Istanbul?! Yes — less than one kilometer separates two continents at one of the most fascinating geographical points on Earth. 📍 This is the Bosphorus Strait, which divides Istanbul between its European and Asian sides, making the city one of the few major cities in the world located on two continents. 📏 Amazing Bosphorus Facts: • Length: About 31 km • Narrowest point: About 700 m • Widest point: Up to 3.7 km • Depth: Over 100 m in some areas • North: Black Sea • South: Sea of Marmara 🚢 But the Bosphorus is far more than a geographical boundary. It is a vital international waterway connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, and providing a maritime route toward the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. 🏙️ This extraordinary location gives Istanbul something very few cities can claim: One city. Two continents. One legendary strait. 🔥 Here’s the question: If you were standing on one side of the Bosphorus looking across at the other… Would you feel like you were looking at another continent or simply another part of the same city? 🇪🇺 Europe or 🌏 Asia? Which side would you choose to explore first — and why? #Geography #BosphorusStrait #Istanbul #Turkey #AsiaAndEurope

🇹🇷|🇺🇲 Turkish President Erdogan, US President Trump meet on sidelines of NATO summit in Ankara ⤵️ • US will take sanctions off Türkiye, Trump says • 'You are leader respected all over world’, US President Trump tells Erdogan • US President Trump says Türkiye has become militarily 'very strong under President Erdogan's leadership' • Trump says he is 'disappointed with NATO,' notes he might not attend if summit were not held in Türkiye • Trump says he has 'a lot of respect' for Turkish President Erdogan, believes 'it's to the benefit of both countries' 🔴 Follow our live blog for the latest updates: http://v.aa.com.tr/4454/lb