16th-century Iznik tiles from Rüstem Pasha Mosque, Istanbul
Turkey, which stretches between the borders of Greece and Iran, possesses one of the world’s most fascinating histories and richest cultural heritages. It is at once both Eastern and Western, ancient and modern, Christian and Islamic, sensual and austere. A seminar led by independent scholar Nigel McGilchrist pays tribute to this complexity, celebrating the dramatic beauty of Turkey’s landscapes and its wealth of historic monuments and archaeological treasures. He offers an appreciation of the myriad things associated with the country—from its coffee, rugs, and Turkish baths to its exquisite ceramics and magnificent architecture.
McGilchrist lived, and has traveled extensively, in Turkey. He is a former consultant to the Superintendence of Fine Arts of the Italian government, dean of European Studies for a consortium of American universities and colleges and has written extensively on the Eastern Mediterranean world in antiquity and modern times.
10–11:15 a.m. From Noah’s Ark to the Wooden Horse of Troy
The earliest times in Asia Minor in myth and history, from the slopes of Mount Ararat in the east to the conflicts of Troy in the west. How geography has shaped Turkey’s history and laid the foundations of its civilization. The formation of the Bosphorus split and the high Anatolian plateau, and a look at the multiplicity of its peoples, settlements, and landscapes.
11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. East and West Come Face to Face
The contrast between the sophisticated Persian Empire in Turkey and the younger Hellenic culture on its fringe. The beauty of the Greek and Roman sites on the Mediterranean shores, and their contributions to Western civilization. The legacies of Xerxes, Darius, and Alexander the Great.
12:45–1:15 p.m. Break
1:15–2:30 p.m. The Fairest City of the World
The founding, creation, and development of Byzantium or Constantinople—a city built over two continents, both European and Asian in character. Justinian’s Byzantium and Hagia Sophia. Turks from central Asia capture the capital of the Western world, which becomes Islamic Istanbul.
2:45–4 p.m. Ottoman Magnificence
How Ottoman art and architecture excelled in decorative beauty and spiritual form. Topkapi Palace, the mosques of Sinan, and the exquisite quality of their decoration in Iznik ceramic tiles. Turkish contributions to both East and West, and how Turkey’s character is reflected in the modern world.
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