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Turkey Pavilion

The main theme of the Turkey Pavilion is “Turkey: Land of Civilizations Connecting Seas and Continents.” The goal is to increase awareness of the challenges for preserving and sustaining the original biological and socio-cultural life in and around the coastal areas in Turkey, as well as formulating potential solutions for protecting the heritage of Turkish coastal cultures, and raising public awareness for the healthy development of coastal cities.

Other aims of the theme are promoting successful practices of coastal preservation in Turkey as an inspiration for a sustainable model in all countries, exhibiting the impact of human activity on seas and coasts, and showing the interaction between human beings and the sea.

The pavilion showcases introduces many topics (including prevention of marine pollution, preservation of marine life, protection of seas and coasts, and marine archaeology), and features many related exhibits (including replicas of ancient, 500-year-old maps).

One of those maps is a replica of the 1461 Mediterranean Chart of Mürsiyeli Ibrahim. It is a hand-made map on antelope skin. It covers the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the North European, and the British Islands and is designed for cruising purposes.

Another ancient map featured in the pavilion is the 1513 World Map of Piri Reis. The map, which was named The First World Map, was drawn on camel skin and painted with nine colors of paint. Eastern parts of Spain, France, America, and the coasts of Florida, Antilles, and eastern parts of South America were drawn on this map. It is ornamented with legendary and realistic pictures, wind roses, and direction lines instead of latitude and longitude lines. On the map, beside name of places, there are discovery dates, legendary information, and some notes about the formation of the map.

Alongside those maps, the Turkey Pavilion contains a display focused on the astrolabe, an ancient too that may be the world’s oldest scientific instrument. This ancient astronomical computer could be used to predict sunrise, sunset, and the position of the sun and stars in the sky. It could also be used to measure height and depth, tell time, and chart the movements of the sun, planets, and stars.

The astrolabe was invented by the ancient Greeks. They were adopted in the 8th century by Muslim astronomers, who improved the design. Muslim astronomers also invented a mechanical astrolabe which used gears to describe the movements of planets and stars. These astrolabes made their way to Europe, where they evolved into the mechanical clock.

Inside the pavilion, visitors are invited to view several short films, including “Life in the Seas and Coasts of Turkey,” a short underwater film by Tahsin Ceylan. The film contains information about the Turkish seas (Black Sea, Sea of Marmara, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea) and fish, Special Environmental Protection Areas, and marine life such as Mediterranean Monk Seals, sea turtles, and seahorses. A nearby touchscreen kiosk allows visitors to explore related information.

Another film, a short documentary entitled “New Treasures of Istanbul,” presents the archaeological treasures recently discovered from the excavation sites established during the construction of the Marmaray Metro that started in 2004, in order to connect the two continents of Istanbul by an underwater tunnel beneath the Bosphorus. Scenes from the Marmaray Transportation Network Project construction are followed by scenes from the three excavation sites at Yenikapi, Sirkeci, and Üsküdar. There, over an area of 78,000 square meters, 35,000 artifacts belonging to all periods starting from the Neolithic Period have been discovered and documented.

“New Treasures of Istanbul” presents the Yenikapi Excavations first, where the remains of a Neolithic town dating back 8,500 years was discovered. Neolithic tombs and urns, and footprints of a Neolithic man are among the impressive findings which can be seen in the documentary. The documentary also shows the remains from The Port of Theodosius, the largest port found dating to the Early Byzantine Period. From this excavation, 35 ships dating as far back as the 5th century AD, 177 human skeletons, and 19,500 animal skeletons including dolphins, European and African Catfish, and Loggerhead sea turtles have been unearthed.

“Istanbul through the Eye of a Fish” is an exquisite collection of photographs from Alptekin Baloglu’s “Bosphorus by the Sea” and “Underwater Life of Istanbul” collections. In 2006, Alptekin Baloglu started to dive in the Bosphorus, a busy strait passing through the huge metropolis of Istanbul, to document if there was life in this ecosystem to admire. He was surprised by the amount of fish and marine creatures during these dives. The photographs from these dives were collected in a project named “Underwater Life of Istanbul.” With this collection of photographs, “Istanbul through the Eye of a Fish” shows both the underwater life in Istanbul and the life along its coast with photographs taken from a unique perspective looking from inside the water at the historical sites, palaces, and waterfront mansions one can experience in Istanbul. Another photo collection inside the pavilion is a collection of underwater photographs which can be viewed in 3-D using 3-D glasses.

The focal point of the pavilion’s interior is a dome which provides a tranquil experience, similar to that of being underwater. Visitors arrive at the dome halfway through their visit to the exhibition, and this adds a suitable interval to their journey.

Inside the dome, they watch “Art Forms Inspired by Nature’s Symmetry” featuring images of plants and animals where one can explore nature’s symmetry. During the show, which is projected on a screen inside the dome, an interactive floor with marine life provides an enjoyable, interactive experience for visitors. When stepped on, the fish scatter and swim away, which makes this area a favorite entertainment zone.