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Incredible Ottoman-Era Bird Palaces That Show How Much Turkish People Loved Birds
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Incredible Ottoman-Era Bird Palaces That Show How Much Turkish People Loved Birds

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Back in the times of the Ottoman Empire, people would build elaborate miniature palaces for the birds. Found in the territory of today’s Turkey, the birdhouses were affixed to the outer walls of significant city structures, such as mosques, inns, bridges, libraries, schools and fountains.

Up until today, nearly every city in Turkey had some examples of this kind of fascinating bird architecture. The oldest one is a 16th-century bird palace that is attached the Büyükçekmece Bridge in Istanbul.

Not only did they provide the birdies with shelter, these structures also fulfilled a religious purpose – they were believed to grant good deeds to those who built them.

The bird houses adopted different names over the years, such as “kuş köşkü” (bird pavilions), “güvercinlik” (dovecots) and “serçe saray” (sparrow palace). Nevertheles, no matter how you call them, one thing is for sure – the mesmerizing pieces of architecture encouraged love for animals among the Turkish public, and was a win both for the city, and for the birds.

(h/t: colossal)

Back in the Ottoman Empire, people would build elaborate miniature palaces for the birds

The birdhouses were affixed to the outer walls of significant city structures…

Such as mosques, inns, bridges, libraries, schools and fountains

The oldest one is a 16th-century bird palace that is attached the Büyükçekmece Bridge in Istanbul

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Not only did they provide the birdies with shelter, these structures also fulfilled a religious purpose

They birdhouses were believed to grant good deeds to those who built them

They encouraged love for animals among the Turkish public, and was a win both for the city, and for the birds

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hayriye-koz avatar
Hayriye Koz
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

şimdi de kaldırımlara açılan delikleri bile doldurup balkonlara dikenli tel takıyoruz harikayız!!

hayriye-koz avatar
Hayriye Koz
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

hay bin telefon kaldırımlardaki kuş deliklerini bile çöple dolduruyoruz diyecektim.

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mattdrutis avatar
Jim Gardner
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They also destroyed several of the beautiful cathedrals and monuments of Christianity that would have existed today

eceelikel avatar
Ece Çelikel
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Could you name them or can you just pretend that they were solely Christian buildings? The sad thing is that Turkey had been through a fast industrialization and population growth which have resulted in the destruction of many Ottoman-Turkish buildings too. On the other hand, you can detect examples of "destruction" if you read about how Crusades had a destructive impact on Greek Byzantine Constantinople for instance. Reading history could help us to look in a broader perspective and thinking twice before blaming just one actor...

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vnemvnem avatar
VNem VNem
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They loved birds alright. Too bad that the Greeks, Kurds, Cypriots, Armenians, and every single Christian nation that suffered from their atrocities won't tell you the same...

hayriye-koz avatar
Hayriye Koz
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

şimdi de kaldırımlara açılan delikleri bile doldurup balkonlara dikenli tel takıyoruz harikayız!!

hayriye-koz avatar
Hayriye Koz
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

hay bin telefon kaldırımlardaki kuş deliklerini bile çöple dolduruyoruz diyecektim.

Load More Replies...
mattdrutis avatar
Jim Gardner
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They also destroyed several of the beautiful cathedrals and monuments of Christianity that would have existed today

eceelikel avatar
Ece Çelikel
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Could you name them or can you just pretend that they were solely Christian buildings? The sad thing is that Turkey had been through a fast industrialization and population growth which have resulted in the destruction of many Ottoman-Turkish buildings too. On the other hand, you can detect examples of "destruction" if you read about how Crusades had a destructive impact on Greek Byzantine Constantinople for instance. Reading history could help us to look in a broader perspective and thinking twice before blaming just one actor...

Load More Replies...
vnemvnem avatar
VNem VNem
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They loved birds alright. Too bad that the Greeks, Kurds, Cypriots, Armenians, and every single Christian nation that suffered from their atrocities won't tell you the same...

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