Days in Kirklareli 3

 

Turkey: Days in Kirklareli 3

 

The old station building offers delicate architectural touches just like all other old stations and their appurtenances in Turkey; for example, Sirkeci Station on the European side and Haydarpasa on the Asian side of Istanbul.



Actually, the town has some partial similarities with some of the Eastern European towns, not surprisingly as it is very close to the border in terms of cross-border influences and cross-cultural transfer of knowledge regarding handcraft, manners of living, worshipping, entertainment, food etc.    

In the town that has kept on its existence since the Neolithic despite the endless raids, invasions, and sieges and although it has one of the highest socio-economical development levels of Turkey (11 of 81 provinces), the randomly scattered buildings hiding the architectural values as in neighboring Edirne, accompanied by the infrastructure problems, make it difficult to discover exactly what is available from the past. 


In the town center, however, numerous Ottoman works, a museum, mosques, buildings dedicated to martyrs are available; and around the town, there is a significant number of sites that have archaeological value.  In a small, two-storey, and a beautiful building around the town center, there is a museum that is diligently designed, free-of-charge, and employing the attendants who friendly welcome the visitors as in many places in the world, in which the historical, cultural, and archaeological values of the area and a special room where the replicas of the living beings from nature behind glasses are exhibited as the most prominent features of the museum.

Probably, for those who like discovering and who are able to find something interesting almost everywhere, it is not realistic to say, “This town is good and that town not.” In this context, yes, there is no problem especially for the people showing interest to culture, architectures, and history to spend few days in Kirklareli, to become familiar with its culture, to taste its delicious meals, and to meet its hospitable people.

Kırklareli-2012- Text and Photographs by A. E. Arslan

 

Copyright: Comfort & Travel Inc.

 

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