Istanbul je najveći i najnaseljeniji grad u Turskoj. Prostrt preko bosforskog kanala, jedan je od najfascinantnijih svetskih gradova poznat po veličanstvenim istorijskim spomenicima i živopisnoj lepoti
Istanbul is the largest and most populous city in Turkey. Spread across Bosporus Channel, Istanbul is one of the world’s greatest cities known for its magnificent historical monuments and scenic beauty
Snow, tulips and… CATS
Tradicija je preživela, iako su inicijalni razlozi davno nestali Tradition has survived, despite the initial reasons having long since vanished
You probably haven’t heard some surprising and entertaining facts about the city that sprawls over two continents THE NAME ISTANBUL IMMEDIATELY EVOKES RICH IMAGERY OF an opulent Oriental culture, ar- chitecture straight out of fairy tales, exotic customs and the aromas of spices. is melting point of West- ern and Eastern culture has been among the might- iest and wealthiest cities on Earth for two thousand years. Everything about it is fascinating, so let’s share with you three fun facts about this truly unique city. 1. Snow in Istanbul One of the great curiosities about Istanbul is its weather! You might expect a city located beside the Sea of Marmara, connected to the Aegean Sea, to have mild weather throughout the year. Surprisingly, how- ever – especially for anyone who’s only visited during the intense heat of high summer – it actually snows here during winter! e temperature in some parts of Istanbul drops to -7 or -10 during the winter months. 2. Tulips in Istanbul Tulips are a well-known symbol of the Netherlands, but their story originates in Turkey. It was during the times of the Ottoman Empire that wild flowers from the Turkish mountains were first brought to Constan- tinople, where they caught the attention of foreign dip- lomats. It was in 1554 that tulip bulbs were first sent from Constantinople to Vienna, and from there on- wards to Amsterdam for the first time. 3. Cats of Istanbul Cats are definitely the preferred pet in Turkish cul- ture. You will see them all around you!. Street cats usu- ally sleep in wooden houses that are built for them at the expense of the State, while the people of Istan- bul feed and pamper the cats that live in the streets, even taking them to a vet if needed. However, despite all that love for cats, Istanbulites never let them into their homes. All of Istanbul’s cats are strays. A curi- ous historical explanation exists for this – all starting in the Middle Ages, with the Black Plague. Cats were dying of the plague just like humans. However, they were very useful for killing rats – the main carriers of the plague. As long as they stayed out of homes, they were useful. . at was long ago, but - as often hap- pens - the tradition survived even though the reasons it formed are long gone. Interesting, right?
Maca lutalica koja živi u prelepoj Aja Sofiji A stray cat that’s made a home in the beautiful Hagia Sophia
Mace ćete sresti gde god da krenete. One su čiste, zdrave i lepo uhranjene You will encounter cats wherever you go. They are clean, healthy and well fed
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