The Cities

There are 5 major cities exhibited in the Festival with 3-dimensional giant sized models of some important land marks such as The Maiden Tower from Istanbul and The Church of Akhdamar from The City of Van. The cities in the Festival are also enriched with huge scale panoramic pictures of actual city scenes surrounding them.

The City of Istanbul The festival celebrates this stunning city that straddles Europe and Asia, with a display of its most famous structures, from the Blue Mosque to the Ataturk Bridge over the Bosphorus. In the middle of the exhibit is the Maiden’s Tower where short videos are screened, while outside artists demonstrate traditional Ottoman crafts like gilding, marbling and calligraphy
The City of Antalya The festival recreates the pristine beaches of this popular coastal city, with the historic Aspendos Theater serving as the backdrop. Also on display are such archeological gems as the Temple of Apollo and the ancient city of Demre, home of Saint Nicholas (aka Santa Claus)
The City of Konya After entering through the historic Karatay Gate, visitors see one of this city’s landmarks, a replica of a museum dedicated to Rumi, the 13th Century Sufi poet. Next to it stands a mosque where traditional prayers take place, while the Whirling Dervishes give daily performances of their spellbinding form of meditation		The City of Mardin Another historic gate ushers visitors to this city famous with its stone-carved houses and its multi-religious character. Inside a traditional dwelling, festival goers can sit on hand-made carpets and enjoy the crafts, music and traditions of this historic city
The City of Van The imposing Hosaf Castle marks the entrance of this Eastern Anatolian city, home of the oldest surviving Armenian Church of Akhdamar. Inside are pictures and slideshows of the original Icons with a backdrop of Mount Ararat as seen from Lake Van