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Turkey is a fascinating country that connects Europe and Asia, with Istanbul as its largest and most iconic city.

Population: ~85 million (Portugal ~10 million)

Capital: Ankara

Currency: Turkish Lira (TRY)

GDP: ~1.1 trillion USD (higher than Portugal, but lower per person)

Religion: Mostly Islam (predominantly Sunni)

Education: Growing number of university graduates; percentage of women with higher education is increasing, but still generally lower than in Portugal

Why is it unique?

A bridge between two continents 🌉

Rich history: Byzantine & Ottoman heritage 🏛️

Diverse culture, food, and traditions 🍽️

This Padlet is a space to share what we know, discover new facts, and explore the contrasts and connections between Turkey, Istanbul, and Portugal.

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Ayvalidere Secondary School, Davut Paşa, 45. Sokak, Esenler/Istambul, Turquia

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As part of this experience, we will take part in job shadowing activities at Esenler Ayvalidere Primary School, in Istanbul. 🏫✨

This will be an opportunity to observe different teaching practices, exchange ideas with teachers, and better understand the Turkish education system in a real school context. Through this experience, we aim to learn, share, and bring new perspectives back to our own schools.

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No:12 Hotel Sultanahmet, Alemdar, Profesör Kazım İsmail Gürkan Caddesi, Fatih/Istambul, Turquia

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No:12 Hotel Sultanahmet, Alemdar, Profesör Kazım İsmail Gürkan Caddesi, Fatih/Istambul, Turquia

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No:12 Hotel Sultanahmet, Alemdar, Profesör Kazım İsmail Gürkan Caddesi, Fatih/Istambul, Turquia

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During our stay in Istanbul, we will be accommodated at No:12 Hotel Sultanahmet. 🏨✨

Located in the historic heart of the city, this hotel places us close to some of Istanbul’s most famous landmarks, allowing us to experience its rich culture and atmosphere. It will be a comfortable base for our activities, as well as a great opportunity to explore the city beyond our job shadowing experience.

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[EN]

The Bosphorus is not a river or a sea — it is a strait

It connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and separates Europe from Asia, right through Istanbul.

This unique waterway makes Istanbul one of the only cities in the world located on two continents, giving it a truly special geographical and cultural identity.

[PT]

O Bosphorus não é um rio nem um mar — é um estreito 🌊

Liga o Mar Negro ao Mar de Mármara e separa a Europa da Ásia, atravessando a cidade de Istanbul.

Esta via de água única torna Istambul uma das poucas cidades do mundo localizada em dois continentes, o que lhe confere uma identidade geográfica e cultural muito especial.

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The Walls of Istanbul, originally known as the Walls of Constantinople, are a formidable defensive system erected in the 5th century under the orders of the Byzantine emperor Theodosius II to protect the capital, stretching from the Sea of Marmara to the Golden Horn. For almost a millennium, these fortifications made the city practically impregnable, withstanding dozens of invasions. The end of their invincibility came only in 1453, during the famous siege led by the Ottoman sultan Mehmed II, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire and a definitive turning point in world history.

Today, the ruins of these fortifications are a UNESCO World Heritage site and a visible testament to the historical grandeur of the region.

During our stay in Istanbul, we will pass by these walls several times on our commutes between the hotel in the city center, where we are staying, and the Esenler Ayvalidere Primary School, which is hosting us for this job shadowing program.

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Turkey boasts one of the world’s richest confectionery traditions, a legacy of the Ottoman Empire and Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences. Traditional Turkish sweets are known for their generous use of honey, pistachios, walnuts, almonds and aromatic syrups such as rose water. Here are some of the most famous:

1. Baklava

The most iconic Turkish sweet. Made with layers of filo pastry, butter and a filling of pistachios or walnuts, soaked in honey or sugar syrup. It is a symbol of celebrations and has imperial origins in the kitchens of Topkapi Palace, with Gaziantep considered the ‘world capital of baklava’.

2. Lokum (Turkish Delight)

Known in English as Turkish Delight, it is made from sugar, starch and water, flavoured with rose, lemon or mint, and often dusted with icing sugar.

3. Kazandibi

A caramelised milk pudding, with a slightly burnt base, resulting in a creamy, smoky mixture. It is a much-loved homemade dessert in Turkey

4. Güllaç

Made with thin layers of cornflour and sweetened milk, garnished with pomegranate seeds and pistachios. Light and refreshing, it is a traditional dessert, especially during Ramadan

5. Künefe

A hot dessert made with kataifi pastry (thin strands of pastry) and melted cheese inside, drizzled with sweet syrup and topped with ground pistachios. Hatay Künefe has a geographical indication protected by the European Union

6. Ashura (Noah’s Pudding)

Made with a mixture of grains, dried fruit and nuts, Ashura is a symbol of sharing and unity. Traditionally prepared in large quantities and shared amongst neighbours, it has deep religious and historical significance.

7. Fırın Sütlaç

An oven-baked rice pudding with a golden crust and the aroma of vanilla. One of the most traditional milk-based desserts in Turkish cuisine.

These sweets are not just desserts — they are part of Turkish hospitality and cultural heritage, celebrated at festivals, weddings and family gatherings

A Turquia tem uma das tradições doces mais ricas do mundo, herança do Império Otomano e influências mediterrânicas e orientais. Os doces turcos típicos são conhecidos pelo uso generoso de mel, pistáchios, nozes, amêndoas e xaropes aromáticos como a água de rosas. Aqui estão alguns dos mais famosos:

1. Baklava

O doce turco mais icónico. Feito com camadas de massa filo, manteiga e recheio de pistáchios ou nozes, embebido em xarope de mel ou açúcar. É símbolo de celebrações e tem origem imperial nas cozinhas do Palácio de Topkapi, sendo Gaziantep considerada a "capital mundial da baklava"

2. Lokum (Turkish Delight)

Conhecida em português como delícia turca, é feita de açúcar, amido e água, aromatizada com rosa, limão ou menta, e muitas vezes polvilhada com açúcar de confeiteiro.

3. Kazandibi

Um pudim de leite caramelizado, com base levemente queimada, resultando numa mistura cremosa e defumada. É uma sobremesa caseira muito apreciada na Turquia

4. Güllaç

Feito com camadas finas de amido de milho e leite açucarado, decorado com sementes de romã e pistáchios. Leve e refrescante, é uma sobremesa tradicional especialmente durante o Ramadão

5. Künefe

Sobremesa quente feita com massa kataifi (fio de massa) e queijo derretido no interior, regada com xarope doce e coberta com pistáchios moídos. O Künefe de Hatay tem indicação geográfica protegida pela União Europeia

6. Ashura (Pudim de Noé)

Feito com uma mistura de grãos, frutas secas e nozes, o Ashura é símbolo de partilha e união. Tradicionalmente preparado em grandes quantidades e distribuído entre vizinhos, tem significado religioso e histórico profundo

7. Fırın Sütlaç

Um arroz-doce assado no forno, com crosta dourada e aroma de baunilha. Uma das sobremesas lácteas mais tradicionais da culinária turca.

Esses doces não são apenas sobremesas — são parte da hospitalidade turca e da sua herança cultural, celebrados em festivais, casamentos e encontros familiares

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Mergúllate no mundo dos doces turcos e explora os exquisitos sabores das auténticas sobremesas turcas que seguro que deleitarán o teu padal.

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Sultanahmet Square, Binbirdirek, Sultan Ahmet Parkı, Fatih/Istambul, Turquia

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Constantinople, the former capital of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires, is now the city of Istanbul.

Among the most remarkable remains of that period is Sultanahmet Square, where the ancient Hippodrome of Constantinople once stood—one of the main centers of social and political life in the city. Today, this space still preserves important historical monuments such as the Obelisk of Theodosius and the Serpent Column.

If the Hippodrome still existed in its original form, it would likely have a scale and grandeur similar to what is shown in the image, helping us imagine the magnificence of this space, which once hosted chariot races and major public events.

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Közde mısır (grilled corn) is one of the most traditional street foods in Istanbul. It can be found in many parts of the city, especially at street vendors’ carts. Grilled over charcoal, it has a distinctive flavor and is usually served with salt or sometimes with a squeeze of lemon juice.

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Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya Meydanı, Fatih/Istambul, Turquia

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The Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (Ayasofya), located in the historic heart of Sultanahmet, is a world icon.

Originally constructed in the 6th century (537 AD) during the reign of the byzantine emperor Justinian I, it was the largest christian cathedral in the world for nearly 1,000 years. After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 by Sultan Mehmed II, it was converted into a mosque, later turned into a museum (1935) and then reconverted into an active mosque in 2020.

It is renowned for its विशाल central dome—an engineering masterpiece of its time—and its unique architecture, which blends byzantine christian elements (such as mosaics of Christ and the Virgin Mary) with islamic features (including minarets, a mihrab, and Arabic calligraphy).

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The Eurasia Tunnel (Avrasya Tüneli) is an underwater road tunnel in Istanbul, Turkey, connecting the European and Asian continents beneath the Bosphorus Strait.

Opened in December 2016, it was designed to slash travel time between Kazlıçeşme (Europe) and Göztepe (Asia) from around 100 minutes to just 15 minutes.

It spans 14.6 km (approx. 9 miles) in total, including a 5.4 km (3.4 mile) section consisting of a double-deck tunnel built under the seabed, reaching a maximum depth of 106 metres below sea level.

Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), bicycles, and pedestrians are prohibited from using the tunnel.

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Santa Sofia, Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya Meydanı, Fatih/Istambul, Turquia

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Santa Sofia, Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya Meydanı, Fatih/Istambul, Turquia

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Santa Sofia, Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya Meydanı, Fatih/Istambul, Turquia

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Dolmabahçe Palace (in Turkish: Dolmabahçe Sarayı) is one of the most emblematic and luxurious residences in Turkey, located in Istanbul, on the European side of the Bosphorus Strait. It was built in the 19th century and represents the transition between traditional Ottoman style and modern European architecture.

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Cisterna da Basílica, Alemdar, Yerebatan Caddesi, Fatih/Istambul, Turquia

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Cisterna da Basílica, Alemdar, Yerebatan Caddesi, Fatih/Istambul, Turquia

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Cisterna da Basílica, Alemdar, Yerebatan Caddesi, Fatih/Istambul, Turquia

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The Basilica Cistern is the largest underground cistern in Istanbul, built in the 6th century by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I to supply the Great Palace of Constantinople.