Places in Turkey: A Pocket Grand Tour

Places in Turkey: A Pocket Grand Tour

by Francis Russell (Author)

Synopsis

Turkey for the tourist is a daunting, yet infinitely rewarding, proposition. The guide books cover everything most efficiently, but present a different problem: how to choose between the places? Francis Russell has been travelling in Turkey for more than twenty years, and with the eighty three recommendations here he provides a fascinating and comprehensive itinerary. More interested in extant buildings than excavations, and favouring unexcavated sites over those where 'the hand of the archaeologist is officiously evident', from the lost classical world of the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine sites, and the Armenian and Georgian churches which are offshoots of the same growth, to the great monuments of the Seljuk and Ottoman civilizations, from the much visited southern coast to the heartlands of Anatolia, Russell's deep understanding of the history and culture of the region, and his keen eye for detail, make him the most delightfully erudite of travelling companions.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 336
Edition: Paperback with flaps
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Published: 04 Feb 2010

ISBN 10: 0711230617
ISBN 13: 9780711230613

Media Reviews
Praise for Places In Italy 'The author has achieved the near impossible in condensing his top 52 Italian places into a handy compact guide ... A must-squeeze into hand baggage, or even the gap-year backpack.' House and Garden 'Masterpieces come in all shapes and sizes, and this is a small one, but none the worse for that ... The result is rather like a conversation with a well-informed friend. He tells you exactly what you want to know, in the most succinct terms.' Country Life 'Russell's introduction is a minor classic, too' Times Literary Supplement As someone who has travelled in Turkey for more than 20 years, Russell brings a wealth of experience to this covetable little guide, writing with erudition and sensitivity about the country's many architectural treasures. The 83 sites are numbered, rather than grouped geographically or thematically, from Armenian and Georgian churches to Seljuk and Ottoman monuments and the buildings dedicated to Islam. Each is given several pages, including photographs, a few of which are in colour. Plenty of historical and cultural background is included, and the writing is succinct but never dry. Invaluable for anyone planning a serious cultural trip. Telegraph.co.uk
Author Bio
Francis Russell was born in 1949 and educated at Westminster and Christ Church, Oxford. Since 1972, he has worked at Christie's. He has been associated, as a selector or cataloguer, with a number of exibitions, including Treasure Houses of Britain (Washington, The National Gallery of Art, 1985-1986). He contributes for specialised review to 'Apollo' and 'The Burlington Magazine', and has written Portraits of Sir Walter Scott (1987), John, 3rd Earl of Bute, Patron and Collector (2004) and 52 Italian Places: A Pocket Grand Tour (2007).