Çelebi excels as a writer when describing the traditions of the Ottoman Empire and in almost every place he visits, he mentions the public bath houses. It is the place where Eyüp or Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, companion and standard-bearer of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is buried. Çelebi also describes a visit to Eyüp Mosque, which is the holiest Islamic site in Istanbul. Today’s visitors can marvel at its riches, imagine life in the harem and visit the Chamber of the Holy Relics, where the Quran is recited continuously. Çelebi certainly would have felt at home at Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman rulers built in 15th century. He describes his home town as: “That great capital Constantinople which may God guard from all celestial and earthly mischief, and let her be inhabited until the end of the world.” He was inspired by a calling to travel, and served the court of Sultan Murad IV, taking on whatever jobs and missions would best allow him to travel. He wanted to see new places and to meet new people. After completing his education at the age of 25, Sultan Murad IV heard Çelebi reciting the Quran during a mukabele during Ramadan in the Hagia Sophia Holy Grand Mosque ( Ayasofya-i Kebîr Câmi-i Şerîfi) and offered him a role in his court at Topkapi Palace.Įvliya Çelebi had a great desire to travel.

He was a khafiz of the Quran, skilled at Arabic, calligraphy and music, and known for his skill in calling the Adhan. He was renowned as an excellent speaker and reciter of the Quran. He was educated at the Şeyhülislam Hamit Efendi Medresesi, an Islamic school, and later at the renowned Enderûn Mektebi (Enderun School) in the palace, which produced future senior leaders for the Ottoman government and military. Çelebi was the son of the chief court jeweller. Greece and then the Crimea and Rumelia for the second time (1667–1670).Austria, the Crimea, and the Caucasus for the second time (1664).Military Campaigns in Hungary during the fourth Austro-Turkish War (1663/64).Eastern Anatolia, Iraq, and Iran (1655).Syria, Palestine, Armenia and Rumelia (1648).Anatolia, the Caucasus, Crete and Azerbaijan (1640).Constantinople and surrounding areas (1630).In the 10 volumes of his Seyahatname, he describes the following journeys: Çelebi also had a vivid imagination, often mixing fact and fiction and describing places, which it is unlikely he actually visited. He also describes many villages, towns, mosques and tombs that existed during his time, but no longer exist today. His great Book of Travels contains important information on geography, history, ethnography, folklore, buildings, roads, culture and language. Many of the impressive places he visited – mosques, monuments, palaces, castles, covered markets and hammams – have stood the test of time and can still be visited today. He also described popular local excursion spots – much in the way that modern-day travel writers do today.

In his 42 years of travelling he visited many places describing in detail the history of the place, places of interest including fortifications, mosques and Turkish baths, as well as bringing to life the traditions of the local inhabitants, their clothes and ways of speaking. His masterpiece ‘Seyahatname’ is a 10-volume travel book and memoir detailing 17th century Ottoman life and Turkish culture in the places under Ottoman rule, travelling from Cairo to Vienna, from Crimea to Baghdad and from Lebanon to Russia, sometimes as an official of the government on duty and on military campaigns and sometimes on his own Cover of Seyahatname by Evliya Çelebi, 1895 edition

After his 35 day long trip, seeing his son's love of travel, his father gave his blessing for him to travel from then on. Later, he set out from Istanbul to go to Bursa on 27th April 1640, without his father’s knowledge. His first travels were in and around Istanbul. So where should we look to for inspiration when we’re looking forward to resuming our own travels, but to the great Muslim travellers of the past.Įvliya Çelebi, born Derviș Mehmed Zilli in Istanbul was one of the first travel writers, taking up official duties with the Ottoman Court of Murad IV in order to travel throughout the Ottoman Empire. In the past year of the corona pandemic, which made travel very difficult and sometimes impossible for us, we understood, perhaps more than ever before in modern times, the various factors that travelling encompasses, whilst also appreciating the ties which bind us together as we go through shared experiences. Travel is, undoubtedly, one of the best ways to explore and understand the world around us. He travelled the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century and described it vividly in his great work: ‘Seyahatname’ (Book of Travel). Evliya Çelebi, born in Istanbul – then Constantinople – in 1611, is known as one of the first travel writers and chroniclers of his age.

Book of travels evliya celebi