The Westbound River

The land between the two rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris, provided the perfect environment for the birth of civilization.

The wars between the Macedonian king Alexander the Great and the Persian king Darius the Great over domination in Asia, and the Ancient Greek colonies in Asia Minor.

The Pre-Pottery Neolithic worship site of Göbeklitepe and the proto-city settlement of Çatalhöyük in ancient Türkiye, and the primal traces of monotheism in ancient Egypt: Atenism.

A chosen man from Harran in ancient Türkiye, Abraham embarks upon a holy quest mandated by God and changes everything that we all still believe today.

The birthplace of a new religion and the Prophet Muhammad, Mecca is the heart of Islam.

The oldest continuously inhabited city, Damascus is where Islam has entered the West.

The Grand Library of Baghdad, aka Bayt al-Hikmah, was the center of the Islamic Golden Age.

The contributions of the scholars and scientists from the Sahara and the Himalayas to the religion and culture of Islam.

Ahlat is the first city founded by the Turks in modern Türkiye following the historic battle of Manzikert.

The Crusaders introduced the West to the knowledge, spices, modern hospitals, and new technologies they took from the Near East.

The emergence of the Renaissance, as reflected in some of the most iconic artworks from this transformative era in Europe.

The Land Beyond the Oxus, also known as Transaxonia or the Mesopotamia of Central Asia, was profoundly transformed during the Mongol presence.

A Turco-Mongol dynasty, the Mughal Empire, ushered in a golden era for the Indian Subcontinent and South Asia.

The conquest of İstanbul by the Turks marked a historic event that closed one era and ushered in a new one.

The Topkapı Palace, the imperial residence of the Ottoman Empire, stands in İstanbul's historic district as one of the city's enduring jewels.

A glimpse into the life and politics of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century reveals a period of significant transformation and challenge.

A glimpse into the life and society of 19th-century İstanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, reveals a vibrant city at the crossroads of tradition and modernization.

A fresh perspective on the evolution and convergence of civilizations throughout the ages.

The oldest civilization on our planet and its future in the face of modernity and a rapidly changing environment.

A glimpse into the vital role that rivers have played in the formation of civilizations around the globe.