The announcement program for the new book “Poems, Roses, Lights,” prepared by the Turkish Maarif Foundation to promote the Suleiman the Magnificent Mosque at Zigetvar Castle and share the poems of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent with visitors, was held in Hungary.
The book event was attended by the foundation’s president, Birol Akgün, Zigetvar Mayor Vass Peter, Turkey’s Ambassador to Budapest Gülşen Karanis Ekşioğlu, Trabzon Mayor Ahmet Metin Genç and many art enthusiasts.
In his speech during the program, Akgün emphasized: “Turkish-Hungarian relations have a strong educational and cultural history. Historical encounters do not just produce wars. Interactions between peoples also create rich cultural products and artistic syntheses. The mosque we are currently in serves as a beautiful example of this as an architectural masterpiece.”
Akgün reminded the audience that the foundation is an educational institution with 53,000 students in 54 countries and opened a school in Budapest three years ago. He added that they supported the printing of “Poems, Roses, Lights” as part of their cultural initiatives.
He also mentioned that although Suleiman the Magnificent is primarily known as a statesman, he was one of the most important poets of his time, and the book also conveys this to the Turkish and Hungarian people.
Akgün noted that the Suleiman the Magnificent Mosque was constructed using a special architectural technique. “Just like people, buildings also have secrets. In this masterpiece created by the great architect Sinan, lighting techniques containing deep secrets were employed, cosmological and profound messages were conveyed. We are just beginning to understand this,” he said.
The new book is inspired by significant dates such as the Sept. 8, when the light shines directly into the center of the mosque on the anniversary of the castle’s conquest, and the reflections of light on the inner part of the arch on Suleiman’s birthday, as well as the fact that architect Sinan designed the mosque’s windows in the shape of teardrops.
The bilingual book, which includes an essay by Hungarian academics explaining the light architecture of the mosque, also features 10 poems written by Suleiman the Magnificent under the pen name “Muhibbi,” presented in both Turkish and Hungarian.
Published as part of the “2024 Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Year,” announced to mark the 100th anniversary of the Türkiye-Hungary Friendship Agreement, the book highlights Suleiman the Magnificent’s appreciation for art and knowledge, and aims to promote the shared cultural heritage of the two countries while fostering the connection between their peoples.
In the preface written by Akgün, it is noted that the select poems of Suleiman the Magnificent, who gave great importance to scholars and artists during his reign, have been translated from Turkish into Hungarian for the benefit of visitors.
The preface emphasizes: “It is important to implement similar initiatives to further develop the cultural ties between Türkiye and Hungary, and to properly guide the curiosity of the Hungarian people, who share historical and cultural bonds with Türkiye, about Turkish history and culture.”
