INSTRUCTIONS

Brief history of my country or  my city

Students will work in teams at school to write a short story about the history of their city or country, then in transnational teams. The partner school will translate the short history/story into their language and read it at school. This is how we learn about the history of other countries and enrich ourselves culturally. In the collaborative book with Story Jumper, we will put the short history and pictures and the partener school will record the voice of the story in their language! 

Then the partner puts the historical story and the other team records the translation of the story in their personal language. 

We develop technological, artistic, creative, historical, civic, language and communication skills, foreign language.

The teachers' students contributed to this book by working in international teams:

https://youtu.be/2bCrUZCJf8o?t=738

1.VOICU CORINA-ROMANIA

2.NAIRA ZEYNALYAN-ARMENIA

3.LĂCRIMIOARA SĂBĂREANU-ROMANIA

4.AYLA AKHAN-TURKEY

5.SUZANA JAGIC-CROATIA

6.RANCA AURELIANA-ROMANIA

7.BUTA RAMONA-ROMANIA

8.SERAP SONAL-TURKEY

9.EMINE KAYA-TURKEY

10.MOȚ CORNELIA-ROMANIA

11.ȘEYMA TUGAC-TURKEY

12.DOBRIN PAULA-ROMANIA

13.ASSIYE ȘAHIN AKBULUT-TURKEY

14.ANICA CÂRLEJAN-ROMANIA

15.EUAGGELIA LAGOPOULOU-GREECE

16.ANTIHI MOUSTAKA-GREECE

17.EMRE DEMIRVURAN-TURKEY

18.GINA BORDEA-ROMANIA

19.DERYA AKGUL-TURKEY

20.AYAT RABEEA-JORDAN

21.OPREA ELENA-ROMANIA

TEAM 1

Voicu Corina”s students: Edi, Raul, Răzvan, Diana, Alexandra, Viorel, Romania-the story  in English 

with 

Naira Zeynalyn”s students, the voice in Armenian 

                THE FORTRESS OF AIUD 

Certainly the most famous historical monument in my city is the Aiud Fortress. This monument enjoys a great popularity, because it has an opening to the national road, it is the only fortress in the city center, which occasional travelers in transit through the city of Aiud can see from a personal car. The fortress was recently restored through a structural project on European funds and can be admired in all its splendor, being visited annually by both Romanian tourists. Thus, the middle of the city of Aiud is preserved one of the oldest urban cities in Transylvania.

The current Citadel has as main components the Calvinist Reformed Church and the Evangelical Church, surrounded by a fortified enclosure. The fortress was built in the 14th century, due to its current appearance to the changes of the 16th and 17th centuries. Numerous archeological researches have revealed, under the Aiud Fortress, a Daco-Roman settlement, superimposed by an earth fortification. On this place, the archeological researches revealed the existence of a Daco-Roman settlement from the 3rd century, over which later an earth fortification was built. Over this fortification, the fortress was built in two phases.

The fortress has 9 towers: 

1.The butchers' tower 

2.Tailors' tower 

3.The shoemaker's tower 

4.The fur tower 

5.The carpenter's tower 

6.The potters' tower 

7.Kalendas Tower 

8.The locksmith's tower 

9.Gate Tower.

From the ranks of each guild responsible for the towers, the guild officers, the military commanders of the fortress, were chosen. The connection between the towers was made through the guard road behind the parapet, which was accessed through several wooden stairs. Inside the 9 towers, their upper levels could be reached by wooden interior stairs.

Inside the walls of the fortress is the Reformed-Calvinist Church, built in late Gothic style at the end of the century. XV, church-hall type with three naves, with polygonal apse and tower on the west, modified Baroque interior. Next to it is the Evangelical-Lutheran Church, built in the second half of the 19th century, on the site of a chapel built in 1333-1334.

The fortress has thick defensive walls, which demonstrates its defensive utility. It is surrounded by a ditch of water, which unfortunately has not been preserved to this day. The 9 towers have the role of ensuring the security and protection of the inhabitants of the fortress, being constantly supervised by someone. The windows of the fortress and the walls are few, small holes that resemble in appearance the hole in the key of a door and as a function, their role was to defend.

TEAM 1

Naira Zeynalyns-Armenia the article in English 

with

Voicu Corina”s students: Edi, Raul, Răzvan, Diana, Alexandra, Anca, Romania-the voice  in Romanian.

The legend of Mount Ara

Mount Ara is named after Ara the Beautiful, the legendary king of Armenia. The story of Ara the Beautiful tells how the Assyrian queen Semiramis fell deeply in love with Ara. She wanted to unite Assyria and Armenia and rule these two kingdoms together with her beloved. However, all her efforts were in vain, as Ara was not interested in her. Semiramis’ heart was broken and she declared war on Armenia, hoping in this way to get Ara the Beautiful. The battle took place on the slopes of the mountain. To the horror of Semiramis, Ara was killed. Semiramis did not want to accept the fact that Ara was no longer alive and ordered to take his body to the top of the mountain, where the Aralezes mythical dog-like creatures with healing powers, would lick his wounds and bring him back to life.

This story is probably inspired by the shape of the mountain, which, if you look carefully, resembles the silhouette of a lying man.

Naira Zeynalyan, Yerevan N 75 Basic school, Armenia

TEAM 2

Ayla Akhan ' students: Ecrin and  Zümra, Turkey - The story in English

Lacrimioara Sabareanu 'students: Darya, Diana, Stefania, Melania, Irina -Romania - The voice in Romanian

ANKARA CASTLE AND THE LEGEND OF CAPA CITY

Ankara Castle is a historical castle located in Ankara's Altındağ district. Although it is not known exactly when it was built, it is known that the castle existed at the beginning of the 2nd century BC when the Galatians settled in Ankara. It was repaired many times during the Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans. Ankara Castle is bigger than it looks from the outside. It also hosts various festivals every year.

In the dream of Midasa, King of Phrygia, who once ruled the region, a divine voice said, “Don't stop, get up. Look for a ship anchor in your lands. Build a city where it is located. This city will bring you happiness.” he calls. Waking up with joy, Midas sends men all over his country, orders them to search for the ship's anchor, finally, one day, he has the anchor found on the hills where Ankara Castle is located, and in a short time he founded a city here and named it Anker or Ankira, which means ship anchor. The ship anchor is kept in the temple of this city for many years

TEAM 2

Lacrimioara Sabareanu'students: Darya, Diana, Stefania, Melania, Irina - Romania - The story in English

Ayla Akhan 'students: Ecrin and Zümra,  Turkey - The voice in Turkish

THE LEGEND OF THE OAK IN BORZESTI

Stephen III of Moldavia, most commonly known as Stephen the Great, was born and raised in Borzesti, a village in Bacau County, now one of the neighborhoods of Onesti.

Many memories of the voivode were related to Borzesti, because together with the children of peasants, Stefan used to play ”Moldavians and Tatars” around a towering oak, with wide branches a trunk thick enough to hold four people. The children's games reflected the battles of the time: they were divided into two opposing groups, Moldavians were leaded by Stephen and the Tatars by his friend, Mitrut. The one who would become a great ruler, little Stephen showed his leadership skills and keen intelligence even at that age.

During those days, Moldavians were afraid of Tatars who used to destroy everything in their path, burned the villages, the holdings and retreated in a hurry.

On a beautiful spring day, children’s play warmed up on the stubble in Borzesti. Litthe Stephen and  his team started the fight against Mitrut and Tatars team. After the fight, little Stephen came out victorious and judged Tatars’ leader. Following the trial, the small leader was to be hanged for his bad deeds. Mitrut was anxious ”to be hung” from the branches of the oak tree. But up there, his laughter stopped at the sight of the real Tatars who could be seen in the distance. The other children did not have time to take him down and Mitrut was killed by with an arrow by Tatars’ leader.

Little Stephen swore that when he grew up, he would avenge Mitrut, by hanging Tatars’ leader from the branches of the oak tree in Borzesti.

Time passed and Stephen became the ruler of Moldova and his first concern was to tame the Tatar armies that were hurting the country. After the battles, Stephen came out victorious and judged the Tatar leader, the one who killed Mitrut under the oak in Borzesti, and hanged him from its branches.

Together with his son, Alexandru,  Stephen the Great built a church in Borzești in one year, three months and three days. Inside this church, a detail impresses the visitors: the size of the door between the nave and the narthex. It is said that this door was built according to the low height of Prince Stephen, wearing the crown. 

Legend has it that this is the only church built by Stephen the Great not to commemorate a victory, but in memory of his friend, Gheorghita, killed by the arrows of the Tatars, in this place. Time passed, and the legendary oak charred. From the charred, treated wood, a table was made which was placed in the altar replacing the oak of the ancient times.

The interior of the church is painted by master Grigore Popescu. Scenes from this legend are drawn on the inside of the windows and depict the way children hung Gheorghita from the oak tree, as a sign of the defeat of the group he led and his murder by the Tatars.

Voice

TEAM 3

Suzana Jagić, Croatia, Students: Zara, Lana, Adam, Helena, Gabrijela-the story in english 

Ranca Aureliana, Students: Alexandra, Daliana the voice in romanian

CASTLE TRAKOŠĆAN, CROATIA

TEAM 3

Ranca Aureliana, Students: Alexandra, Daliana the story

Suzana Jagić, Croatia, Students: Zara, Lana, Adam, Helena, Gabrijela-the voice in 

THE CASTLE THE TEMPLE OF THE KNIGHTS 

The castle was built in that space, in 1320, by a nobleman who lived in the area. It originally served as a defensive fortress, after which it became a military barracks during the Habsburg Empire. He was then taken over by the Romanian army, which also gave him a military barracks destination for mountain hunters.

The followers of the Knights Templar meet at the castle from Cheile Aiudului to discuss the most important evolutions of the order they belong to. "The rooms keep something of the atmosphere from hundreds of years ago. The beds are in the shape of a canopy, and everything around is made of solid wood and stone. Of great interest among customers are the themed parties organized here, such as "Halloween at the Castle" or "Christmas at the Castle". In the future, the administrators even intend to organize a festival of knights and ladies.

TEAM 4

Buta Ramona”s students: Daliana, Crina, Romania-the story  in english

 Serap SONAL's students; Çiğdem,  Turkey-  The voice in  Turkish

TEAM 4

Serap Sonal's students: Hakan, Yaren, Turkey-the story  in english

 Buta Ramona's students; Crina-  The voice in  Romania

THE HUNIAD CASTLE

It is considered one of the most beautiful castles in the world being located in the top of the 10 castles to visit.

The castle was built in the 15th century by Iancu de Hunedoara on the site of an old fortification, on a rock at the foot of which flows the Zlaști brook. It is an imposing construction, with towers, bastions and a keep. The castle was restored and turned into a museum.

The fortress was one of the largest and most famous properties of Iancu de Hunedoara. During this period, the construction underwent significant transformations, serving both as a strengthened strategic point and as a feudal residence. Over the years, the various owners of the castle changed its appearance, enriching it with towers, halls and rooms of honor. 

In the wing of the castle called Matia is also quite vague, a painting referring to the legend with the raven from which it is said that they derive their name from the descendants of Ioan de Hunedoara (Corvini). In the castle courtyard, next to the chapel built during the time of Ioan de Hunedoara, there is a 30 meter deep fountain. 

            ANCIENT CITY OF SARDES (TURKEY)

Sardis is an ancient city located near Sardis Town.

It is in the Salihli district of Manisa. It served as the capital of the Lydian state.

It is where the money was first printed.

The ancient city of Sardis bears the traces of the Iron Age. Ancient City and its surroundings,

 surrounded by a defensive wall.

It is also the beginning of the famous King's Road.

The name "Sard" comes from the orange quartz stone. gemstone

It is the region where it was mined in ancient times.

Quartz and gold are still mined here.

Remains of the first theater known in history

It is in Sardis. Also about 5 km north of Sardis,

There is a Lydian royal cemetery.

There are about 85 tombs called "Bin Tepe".

The Temple of Artemis, one of the 7 temples of the Western world, is located in the Sart district.

Date the library and royal thrones are still largely intact and

open to visitors. Most of the historical artifacts

here exactly the same and originals

It is exhibited in Manisa Ethnography Museum.

Serap SONAL Şehitler Seconday School/TURKEY 

TEAM 5      STORY

 Cornelia Alina Moţ , Romania Students:

 Rareş, Ana, Larisa, Bogdan, Natalia

VOICE

EMİNE KAYA ,TURKEY  Students: 

Yavuz, Berrak, Sümeyye,Perihan,Nihal, Sıddıka, TUANA, Elif, Betül, Ayşe, Merve

 The water mills from Rudăria

      The mill complex from Eftimie Murgu or the Molinological Complex from Rudăria, is an ensemble of historical monuments located on the territory of Eftimie Murgu village, Romania. It is the largest milling complex in south-eastern Europe.
On the Rudăriei Valley, in 1772 there were eight mills, and from 1874 to 1910 there were 51 mills. The floods that spring took 28 of them. The locals rebuilt some and abandoned others. All the mills have been protected by a massive rock and are functional.

Now there are only 22, of which 13 in the commune and nine nearby. They were introduced in the national heritage and are under the close supervision of the "Astra" Museum in Sibiu. The specialists from Sibiu managed, through a European financing, to recondition the mills between September 2000 and February 2001, these being the largest milling complex in south-eastern Europe.
The 22 mills, which are part of the UNESCO patrimony, bear the name of the builder, of the place where they are located or of a “head family”: “Stubborn from the wall”, “Mill from the Country”, “Mill with Tunnel”, "Popascu", etc.

TEAM 5   STORY

EMİNE KAYA , TURKEY  Students: 

YAVUZ, Berrak, Sümeyye,Perihan,Nihal, Sıddıka, Tuana, Elif, Betül, Ayşe, Merve

VOICE

Cornelia Alina Moţ , Romania Students: 

Rareş, Ana, Larisa, Bogdan, Natalia

The Ancient City of Cyzicus in Turkey 

The Ancient City of Cyzicus in Turkey 

 The ancient city of Cyzicus is in Erdek district in Balıkesir province. With one of the most important ancient constructions in terms of size, structure and cultural and art works, Cyzicus is located at the point where the Bandırma-Erdek highway passes the foothills of the Kapıdağ Peninsula. The ancient city gained importance in the 3rd century B.C. as it was on trade routes, had good relations with Pergamum and became a center of science and culture. 

The Biggest Temple of The Time

The Temple of Hadrian is one of the first three Roman period temples dating back to the second century A.D. The temple was very important for the Roman world as it synthesized Greek and Hellenistic ideas and Roman architecture. In the temple, findings that will contribute to Roman and Anatolian architecture and art and one of the biggest Corinthian headpieces in the world have been revealed. Human and natural conditions negatively affected the temple. The Temple of Hadrian is one of the most important constructions of the ancient period in a sociocultural and art context. The second important building in the ancient city is Cyzicus Amphitheater, one of three examples in Turkey and possibly the most important. At 155 x 180 meters, it can compete with Rome's Coliseum.

The Ancient City of Cyzicus

Cyzicus is one of the most known ancient city in Balıkesir (or in Mysia, an old name for Balıkesir), it is located on the Kapıdağ Peninsula, which was called the Ayı Mountain or Ayılar Mountain in the ancient times. The ancient city, which is only 8 km away from the district centre of Erdek, can be easily reached via Bandırma- Erdek highway.

If we look at the city’s time, between 300 BC and 1200 AC, or in another words, it is thought to coincide with the Bronze Age. However, it is a fact that there are no findings to prove this topic. According to many authoritative researchers and archaeologists, the history of the ancient city coincides with colonization of Miletus in the 8th century BC.

When it comes to 543 AC, a huge earthquake hit Cyzicus. The earthquake, which caused the marbles in the city to be taken to İstanbul, caused visible damage to Cyzicus. At the same time, the people of Erdek had to emigrate and after the last big earthquake, there were no one left. The Cyzicus region which was invaded by Seljuks in 1085, began to be ruled by Ottomans in 1336 and has reached the present day.

Among the facts worth seeing in the ancient city are the southern agora, amphi theater, Hadrian’s Temple, acropolis, the Bouleuterion used as the city council, the cemetery of its time, acropolis, port sections, fortification walls and theater examples

TEAM 6  

Şeyma TUĞAÇ,TURKEY - STORY in English

Students: Azranaz,Aybuke,Ebrar,Berat,Hayriye

Dobrin Paula Daniela, ROMANIA - VOICE in Romanian

Students: Vlad, Mihnea, Daria, Demetria, Bogdan, Medeea, Mihaela.

      According to the belief, two priests named Barnabas and Sophronios from Athens built this place. These two priests dream of Hz. He saw Jesus and the Virgin Mary and the place they saw is the place where Sümela is located. When these two priests, who set out without knowing each other, told each other the dream they had, they laid the foundation of the monastery together. The real name of the monastery is the Monastery of the Virgin Mary. Sümela is its name in Greek. 

It is estimated that the monastery was completed in 395 AD. Trabzon Greek Emperor III. He contributed to the construction of this work, which was made during the reign of Alexios. Therefore, in the work, the founder's III. There is evidence that he is Alexios.

After conquering Trabzon, Fatih Sultan Mehmet issued an edict stating that he would not touch the rights of the monastery. Yavuz Sultan Selim gifted two large candlesticks here. The sultans of other times did not touch this place and provided its development with various repairs.

Transportation to the monastery; Transportation is provided by vehicles up to a certain place. Afterwards, a path is followed through the forest. The monastery is reached after climbing the long and narrow stairs. The monastery was later restored by the Republic of Turkey and took its present form and opened to tourism. 

Sumela, which is still of great touristic importance for the city of Trabzon, is visited by thousands of people every year. In 2010, with a special permission, a ritual was held here due to the ascension of the Virgin Mary. This is the first ritual performed after 88 years.

TEAM 6  

Dobrin Paula Daniela,  ROMANIA   STORY in English

Leaders:   Vlad, Mihnea, Daria, Demetria, Bogdan, Medeea, Mihaela.

Şeyma TUĞAÇ,TURKEY   VOICE in Turkish

Students: Berat ,Aybuke,Ebrar,Azranaz,Hayriye

In 1875, on October 29, a little girl was born in England, named Marie Alexandra Victoria, from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. His parents were nobles Alfred Ernest Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Edinburgh, and   Tsar II of Russia. Alexander's only daughter was the Grand Duchess of Russia Maria Alexandrovna Romanova. Years later, she became a crown princess, second queen of Romania, and a fascinating historical figure.

    Princess Maria's education is truly noble. Here's how he was characterized by a witness of his adolescence, quoted by Nicolae Iorga: 

 QUEEN MARIA    OF ROMANIA

“She believed in kings and their rights as well as their duties. She was not arrogant, but not humble, but from the root of her hair to the soles of her feet, she was a noble, imperious, fiery, active little girl, full of joie de vivre and faith in her race.  ” approaching the fatal age when you have to think about it. The future of a young woman in her class    is summed  up in   one  word  : marriage. Back then, there were no questions to ask him. the views of children forced to marry for political reasons, not feelings.” - Guy Gauthier, Missy, Queen of Romania .

    On January 10, 1893  , the marriage of His Royal Highness Marie, Crown Prince of Edinburgh, to His Royal Highness Ferdinand, Crown Prince of Romania, is celebrated in Sigmaringen, Germany  . Princess Maria arrives in Bucharest as the wife of Prince Ferdinand, heir to the Romanian throne. That same year, Maria gives birth to her first child at Peles Castle, who baptized Carol in honor of King Carol I. In 1894, the second child was born, a little girl named Elisabeta.

    The relationship of the princely (and then royal) couple Ferdinand and Maria has a sinuous evolution in time. The fact that this marriage had been established out of dynastic interests, without the two future spouses having a say, as well as their difference in age and temperament, made the relationship between the two in the first years of marriage quite tumultuous and uneven. But, in time, their relationship is strengthened, reaching to establish between them a kind tolerance and a sincere devotion to each other, united in a cordial and authentic camaraderie, by the common worries for the country and for the family. She bows before his superiority as king, and he bows before her in his private life, because he knows that she understands the world better than he does. Thus, the couple ends up having 6 children, Carol, Elisabeta, Maria, Nicolae, Ileana and Mircea, the latter dying at the young age of 3, due to typhoid fever.

  After the death of King Carol I, Princess Maria became Queen of Romania with Prince Ferdinand's accession on 11 October 1914. During the period of neutrality, Maria sided with Romania, supporting the achievement of national goals. Allied powers. 

    Therefore, Queen Maria was involved in the political life of the country with grace and audacity. As a fortunate adviser to King Ferdinand, he played a decisive role in the creation of Greater Romania, at the forefront of the philanthropic movement.

    Lover of beauty, Maria had another way of asserting her personality - the artistic one. Her literary creation includes stories, evocations, novels, memorial volumes. I will cite only a few titles: "My Country", "The Dreamer of Dreams", "A Legend of Mount Athos", "The Tale of a Disobedient Lady", "Thoughts and Icons of Wartime", "Unquenchable Longing", "The Story of a heart”, “Crowned queens”, “Fantastic birds on the blue of the sky”, “The voice on the mountain”, “Masks”, “The story of my life”. The literary works were written in English and translated into Romanian, some of the translations belonging to N. Iorga.

    Maria's health begins to deteriorate, and in 1938 she goes to a Dresden clinic for treatment. The doctor is close to the end of the  learning  decides to return to the country and 18th of July 1938, the  Pelisor Castle Favorite i s adorned with emboli  passes to eternity in the Golden Chamber   : faith, light and eternal life. 

    In her moral will - "Letter to My Country and the People" - Queen Mary sent a farewell bearer to people with whom she identified: 

"From now on I will not be able to send you any signs; but above all, my People, remember that I love you and bless you with my last breath."

TEAM 7

Asiye Sahin Akbulut

Students: Berru, Turkey  - english story

 Anica Cîrlejean

Romanian audio by student Cristina, Romania.

Balikesir Clock Tower – Balikesir

Clock Tower According to the inscription on the entrance door of the tower, it was built in 1827 (h. 1243) by Mehmet Pasha from Crete, with 5 floors. It was built in a cylindrical shape, similar to the Istanbul Galata Tower. When it was destroyed due to the earthquake in 1897, the destroyed tower was rebuilt by the governor Ömer Ali Bey in 1901 as it is today. In 1962, its epitaph was repaired. The tower, which was built with 5 floors, is 20 meters high. The fact that there is no difference between the photographs in the Hüdavendigar yearbook (h.1325) and 

the photos in Ircıca's archive shows that the tower was modernized in accordance with its original. The building in the shape of a square prism was made of white cut stone and decorated with relief workmanship. The top floor was covered with a dome and a large bell was added. On the floor just below this place, a clock has been placed in all four directions. Balikesir Clock Tower Commemorative Coin. 

 V

2,000 pieces of 925 sterling silver were printed and offered for sale by the General Directorate of Mint and Stamp Printing on November 27, 2013. The money prepared was withdrawn from sale on 27 November 2015.

TEAM 7

Anica Cârlejean, students Cristina, Romania the story  in english

Assiye Şahin Akbulut

Students: Berru, Turkey-the voice  in turkish

 The town of Beclean

Student: Diana, teacher Anica Cîrlejean