Turkey Events and Festivals

12/20/2007 - 12/23/2007Feast of the Sacrifice (Kurban Bayram)

The Feast of the Sacrifice is a religious holiday that is celebrated throughout Turkey and remembers the ram that Abraham sacrificed in place of his son Ismail (Isaac). During the four-day festival, lambs are still traditionally slaughtered and the meat distributed to the poor and needy. This is mostly done in professional abattoirs, but some of the ritual slaughters take place in public places. This is a major public holiday in Turkey, and many businesses and shops close during the festival