Oil Wrestling

Oil wrestling is a traditional Turkish sport. It is called oil wrestling because they wrestle by rubbing oil on their bodies. This traditional sport is done in the fields of a contest called “Er Meydani”. It is a sport that requires great strength and mastery since it is difficult for wrestlers to hold each other because of the oil.

The origins of this sport date back to the old days of Egypt and found its way to today with the spread across Europe and Balkans due to shipping trade. It started as a wedding show when landlords started to invite the wrestlers to their weddings for entertainment.

It is known that Turkish people do this sport since the 4th century BC. The sport became a traditional show for many occasions such as the celebrations of nature in spring, marriages, victory ceremonies, etc. In the Ottoman period, the events were controlled by the Empire. The Empire built houses for wrestlers in several locations in Anatolia, and old wrestlers called pehlivan, were put in charge. Murad Sultan the 4'th and Sultan Abdulaziz were also wrestlers and showed how much importance they give to this traditional sport.

As an extension of this tradition, the oil wrestling events are organized today. Generally, one rich and powerful man in that region becomes a sponsor of the events. The most popular one is Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Contest in Edirne, which has a history of over 650 years.

Although oil wrestling is a traditional sport, it was regarded mostly as a show. Therefore, the federation of Traditional Sports was founded only in 1996. Until that day, it was performed only for show and entertainment purposes.

06 April 2023

Best Places to Buy a Villa in Istanbul There are many places where you can buy villas in Istanbul. There are some points to consider when deciding which home to buy a villa in Istanbul. Read more

06 August 2023

Oil Wrestling Oil wrestling is a traditional Turkish sport. It is called oil wrestling because they wrestle by rubbing oil on their bodies. This traditional sport is done in the fields of a contest called “Er Meydani”. Read more

07 October 2023

Styling your balcony look at the ways in which you can maximise your apartment’s balcony space Read more

31 March 2023

The Historical Sites Of Alanya The shipyard was used to construct and repair boats, and it was being still used in 1960. Today, there is a museum that exhibits seamanship. Read more

15 April 2023