Turkey Property | Sport in Turkey | Turkey Archery

Archery in Turkey

Archery is one of the oldest martial arts in the world and as home to some of the world's most ancient civilisations, Turkey is an ideal place to practise it.

Turkey is rare in that it is one of the few countries to have a commitment to sport in its constitution. Article 59 reads: "The state takes measures to develop the physical and mental health of Turkish citizens of all ages and encourages the spread of sport in Turkey among the masses. The state protects successful athletes."

Thanks to this, Anatolia has some well-developed sports areas and athletes, much to the benefit of Turkey archery, being one of the 37 sports with a recognised federation. This is just one of the notable formalisations of the sport in Turkey, a tradition which stretches back centuries.

Some of the world's earliest known books on archery were written in Turkey during the seventh century when rules on the sport were introduced. This was later formalised in the 15^th century but the sultan Mehmet II and his son Bayezit II who granted privileges to archers and manufacturers of archery equipment. Sultans and viziers were notable archers during the Ottoman period such that the first known law concerning a sport deals with Turkey archery. Such was the importance of mediaeval Turkey archery that A Book of Essential Archery for Beginners and A Book on the Excellence of the Bow and Arrow are still available to interested readers.

The skill of Turkish archers and bow makers is evident in that the traditional crossbow-style bow is still shot, often hurling bolts for distances not achieved by modern versions. Tourists can see examples of these bows in museums, while the lucky few may even be able to glimpse a demonstration.

However, Turkey's love of archery is not stuck in the past. The republic's founder Attaturk was a keen fan of archery and often watched demonstrations of it. Yet after his death in 1938, this sport in Turkey declined slightly and it was not until the 1950s that a renaissance occurred and the sport is still flourishing to this day. The last 25 years has seen even greater growth, with the number of licensed archers soaring from 35 to over 3,000 in this time.

This success is seen in the increase in the number of teachers who can help tourists undertake their first ever round of Turkey archery, or allow the more skilled to try their shot under Turkey's clear, sunny skies in and around popular resorts such as Belek. All ages and skill levels can be accommodated and shooting arrows in Anatolia is a great way to be introduced to Turkey archery, or to develop their skill.

Whether you favour sport in Turkey such as tennis, skiing or scuba diving, or if you want to follow the steps of Saint Paul or paraglide from a high mountain, Turkey has all the activities. Use our website to view the activities on offer and we will find the Turkey property in the right location for you.

Owning Turkey property opens up a so many activities for you to experience. Whether you’re visiting in the summer, spring or winter Turkey has so much to do whatever the weather and it gives you the opportunity to rent your Turkey property out all year long!