Lifestyle of The Ottoman Empire - Coffeehouse

Coffeehouse

For more details on this topic, see Coffeehouse.

Socialization was a very important function in Turkish culture. Coffee shops were where people gathered and exchanged information. Coffee was an excuse to bring people together from different homes. The first coffeehouse was opened in 1473 in Istanbul, which was 20 years after the Fall of Constantinople.

With the extension of the Ottoman Empire, such as in the Middle East, since the 16th century, the coffeehouse (al-maqhah in Arabic qahveh-khaneh in Persian or kahvehane or kıraathane in Turkish) has served as a social gathering place where men assemble to drink coffee or tea, listen to music, read books, play chess and backgammon, perhaps hear a recitation from the works of Antar or from Shahnameh.

• Play backgammon

• Coffee shop