Passion for wrestling leads to tent camping as hotel prices soar
Visitors from various parts of Turkey who came to watch the 663rd Historical Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Festival in Edirne turned the area around the Selimiye Mosque into a campsite after failing to find vacancies in hotels.
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The 663rd edition of the Historical Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Festival, which is on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is being held this year. Those wishing to watch the matches made hotel reservations days in advance. Those who could not find space in hotels spent the night in tents in the empty areas around the Selimiye Mosque and the nearby Hıdırağa Mosque.
"NO ROOM LEFT IN HOTELS"
İbrahim Yüksel, who came from Bolu, said, "We had wanted to come for years. This year it was meant to be. Because there is a shortage of space in hotels, we are forced to stay in a tent. This is our first time at Kırkpınar. I used to wrestle myself until 2013. In places where the event lasts 2-3 days, people stay in tents because there is no room left in hotels. Tents are actually nice; we go to the sea or the forest and stay in tents. It is difficult for those who are not used to it and only set up tents for the wrestling matches."
"I HAVE NEVER STAYED IN A HOTEL"
Naim Güler, who came to Kırkpınar from Adapazarı, stated that he has been following the wrestling matches for 52 years and has stayed in a tent every time he has come, saying, "I have been coming for 52 years and I have never stayed in a hotel. I have always stayed in a tent; we have even stayed under the eaves of the mosque for the love of wrestling. Since hotels are very expensive, we find tents more affordable."
"THEY ASKED FOR MONEY ELSEWHERE, SO WE SET IT UP IN THE MOSQUE COURTYARD"
Dudu Şahin, who came from Korkuteli, Antalya, said, "This is my second time coming. I first came when Ali Gürbüz won the belt. Now it was meant to be to come again. We are staying in a tent because there is no room left in the hotels. We wanted to set up a tent elsewhere, but they asked for money, so we set up our tent in the mosque courtyard."
Wrestling fans, who woke up early in the morning, had their breakfast, packed up their tents, and headed to the Sarayiçi Er Meydanı to watch the matches.