Global True Lithuania Encyclopedia of Lithuanian heritage worldwide

Turkey

Istanbul hosts the Adam Mickiewicz museum which is located in the building where he died.

This world-famous poet, whose Lithuanian name is Adomas Mickevičius, considered himself to be both a Lithuanian and a Pole. He wrote in Polish but spent his formative years in Lithuania. In the descriptions of his life at the Istanbul museum, Lithuania features prominently as his birthplace, inspiration, as well as a subject matter for some of his key works.

Adam Mickiewicz (Adomas Mickevičius) museum in Istanbul

Mickevičius / Mickiewicz was born in 1798, just three years after both Poland and Lithuania were annexed by foreign powers, chiefly the Russian Empire. Mickevičius (Mickiewicz) never came in terms with this, writing patriotic poetry and later organising various anti-Russian and pro-Polish/Lithuanian movements. For this, he has been persecuted by Russia and, after serving a prison sentence, forced to move into Russia-proper. In order to avoid living there, he emigrated to Western Europe (Italy, France, Switzerland) from where his ideas and new literary works continued to inspire the (unsuccessful) joint Polish-Lithuanian revolts against the Russian Empire.

Adam Mickiewicz (Adomas Mickevičius) texts in Polish and English with a possibility to tear down a page for yourself. The text on the left is one of many that mentions Lithuania

In 1855, Mickiewicz moved to Istanbul in order to raise Polish legions who would help the Ottoman Empire fight against Russia. However, he died just several months afterwards succumbing to cholera.

Antalya is the most popular foreign resort among Lithuanians. In 2022, a Lithuanian cultural park was opened in Antalya.