In an event that celebrated cultural collaboration between Turkey and the Dominican Republic, the Turkish Embassy donated a replica of the famous Piri Reis world map to the Faro a Colón. The presentation, led by Ambassador Emriye Bağdagül Ormancı, took place in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Culture, representatives of academia, the business sector, and the general public.
The legacy of Piri Reis
Piri Reis, Ottoman admiral and cartographer, created a world map in 1513 that incorporated data from various sources, including a map of Christopher Columbus. The document was produced a few years after Columbus’s arrival in the New World, at a time when information about the new lands was beginning to reshape societies’ global perspective.
A bridge between two worlds
The Faro a Colón, located in the Santo Domingo area, is dedicated to preserving the memory of Columbus’s arrival in the Americas. The presence of the replica gives the site a new dimension, as it connects the legacy of an Ottoman navigator with the history of European exploration. “Knowledge knows no borders,” Ambassador Ormancı said, “and cartography has been fundamental to the expansion of humanity’s understanding of the planet.”
Cultural and educational relevance
General Director of Museums, Joan Ferrer, highlighted the historical importance of the world map and the figure of Piri Reis within the Ottoman maritime tradition. For his part, Eliezer Nolasco, director of the Faro a Colón Museum, noted that the replica “opens a door to view discovery and exploration from a broader perspective,” inviting new generations to become interested in cartography and the cultural ties that emerged thanks to the exchange of knowledge.
Strengthening diplomatic ties
The donation also reflects Turkey’s commitment to strengthening cultural ties between the two countries. “The initiative seeks to bring the public closer to the history of Piri Reis and demonstrate the importance of cartography as a tool for understanding geographic and historical transformations,” the diplomat commented.
Source credits: n.com.do
