Oil Wrestling

Did you know that the world’s oldest wrestling festival belongs to the Turks? Oil wrestling, a traditional Turkish sport, is performed by pehlivans who oil their bodies, wear special leather tights called kispet, and compete in flat areas such as meadows and pastures, known as “er meydani.” The aim of this ancient sport is to pin the opponent’s back to the ground.

The purpose of oiling the wrestlers’ bodies is to make it more challenging for them to grip each other. This aspect makes wrestling a sport that demands great strength and skill.

Oil wrestling is a type of wrestling that has been practiced since the Turks crossed from Anatolia to Rumelia. The Historical Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Events, which began under the patronage of Sultan Murad I in the Kırkpınar Meadow, has continued as a tradition since the 1300s almost like a festival. Although the Kırkpınar Meadow is no longer within the borders of Türkiye today, oil wrestling festivals were moved to Edirne, where they have continued without interruption. This festival, recognized as the world’s oldest wrestling festival, holds great significance in Turkish culture. Oil wrestling is so deeply rooted in Turkish culture that there is even an idiom in Turkish, “to pin someone to the ground,” which means to defeat someone.

With over 650 years of history, these oil wrestling ceremonies, which have produced many champions, demonstrate how much the Turkish people value not only sports, but also unity, enjoyment, and competition. This festival, which is still held today, is a very popular form of entertainment in Türkiye, performed during wedding ceremonies, street festivals, and the leisure time of military units.