ASportIndependent states
Oil wrestling and Kırkpınar
A traditional sport in which wrestlers douse themselves in olive oil. The Kırkpınar tournament in Edirne has been UNESCO heritage since 2010.
In oil wrestling the pehlivans wear leather trousers called kispet and douse their bodies in olive oil, making holds hard and putting strength and technique first. Before each bout a cazgır introduces the wrestlers in rhymed verses with prayers, while davul and zurna play.
According to tradition the Kırkpınar tournament near Edirne has been held since 1346, and it is counted among the oldest continuously held sporting competitions in the world. Thousands of wrestlers compete every June or July.
The winner takes the title of başpehlivan and the golden belt, which a wrestler keeps permanently after winning three years in a row. The Kırkpınar oil wrestling festival was inscribed on UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.
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Updated: October 2, 2026