The Seyahatname, a text nourished by verbal and written Turkish cultural history, is one of the most important resources for researchers studying the sociocultural life of the Ottoman period. While countless scientific and popular studies on this work have been carried out, there are no significant studies to date on the Seyahatname’s treatment of the concepts of mey (wine), meyhane (winehouse), and meyhanecilik (the activities carried out by those who run meyhanes and the regular customers of those places). This article assesses the narratives on Istanbul’s meyhanes and meyhane owners in the first volume of Evliya Çelebi’s Seyahatname, which includes narratives on Istanbul and consists of two books. Meyhane culture in Ottoman society, particularly in the 17th century, is also discussed in this study in light of the Seyahatname’s descriptions. Istanbul boza, a beverage that may cause drunkenness, and boza sellers are also mentioned briefly.
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