In photos, they may appear as products of a genetic experiment gone wrong but for visitors of Miniature Turkey Park, they are a common sight in winter. Cats are nowadays everywhere among miniature reproductions of Turkey’s famous buildings in the park located in the southern Turkish province of Antalya.
Some lazily spend the day on the walls of Istanbul’s Maiden’s Tower while others huddle outside Ottoman-era mosques barely reaching the height of feline visitors. Though the model buildings do not have interiors spacious enough to accommodate cats, they at least provide the cats with shelter from winter winds. On better days, they enjoy sunbathing against the backdrop of landmarks.
The park, sprawling across 10,000 square meters (12,000 square yards), is home to 84 landmarks reproduced on a 1/25 scale and is among popular destinations in Antalya’s Kepez district. Landmarks include Anıtkabir, Atatürk’s mausoleum located in the capital Ankara, the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul, Antalya’s own Yivli Minare (Fluted Minaret) and the Gök Medrese (Sky Madrasah) of Sivas.
