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part of Greek people apart from stoas and 
agoras in the Ancient Age and minimum two 
gymnasia used to be found in big cities in 
addition to palaistra in poleis. The necessity to 
rent a palaistra or to use a general palaistra for 
those who do not have a palaistra clearly shows 
that gymnosia were supplementary elements of 
Greek culture in both urban and culture aspects 
[5,6,7]. This study includes an original 
evaluation on wrestling lodges and gymnosia 
which had similar features and had a direct 
effect on the lives of two nations and world 
history. This study is important since it gives 
information about historical similarities of 
wrestling lodges and gymnasia in order to 
comprehend the history of them in two 
different cultures.
Results. 
Establishment 
and 
expansion 
of 
wrestling 
lodges 
and 
gymnasia: Founders of Ottoman Empire 
having a few population and high goals and 
Tariqa
which served the state could stand 
against the majority only by means of quality 
and development. A quality and developed 
person undoubtedly needs institutionalization 
and education [4,8,9,10]. As of the foundation 
of the empire (1299), Ottoman Empire 
assigned Kadi and Soubashi to every 
conquered city and town and opened religious, 
social 
and 
political 
service 
buildings 
immediately 
after 
these 
assignments 
[4,11,12,13]. In addition to such organizations, 
wrestling lodges were also founded [12,13,14].
The 
main 
points 
taken 
into 
consideration during the foundation of 
wrestling lodges were population density and 
avoiding waste of resources. Large and small 
wrestling lodges expanded and organized all 
around the empire particularly in western 
boundaries. One or a couple of lodges were 
built in large settlement areas apd 
zawiyas, 
smaller lodges, were built in less-populated or 
small settlement areas [9]. Expenses of 
wrestling lodges were met by revenues of the 
associations which founded these lodges. In 
many off-center towns of Anatolia, expenses 
of zawiyas were undertaken by specific 
occupational 
institutions 
called 
Ahi
organizations. 
Ahi 
organizations 
and 
associations, all incomes of which were 
commercial, 
consisted 
of 
agricultural 
businesses and residences [4, 15,16].
Two or more Greek gymnasia were 
also built in big cities and settlement areas as 
in foundation phase of wrestling lodges and 
Gymnasia expanded all around the country like 
Ottoman Wrestling Lodges did. Building 
stages and expenses of these areas were mostly 
met by city administrations and collective 
work. A golden crown was awarded by city 
administrations for such services through 
treasury of the city or leitourgia (charity from 
individuals) [5].