The tulip, which is most often associated with The Netherlands, originated in Turkey and was sent as a gift from Turkey to Europe. One Turkish word that may sound familiar is “yoghurt,” which was originally produced in Turkey. Turkey also introduced coffee to Europe. Turkey has 3% of her land in the continent of Europe. This land of Turkey is called as “Thrace”. The part of Turkey which is in the continent of Asia is called as “Anatolia”.
In fact Turkey is a peninsula which is surrounded by Black Sea (in north), Sea of Marmara and Aegean Sea (in west) and Mediterranean Sea (in south). Turkey is the 2nd country in the continent of Europe by land (after Russia) and the 3rd country in the continent of Europe by population (after Russia and Germany). 314 beaches and 17 Marinas of Turkey have Blue Flag. page Turkey has many national animal breeds like Van Cat, Kangal Dog, Angora Cat, Angora Rabbit, Angora Goat etc. page |
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Historic Areas of İstanbul is one of the World Heritage Sites of
UNESCO. İstanbul is the only metropolitan in the world to bridge two continents, and the only one to have been a capital during two consecutive empires, one Christian and the other Islamic. There are 5 cities on the world which has lands on 2 continents. These cities are called as transcontinental cities and 2 of these cities, İstanbul and Çanakkale, are in Turkey. Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara and Dardanelles form the border line between Europe and Asia. Therefore west part of İstanbul is on Europe and east part of İstanbul is on Asia. The first man to fly on the world was Turkish. Using two wings, Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi flew from the Galata Tower over the Bosphorus to land in Üsküdar (that means from Europe to Asia) in 1630. Tunel, which is in Beyoğlu district of İstanbul, is the world’s second oldest underground railway and it was built in 1875. Note: First one was built in 1863 in London. Council 2 (in 381), Council 4 (in 451), Council 5 (in 553) and Council 6 (in 680) of the first 7 Ecumenical Councils of Christianity were done in İstanbul. Council 2 defined the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Council 4 rejected the opinion of monophysitism and defined the two natures (divine and human) of Jesus Christ. “We teach unanimously that the one son, our lord Jesus Christ to be fully God and fully human. After that council Syria and Egypt went away from Eastern Rome and accepted the domination of Arabs and became Muslim. Council 6 rejected monothelitism (Christ has two natures but only one will) and accepted the opinion that Christ has two natures (divine and human). The English name of Bosphorus comes from a Greek legend: Zeus had an affair with a beautiful woman named Io. When Hera, his wife, discovered his infidelity, she turned Io into a cow and created a horsefly to sting her on the rump. Io jumped clear across the strait. Thus bous (cow), and poros (crossing-place) make Bosphorus (crossing-place of the cow). Muslim pilgrims from all over the world visit Eyüp Sultan Camisi and the Tomb of Eyüp Sultan, the Prophet Mohammed’s standard bearer, and it is one of the holiest places in Islam. 2 Marinas of İstanbul have Blue Flag. |
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Letoon Ancient City is
one of the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. Ancient Historian Herodotus was born and lived in Bodrum, Muğla. Mausoleum which is in Bodrum, Muğla is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 71 beaches and 7 Marinas of Muğla have Blue Flag. Museum of Underwater Archaeology in Bodrum displays the world’s oldest shipwreck. Saklıkent (Hidden City) Gorge in Fethiye is the second-largest (20 km-long) gorge in Europe, the longest and deepest gorge in Turkey. Like other touristic places of the south of Turkey Muğla has a lot of British residents. For example 1/3 of all residents of Yeşilüzümlü Village of Fethiye, Muğla is British. |
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Xanthos
Ancient City (The Capital of the Lycia Ancient State) in Kaş,
Antalya is one of the World Heritage Sites of
UNESCO. Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas) was born and lived in Demre, Antalya. Saint Paul visited Perge Ancient City in Antalya and preached his first sermon there. 171 beaches and 5 Marinas of Antalya have Blue Flag. Patara Ancient City in Kaş, Antalya was the birthplace of Apollo, according to Greek legend. The inhabitants of Xanthos Ancient City (The Capital of the Lycia Ancient State) in Kaş, Antalya chose collective suicide rather than submission to invading armies on two separate and unrelated occasions in ancient years. If you come to Antalya in April you may swim and ski in the same day. At Saklıkent, just 50 km away from the city centre, there is snow on the slopes until early April. World’s second
longest cable car is in Çıralı, Kemer, Antalya. The cable car,
which was built by Turkey passes over Olympos Ancient City. The Chimaera (Burning Stones) (Yanartaş), in Olympos Ancient City, Kemer, Antalya, is a natural flame that has burned ceaselessly for millennia. When Queen of Egypt VII. Cleopatra (lived from 69 BC to 30 BC) married Antonius he gave her Hamoxia which is in Alanya, Antalya as a gift. The amphitheater in Side, Antalya, built in 200’s by Roma Empire was one of the largest in Pamphylia, with seats for more than 15,000 spectators and is unusual for being free-standing, rather than built into the side of a hill, as were the majority. Dim Cave, which is in Alanya, Antalya, is the second biggest cave of Turkey. Damlataş Cave, which is in Alanya, Antalya has a special property that it can heal people with asthma. Antalya Airport was selected 'Best Airport in Europe' (10-25 million passenger category) by Airports Council International in 2011. Alanya Castle is the only Seljuk Castle in the world which could be preserved until today. The Altın Portakal (Golden Orange) film festival is held annually in the autumn in Antalya. |
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Ancient philosopher Heraclitus was born and lived in Ephesus, Selçuk, İzmir. Ancient philosopher Anaxagoras
was born and lived in Kilizman, Urla,
İzmir. Council 3 (in 431) of the first 7 Ecumenical Councils of Christianity was done in Ephesus, Selçuk, İzmir. Council 3 accepted monophysitism (Christ is God and the Virgin Mary is the Mother of God). Temple of Artemis, which is in Ephesus Ancient City in Selçuk, İzmir is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 24 beaches of İzmir have Blue Flag. Hellenistic Theater of Pergamum Ancient City has a seating capacity of 10,000 and the steepest seating of the ancient world. |
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Ancient philosophers Thales, Anaximander,
Anaximenes and Democritus were born and lived in
Miletus, Söke, Aydın. 19 beaches and 2 Marinas of Aydın have Blue Flag. |
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Göreme
National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia is one of the World Heritage
Sites of UNESCO. |
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The first official church of the world is in Laodikiea Ancient City which is in Denizli. The first X (vaftiz havuzu) of the world is in the abovementioned church in Laodikiea Ancient City which is in Denizli. Laodikiea Ancient City is the only ancient city in Anatolia which
has 2 amphitheaters. One of
them has 20,000 seats. Hierapolis
Ancient City and Pamukkale Hot Springs is one of the World Heritage Sites of
UNESCO. |
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War of Troy was done in Troy Ancient City which is in Hisarlık, Çanakkale in 1820 BC. In this war soldiers hide into a huge wooden horse (Trojan Horse) which they have made and by this way they were able to get into the castle. Archaeological Site of
Troy is one of the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. The movie of Troy (2004), which Brad Pitt acted in, narrates Trojan War which were taken place in Troy Ancient City in Hisarlık, Çanakkale in 1820 BC. Battle of Gallipoli was done in Gelibolu, Çanakkale from 25 April 1914 to 18 March 1915. Ancient philosopher Aristoteles was
lived 3 years in Assus Ancient City in
Çanakkale. 5 beaches of Çanakkale have Blue Flag. There are 5 cities on the world which has lands on 2 continents. These cities are called as transcontinental cities and 2 of these cities, İstanbul and Çanakkale, are in Turkey. |
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Bursa |
Başmelekler Church, the 3rd oldest Orthodox Church of the world, is in Bursa.
Mount Uludağ, the most popular winter tourism center of Turkey, is in Bursa. Council 1 (in 325) and Council 7 (in 787) of the first 7 Ecumenical Councils of Christianity were done in İznik, Bursa. Council 1 defined the equality of God Father and Christ, his son. It taught, that Jesus was of the same substance as God the Father and not just merely similar. The council laid the foundations of the term Trinity. Council 7 The council lifted the ban of using icons in churches, rejected iconoclasm, restored of the veneration of icons in churches. |
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Gaziantep |
Gaziantep, which was founded in 3,600 BC is the oldest city of the world which is confirmed by UNESCO. The biggest mosaic museum of the world is near Zeugma Ancient City, Gaziantep. |
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Şanlıurfa |
The first human settlement place of the world is Göbeklitepe, founded in 9,000 BC is in Şanlıurfa. |
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Balıkesir |
17 beaches and 1 Marina of Balıkesir have Blue Flag. |
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Mersin |
5 beaches of Mersin have Blue Flag. |
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Tekirdag |
1 beach of Tekirdağ has Blue Flag. |
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Düzce |
1 beach of Düzce has Blue Flag. |
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Ağrı |
Many archaeologists and Biblical scholars believe that Noah’s ark landed on Mount Ağrı in Eastern Turkey following the flood. |
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Sivas |
Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği, Sivas is one of the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. |
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Çorum |
Hattusha: the Hittite Capital is one of the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. |
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Adıyaman |
Mount Nemrut (Nemrut Dağı) is one of the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. |
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Karabük |
Safranbolu Traditional Houses is one of the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. |
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Edirne |
Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex which
was built by Architecture Sinan is one of the World
Heritage Sites of UNESCO. |
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Bilecik |
Ottoman Empire was founded in Söğüt, Bilecik in 1299. |
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Van |
The ancient church on Akdamar Island which is in Van Lake is one of the official pilgrimage places of Christianity. |
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Please
Also Visit |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in
Turkey page Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
page Philosophers of Turkey page Ecumenical Councils of
Christianity in Turkey page Transcontinental Cities of the
World page |
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This page
will be developed soon. Please use site map to
reach other pages. |
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