Turkey- Historical Countries.
October 6, 2009 by admin
Filed under asian, europe, historical vacation
Turkey is an Eurasian country in the Balkan region of southern Europe. Turkey was the center of the mighty Ottoman Empire, a main historical power. The Ottoman Empire ruled over Europe, Middle East and some parts of Africa for over six hundred years. Turkey is today the successor state of the ottoman Empire and it is a modern country on the border of Europe and Asia.
Because of this rich historical heritage Turkey is a famous historical location with a large number of historical monuments. The major historical sites in Turkey are :
- Istanbul – a well known major city of the Byzantine and Roman days. The city of Istanbul presents to the tourists the most famous historical monuments in Turkey : Haghia Sophia, the Church of Divine Wisdom, Sultanahmet Camii, Dolmabahce palace, Topkapi Palace and many more.
- Ankara – Ankara is the capital city of Turkey. We can find a large number of interesting historical attractions in this city like the Byzantine Citadel, Anatolian Museum, Ataturk Mausoleum and many more.
- Aspendos – Aspendos is an ancient Roman city and it was founded around the second century BC and we can find a very well preserved theater called Asia Minor.
- Ephesus – Ephesus is also an ancient city and it was originally known as Ionia during the Greek rule. After the rise of the Roman Empire the city was renamed to Ephesus. Today it is a well preserved historical heritage location with many attractions like the Temple of Diana. Ephesus was also the home of Virgin Mary, who lived and died here.
- Hieropolis – Hieropolis is an ancient city founded in the 2nd or 3rd century BC and it is well known as the therapeutic center with classical Roman style baths.
- Konya – Konya is a historically very important town because it gave home to the traditional whirling dervishes.
- Assos – Assos is a perfect site for historians and history fans because it presents the ruins of the city of Troy. Beside the Troy ruins we can also see the Temple of Athena.
Turkey is a popular touristic destination. The country has a large number of beautiful beaches and many exclusive hotels. Beside the classical tourism, we can find a very developed historical tourism too. The large number of historical sites attracts many tourists who would like to learn some interesting facts about the history of Turkey.
Ephesus contains the largest collection of Roman ruins in the eastern Mediterranean. Only an estimated 15% has been excavated. The ruins that are visible give some idea of the city’s original splendour, and the names associated with the ruins are evocative of its former life. The theater dominates the view down Harbour Street, which leads to the long-silted-up harbor.