Natural and Historical Wonders
An increasing number of visitors to Turkey are discovering that there’s a great deal more to this country than its fabulous beaches. Turkey is a vats country with unique natural landscapes and a rich history and culture, the remains of the many civilisations which have inhabited this ancient land. To date, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has registered 9 locations in Turkey on the World heritage List.
The sites are:
• Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia
• Great Mosque of Divrigi
• Historic Areas of Istanbul
• Hattusha
• Nemrut Dag
• Hierapolis-Pamukkale
• Xanthos-Letoon
• City of Safranbolu
• Archaeological Site of Troy
Goreme National Park and Rock Sites of Cappadocia
Some 30million years ago, a series of volcanoes erupted in this area, the largest of which was the now extinct Mount Erciyes. They spewed lava and volcanic ash over the landscape which, as it solidified, turned into a soft stone known as tuff. Tuff is easily eroded by the elements, and over millions of years, the wind and the rain have formed the strange rock shapes which can be seen today. Known in Turkish as peri bacalari or ‘fairy chimneys’ they have been shaped into all manner of strange forms of all sizes, each contributing to the other-worldly atmosphere of this unique lunar landscape. Man has added to the work of nature, the softness of the tuff allowing it to be easily carved out and excavated to form subterranean dwellings and troglodyte villages. The early Christians fled here, escaping persecution as early as the 4th century and built their churches underground, hewn from the soft rock. A highlight of Cappadocia is the Goreme Open Air Museum, which has the area’s greatest concentration of chapels and monasteries cut out of the rock, dating mostly from the 9th century onwards. Many of them are decorated with beautiful Byzantine frescoes, showing Biblical scenes, which have been carefully restored.
Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi
The region of eastern Anatolia was conquered by the Seljuk Turks at the beginning of the 11th century and become the seat of the Menguceogullari tribe. In 1228-1229 Emir Ahmet Shah, their leader, founded a mosque, with its adjoining hospital at Divrigi. The kulliye or mosque complex is one of the finest examples of Seljuk stone carving and architecture in Turkey. What makes it so unusual is the intricate, highly decorative sculpture work featuring plants and animals, which seem to leap out of the stone. The doorways are particularly ornate, which is in stark contrast to the plain walls of the interior. Although Divrigi should definitely be incorporated into any tour of eastern Turkey, it is a little out of the way. It is approximately 160kms southeast of Sivas, a 5 hour train from Erzurum.
Historic Areas of Istanbul
Istanbul is strategically placed at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, guarding the entrance to the Black Sea. Its location has ensured its historic significance, and it has been the capital of three empires: Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman. Istanbul is divided by the Bosphorus straits which separate Europe from Asia, and the historic peninsula, known as the Sultanahmet area is further set apart from the more modern centre of Istanbul by the Golden Horn. This relatively small area, surrounded by water, at the point where the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn converge, is home to a treasure trove of historic riches. Its masterpieces include the ancient Hippodrome of Constantine, the 6th century Haghia Sophia (Ayasofya), Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Cami) and the 16th century Suleymaniye Mosque.
Hattusha or Hattusas
The archaeological site of the ancient walled city of Hattusha or Hattusas, former capital of Hittite Empire, is one of the most important in Anatolia. At the height of their power, around 1300 BC, the Hittites had conquered most of Anatolia and were rivalling the other great powers of the day. Egypt, Babylon and Assyria. Much of what we know about the Hittities has been learned from the thousands of bronze and clay tablets which were found at this site. Set in a National Park area in what is now known as Bogazkoy, the city was built around 1600 BC on a strategic site, surrounded by deep ravines. Perhaps the most famous of its monuments is the Lion’s Gate or Aslankapi, although the carved lions which now guard the site are only copies, as the originals are in the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations in Ankara. Hattusas was a hugely important city, originally containing some 70 temples. The largest of these was the Buyuk Mabet which has been extremely well preserved. It was dedicated to the worship of Teshuba, the storm god, and Hebut, the sun goddess. Approximately 3kms away is the site of the temple of Yazilikaya, literally ‘stone with writing’, named after the famous friezes carved into the rock face to the rear of the site, which depict Hittite deities. The city of Hattusas was destroyed around 1200 BC. The Hattusas National Park is located approximately 3 hours east of Ankara near Cappadocia.
Nemrut Dagi
The image of the huge disembodied stone heads of Mount Nemrut is one of Turkey’s most iconic. The site is remote, on a mountaintop some 2150 metres high, so it is not entirely surprising that it lay undiscovered until 1881, when it was found by a German engineer, carrying out a survey. The statues are part of the dream of one man, Antiochus I (69-34BC), who reigned over the Commagene kingdom. He certainly had delusions of grandeur, claiming to be descended from Alexander the Great and also the Persian King, Darius, and believed that on his death he would join the god, Zeus, in heaven. The tomb and temple complex which he had built consists of three terraces cut into the north, east and west sides at the top of the mountain and a sanctuary at the summit. The terraces featured seated statues of Greek and Persian gods, which were some 26-33 feet tall. Even the best preserved had been decapitated but the remains are still very impressive and in addition to the statues there are a number of carved stone relief’s. The site can now be reached by road and the most popular times to visit are dawn and dusk.
Hierapolis-Pamukkale
Pamukkale literally means ‘cotton castle’ and is one of Turkey’s most impressive natural wonders. It is made up of a series of white travertine terraces cascading down a cliff, which is almost 200 metres high. The hard, white mineral deposits, which from a distance resemble snow, are caused by the high mineral content of the natural spring water which runs down the cliff and congregates in warm pools on the terraces. This is such a popular tourist attraction that strict rules had to be established in order to preserve its beauty, which include the fact that visitors may no longer walk on the terraces. Those who want to enjoy the thermal waters, however, can take a dip in the nearby pool, littered with fragments of marble pillars. It was the thermal waters which lead to the founding of the spa town of Hierapolis at the Attalids, the kings of Pergamon. The remains include the ancient ruins of the baths, temples, the well-preserved theatre, and the largest necropolis or graveyard in Anatolia containing over 1200 tombs. It is easy to book an excursion from any of the major beach resorts to visit Pamukkale, and this is sometimes combined with a visit to Ephesus.
Xanthos-Letoon
The remains of the ancient federation of Lycia, which encompassed some 19 independent cities, can be seen throughout the south-western corner of Turkey. Most prominent are their tombs, especially the rock tombs, often cut high into cliff faces, and representing a house for the dead. Xanthos, which is situated close to the village of Kinik between Fethiye and Kalkan, became the capital of Lycia during the 2nd century BC. It is an impressive site containing some excellent examples of Lycian tombs. It was here that a pillar inscribed in both Greek and Lycian was found, which enabled the Lycian language to be understood. Letoon is approximately 4kms from Xanthos and was the Lycian religious centre, where the temples of Leto, Apollo and Artemis were situated. It is now partially flooded.
City of Safranbolu
Safranbolu is renowned for its superb Ottoman houses. It has become almost like an open air museum and is attracting more and more interest as the architecture which was once so common is now disappearing from other parts of Turkey. From the 13th century to the advent of the railway, Safranbolu was an important stop on the main East-West trade route, reaching the apogee of its cultural and economic success in the Ottoman period, during the 17th century. The city’s inhabitants became wealthy and built themselves lavish houses, many of which still survive today. Some of the most interesting houses have been restored and turned into museums, including Kileciler Evi, Mumtazlar Konagi and Kaymakamlar Muze Evi. The public buildings too give an idea of the vast wealth of the city at that time. You should visit the Koprulu Mehmet Pasa Mosque, which was completed in 1661; the Cinci Hani, the most famous building in the Carsi district, which is a caravanserai dating back to 1645, and the Cinci Hamami, a 17th century Turkish bath which is still in use today. Safranbolu is on the north-we
st Black Sea coast. It is approximately 4 hours from Ankara by bus and 5 hours from Istanbul.
Archaeological Site of Troy
The name of Troy is perhaps one of the best known and most evocative names of any historic site in the world. Relatively few people realise, however, that it is situated in Turkey, close to the town of Canakkale at the entrance to the Dardanelles. Homer Immortalized Troy in the Iliad, with his tale of passion, betrayal and cunning, and it is this, more than anything else which has afforded Troy its fame. In recognition of this, a replica wooden horse stands at the site. Troy is, however, also of archaeological significance. When the controversial German archaeologist, Schlieman, excavated at the end of the 19th century, he found nine cities, built on top of each other which date back to 3000 BC. Although heated debate still continues it seems likely that the fortifications which can still be seen and which date from the 6th city, were those defended by Priam and his sons Hector and Paris, and into which the Greeks smuggled their infamous wooden horse.
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
Two of these Wonders were situated in what is now Turkey, although sadly neither of them has survived to the present day – the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.
The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus
The Temple was built to house the cult image of Artemis Ephesia which shares many features in common with the Anatolian Mother Goddess, Cybele. The exact construction of the temple is not known but, although it was devastated by fire in 262 AD, some of its sculptures have survived and are now housed in the British Museum in London.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, in what is now Bodrum, was built of white marble, some 135 feet high. It was the tomb of the Persian Governor of Caria, Mausollos. The tomb’s fame spread to such an extent that the word ‘mausoleum’ is taken from a corruption of the Latin form, Mausolus, of the governor’s name. Today, only the foundations remain, although some of the sculptures can be seen in the British Museum in London.
Explore our site, we have provided a wealth of information about Turkey including amazing and intriguing areas, towns and cities as well as things to do; attractions and activities and leisure pursuits.
Click Here to request your FREE Turkey Property and Lifestyle brochure.
