What to See in Turkey
In Istanbul , founded around 660 BC from the Byzantine period, the remains of imperial palaces, the Valens aqueduct, the ruins of powerful city walls, underground cisterns and places of worship, most of which have been converted into mosques, have been preserved.
The main attractions of the city are the Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia), the Ahmediye Mosque (1609 – 1616), the Suleymaniye-Jami Mosque or the Mosque of Sultan Suleiman, or the Blue Mosque – the largest mosque in Istanbul (accommodates up to 10 thousand people), Sultan’s Topkapi Palace with the famous harem. This is a one of a kind historical monument, which now houses a museum and an armory.
According to behealthybytomorrow, there are many interesting museums in the city, among which the Carrier Museum in the Chora Church (XI century) at the gates of Edirne with a magnificent collection of frescoes and mosaics, the Museum of Antiquity with a huge collection of historical values, the most ancient of which date back to the VI century. BC e., the Museum of Oriental Antiquities with objects of the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Anatolian and Arab civilizations, as well as the Museum of Turkish and Muslim Art in the palace of Ibrahim Pasha (1524) with interiors of houses from various regions of Turkey, miniatures, manuscripts and carpets from the period of the Ottoman Empire. Also interesting monuments of the city include the Church of St. Irina (VI century, destroyed in the XVIII century, restored), the Church of St. Theodore (Kilise-Jami, XI century) with beautiful mosaics of the XIV century, the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mosques of Mikrimakhi, Selima – The Conqueror, Eyup, Shah-zade (1548), Bayazid Madrassah (XVI century), as well as the Rustem Pasha Mosque (XVI century), famous for its beautiful tiles, Anadoluhisary fortresses (XIV century), Rumelihisary (1452).), Yedikule (1457), the so-called “submerged palace” Yerebatan Saray (VI c.), Galata tower (1348) with a restaurant on the top floor, offering a beautiful view of the surroundings, the Baroque Dolmabahce Palace (XIX c..), “faience pavilion” Chinili-Keshk (1472) with a magnificent collection of faience and Kagaloglu bath (1741).
The bridge across the Bosphorus, which connected the European and Asian coasts of Turkey, has become another symbol of this country. Also, most tourists cannot pass by the largest market in Istanbul – Kapal Charshi, which beckons with all the delights of oriental goods Ankara – a very ancient city, its fortress served as a refuge for the surrounding inhabitants even in the time of the Hittites (1200 BC). The historical center of the city is the tower of Ak Kale (“White Castle”), surrounded by a double wall, on which you can trace the turbulent history of Ankara – each conqueror updated the walls of this citadel, using the remains of destroyed buildings for this. The inner walls date back to the 6th century, and the fortress acquired its modern look in the 9th century. under the Byzantine emperor Michael II, when the outer perimeter of the walls was erected. Another symbol of the city is the Haji Bayram Mosque (XV century), built next to the ruins of the famous temple of Augustine and Roma, on the walls of which essays from Roman history and a list of the acts of Augustus are carved. The real place of pilgrimage for local residents is the majestic building of the mausoleum of Ataturk (Anit Kabir, 1953) in the Maltepe quarter. Here is stored the sarcophagus of the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal, the first ruler of the country, who gave it a civilized appearance and, in fact, made revolutionary changes in all spheres of public life. Turkey. The best museum in the city is the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Museum of the Hittites), housed in a 15th-century covered bazaar.
Not far from Ankara is the monument city of Bogazkoy – the “keeper” of the ruins of the ancient Hittite capital – Hattusas (XVII – XIII centuries BC). The remains of fortifications, the famous “Lion’s Gate”, palaces and a unique historical monument – the stone “Bogazkey archive” – have been preserved.
In Izmir , the third city in Turkey after Istanbul and Ankaraand the largest city on the Aegean coast, 13 columns with beautiful capitals have been preserved from historical monuments – all that remains of a huge Roman forum with an open courtyard and two-tier covered galleries around the perimeter, the Yahly Mosque (1754), the ancient caravanserais of Chakaloglu Khana and Kyzlaragasy Khany (XVIII century), as well as the Hissar mosque (1597) and Shadirvan (Kemeralty, 1636). On the Pagos hill rises the Byzantine fortress of Kadifekale (“velvet”), built on the site of more ancient defensive structures that were erected on the same site by the Aegeans. Of the museums, these are the Ethnographic Museum with a collection of folk art and handicrafts, and the Archaeological Museum, which presents unique archaeological finds from Western Anatolia dating from the 6th century. BC.
