GTurkiye

Category: Travel

  • Fascinating Facts Illustrating Turkey’s Rich Heritage

    istanbul

    – As an ancient land and modern nation, Turkey today holds and protects the common past of all people.

    – The only city in the world located on two continents is Istanbul, which has been the capital of three great empires – Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman – for more than 2000 years.

    – Istanbul is the only city in the world located on two continents Europe and Asia. During its 25,000 year history, it has been the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires.

    – The number of archaelogical excavations going on in Turkey every year is at least 150.

    – The oldest known human settlement is in Catalhoyuk, Turkey (7500 B.C.).

    – Ephesus and Halicarnassus – two of the seven wonders of the ancient world – are in Turkey.

    – Anatolia is the birthplace of historic legends, such as Homer (the poet), King Midas, Heredotus (the father of history), and St. Paul the Apostle.

    – Julius Caesar proclaimed his celebrated words, “Veni, Vidi, Vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered) in Turkey when he defeated the Pontus, a formidable kingdom in the Black Sea region of Turkey.

    – The famous Trojan Wars took place in western Turkey, around the site where a wooden statue of the Trojan Horse rests today.

    – The first church built by man (St. Peter’s Church) is in Antioch Antakya, Turkey.

    – The Amazons originated in Turkey’s Northeastern region.

    – The First Ecumenical Council was held in Iznik, Turkey.

    – Writing was first used by people in ancient Anatolia. The first clay tablets – in the ruins of Assyrian Karum (merchant colony) – date back to 1950 B.C.

    – Prophet Abraham was born in Sanliurfa in Southeast Turkey.

    – St. Nicholas, known as Santa Claus today, was born and lived in Demre (Myra) on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. The village contains the famous Church of St. Nicholas, which contains the sarcophagus believed to be his tomb.

    – Many archeologists and biblical scholars believe Noah’s Ark landed on Agri Dagi (Mount Ararat) in eastern Turkey.

    – The last meal on Noah’s Ark, a pudding with nearly 40 ingredients, is still served throughout Turkey.

    – The last home of Virgin Mary is in Selcuk, Turkey.

    – St. John, St. Nicholas, St. Paul and St. Peter have all lived and prayed in Southern Anatolia.

    – Part of Turkey’s Southwestern Shore was a wedding gift that Mark Anthony gave to Cleopatra.

    – The first man ever to fly was Turkish. Using two wings, Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi flew from the Galata Tower over the Bosphorus to land in Uskudar in the 17th century.

    – Homer was born in Izmir on the west coast of Turkey and he depicted Troy in his Epic the Iliad.

    – Suleyman the Magnificent (the famous Ottoman Sultan) was a poet who wrote over 3000 poems some of them criticising the greed of mankind.

    – One of the biggest and best preserved theatres of antiquity seating 15,000 is Aspendos on the southern coast of Turkey where international music festivals are held each year.

    – Aesop – famous all over the world for his fables and parables – was born in Anatolia.

    – Leonardo da Vinci drew designs for a bridge over the Bosphorus, the strait that flows through Europe and Asia. (It was never built then; but now there are two Bosphorus bridges.).

    – President Woodrow Wilson was fond of telling some of the tales of Nasreddin Hoca (13th century Turkish wit and raconteur; UNESCO has declared a “Nasreddin Hoca year”, 1996-1997).

    – Alexander the Great conquered a large territory in what is now Turkey – and cut the Gordion Knot in the Phrygian capital (Gordium) not far from Turkey’s present day capital Ankara.

    – Greek Cynic philosopher Diogenes was born in Sinop on Turkey’s Black Sea Coast.

    – Croesus – whose name is synonymous with great wealth – had his kingdom (Lydia) in Western Turkey.

    – Smallpox vaccination was introduced to England and Europe from Turkey by Lady Montagu in early 18th century (after Turkish phsycians saved her son’s life).

    – Istanbul’s Robert College, established in 1863, is the oldest American School outside the United States.

    – Throughout history Anatolia – land of Turks has been a bridge between Europe and Asia where people of different origins have come together and mingled with the ones already settled each time creating a new sythesis.

    – Early Christians escaping Roman persecution nearly 2000 years ago sheltered in Cappadocia in Central Anatolia.

    – In 1492 Sultan Beyazid II, learning about the expulsion of Jews dispatched the Ottoman Navy to bring the Jews safely to the Ottoman lands. Like wise Jews expelled from Hungary in 1376; from Sicily early in the 15th century; from Bavaria in 1470; from Bohemia in 1542 and from Russia in 1881, 1891, 1897, 1903 all took refuge in the Ottoman Empire.

    – As it was the case during the Bolshevik revolution, Turkey served as a safe passage an haven for those fleeing their native countries during the World War II, Turkey was one of the few countries in the world which welcomed the Jewish refugees escaping the horros of Nazism.

    – During the Gulf War in 1991, Turkey welcomed nearly half a million Kurds from Northern Iraq, who were fleeing the torment of Saddam.

    – Turkey provided homes for some 313,000 Bulgarian refugees of Turkish origin expelled from their homelands in Bulgaria in 1989.

    – According to Turkish tradition a stranger at one’s doorstep is considered “A Guest from ALLAH” and should be accommodated accordingly.

  • Explore the 2025 km of the Turkey Mediterranean coastline, dive in crystal clear waters

    All of the ruins in Turkey are closed to diving. In such prohibited areas, special permission is required for diving. Suitable places to dive in the Eastern Mediterranean region are; Iskenderun Arsuz region, Mersin vicinity, Maiden’s Castle, Anamur coast.

  • Are any vaccinations required for tourists entering Turkey

    vaccine

    There are no vaccination requirements for any international traveler. The World Health Organization web site, www.who.org, provides vaccination certificate requirements by country, geographic distributions of potential health hazards to travelers and information on health risks and their avoidance.

  • North Cyprus a Hidden Gem Destination in the Mediterranean

    Northern Cyprus I look over Girne Harbour lost in thought. The light slowly fades and as the night plays its most colourful game with the day, the candle flames stretch out and fall over the sea. A white sailing boat has already glided into the harbour.

    The historic Girne Castle at the tip of the harbour rises out of the dark blue Mediterranean. The stone walls gradually glow red. I realise that Cyprus is not just very beautiful, but has a hidden quality quite different from anywhere else; something which eases tired spirits, brings tranquility and makes even the unforgettable sink into oblivion.

    Perhaps it is the fragrance – of flowers in the gardens overlooked by windows with blue shutters in Girne, and of the orange trees along the road in Guzelyurt.

    Perhaps it is the fresh scent of a cool breeze from the misty Besparmak Mountains blowing through a castle perched upon rocks, or the salt smell of the turquiose sea on the Karpas Peninsula; the old scent of the photographs in an old woman’s one-roomed cottage in the village of Korucam, or the holy scent from Lala Mustafa Pasa Mosque in Gazimagusa.

    Which it is I have no idea. Perhaps Cyprus is a mixture of all these scents. The easiest and most enjoyable way of getting to know Northern Cyprus and experience all its fragrances is to rent a jeep and explore the country from end to end. We began in Girne, whose luxury hotels, casinos and inviting beaches make it the most popular resort in Northern Cyprus. The place where everyone exploring Cyprus gets to meet up is the harbour. Surrounded by café-bars and restaurants, it is always lively.

    Right next to the harbour rises one of the most impressive and impregnable mediaeval castles to have survived anywhere. But it is easy to storm Girne Castle today and spend a few hours visiting the several tiny independent museums to which it is home. And what about the other three castles in the Besparmak Mountains? The castles of Buffavento, Saint Hilarion and Kantara kept watch for uninvited ships on the distant horizon and warned the islanders of approaching danger.

    To see the scenic beauty which they have been savouring for centuries, all you need is a bit of adventurous spirit and stamina for the climb. From a dizzying wind blown height is a matchless view over the Mediterranean. On a mountainside is the tiny village of Karmi where the whitewashed houses draped with bougainvillea nestle amidst roses, geraniums, almond trees and plum trees. Here most of the inhabitants are German and British. The village of Koruçam near Guzelyurt, meanwhile, is home to a community of Maronites from Lebanon and Syria who settled here centuries ago.

    Their houses too are whitewashed, and their windows frame the sea. At the doors stand elderly women dressed in black, matching the black and white photographs on the walls. Melancholy and joy are mingled inextricably here. One of the best ways to get to know the local people is to visit Yorgo’s Place, where the famous Northern Cyprus pit roast is the main speciality, served with hellim cheese, tahini, gabbar (pickled leaves of the milk thistle), garlic sausage and Mediterranean salad.

    Then off we go again, leaving the Besparmak Mountains behind and heading for the capital Lefkosa (Nicosia). Here we wander through the narrow streets of the city’s oldest districts of Arabahmet and Selimiye, where the houses in an eclectic mix of styles Ottoman, Lusignan and even in a few cases Venetian in origin, made of adobe or stone, and with bay windows or balconies. Most have been restored. The Church of Saint Sophia (Selimiye Mosque) is one of the capital’s principal monuments, dating from the 14th century and characterised by marvellous stonework.

    In Gazimagusa is another but still more imposing monument in similar architectural style, the Cathedral of St Nicholas (Lala Mustafa Pasa Mosque), where light filtering through the long stained glass windows enhances the spiritual atmosphere of the interior.

    After visiting the ruins of Salamis, the island’s oldest church of St Barnabas, the Venetian city walls, and Othello’s Tower in Gazimagusa, it is time to head for the Karpas Peninsula. As we drive along through a landscape of yellow wheat fields, I am already excited at the prospect.

    The Karpas Peninsula is the furthest extremity of Northern Cyprus, where the island tapers out in a long narrow finger of land towards Turkey. It is a remote unspoilt spot of long sand beaches. When the road ends, we get out of the jeep and begin to walk.

    My head is whirling with thoughts of all the scents, faces, and tastes of the island, the salt of the Mediterranean, and flowers I dreamed of gathering. Wait for me, I want to get there first… to the very tip.
    Source: Skylife

  • How Can I Travel in Turkey

    BY PLANE: Virtually every major city in Turkey has air service and Turkish Airlines offers nationwide services. Most flights connect through Istanbul or Ankara, both of which have domestic and international terminals. You can check Turkish Airlines’ schedules and book flights at www.turkishairlines.com

    BY BUS: Busses are an efficient and affordable way to travel in Turkey. Private bus companies provide frequent day and night services between all Turkish cities. Local Tourism Information Offices usually have bus schedules for their regions; their addresses can be found at www.turizm.gov.tr

    Tourism Information The major bus lines have spacious, comfortable coaches, and offer coffee, tea and snacks. The two largest bus companies’ web sites, www.varan.com.tr and www.ulusoy.com.tr, provide routes, schedules, ticket prices, and office addresses.

    BY TRAIN: The extensive Turkish State Railways network connects most major cities. On some trains, sleeping compartments are available. Detailed train schedules and prices as well as reservation telephone numbers and authorized ticket agents are listed on their web site at www.tcdd.gov.tr. Transportation From and To the Airport Havas airport busses are a convenient and affordable alternative to taxis for transportation from airports to downtown areas or from downtown areas to airports in Turkey. You can find detailed information about the schedules at www.havas.com.tr