Caravan-Serai Tours - Turkey - Handbook - Fascinating Places to Visit

Fascinating Places To Visit

Istanbul

The Archeological Museum Located near the Topkapi Palace, you will find this museum housing artifacts representing the 15 civilizations that have flourished in Turkey over the past 4,000 years.

Blue Mosque The Sultan Ahmet Mosque is famed for its interior which is faced with blue glazed tiles. It is also the only mosque in the world with six minarets.

Dolmabache Palace Built in 1853, the Sultan moved there from Topkapi. It is in the rococo style, copied after European palaces of the time.

Galata Bridge This crosses the Golden Horn. During the day there are peddlers, small shops and restaurants. At night it opens up to let larger ships pass through.

Grand Bazaar This maze of more than 4,000 shops is the largest Oriental bazaar in the world. Construction began on it in 1461, and houses shops that sell jewelry, copperware, furs, stoves, lamps, icons, furniture, carpets, and more.

Hippodrome Located between the Blue Mosque and St. Sophia, the Hippodrome was constructed for chariot racing. All that remains of this Roman structure are the obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the obelisk of Constantine.

Spice Bazaar Also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, you will find all types of spices, nuts, coffee, tea, foodstuffs, and dried fruit.

Museum of the Ancient Orient This museum houses an impressive collection of pottery, art, and tools from prehistoric Hittite, Trojan, Phrygian, and Assyrian civilizations.

St. Sophia Built by the Emperor Constantine in 360 AD, and reconstructed by the Emperor Justinian in 532 AD after being destroyed by riots, it was once one of the most impressive churches in Christendom. It is known for its Byzantine mosaics, it was subsequently converted to a mosque, and is now a museum.

Suleymaniye Mosque This is a 16th century architectural masterpiece of the great Turkish architect Sinan, and a dominant feature of the Istanbul skyline.

Topkapi Palace Built in 1473 by the emperor Mehmet II, Topkapi served as the Sultan's residence until it was moved to the Dolmabache palace on the Bosporus. It is now a museum depicting the lives of the Ottoman rulers. Visit the many buildings, parks, the barracks, kitchen, great halls, and pavilions. On display are jewels, pottery, miniatures, thrones, and library.

Yerebetan This is an underground cistern built by Constantine and later enlarged by Justinian. It has 336 columns with ornate Corinthian capitals supporting the mammoth water storage chamber.

Alacahoyuk Home of the Hittite Sphinx Gate ruin Alacahoyuk was a center of civilization during the Bronze Age and is considered one of the most important ancient Hittite sites. Though most of the gold and bronze objects found in the area are now in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara there is a small but interesting museum at the site of Alacahoyuk's Royal Tombs. 100 mi/160 km east of Ankara.

Ankara, (pop. 3,000,000) founded in 2,000 BC, gained its modern prominence after it replaced Istanbul as the capital in 1923. Consequently it has distinct old and new sections. The old part of the city, Ulus, is located on two steep hills and is characterized by narrow winding streets and neglected buildings. The new section's hallmark is characterless modern buildings-and the city continues on its rapid expansion. Inside this tangle of old and new lurks Turkey's main center of cultural life: three symphony orchestras and five state-operated theaters (featuring opera ballet and drama) offer regular performances. There's also a fine modern-art museum in the city.

One of the most impressive sights is the Hisar (Citadel) built of an incredible assortment of columns and blocks taken from other ancient buildings. Other sites in the old town include the well-preserved Temple of Augustus, the 3rd-century Roman Baths of Caracalla (which were equipped with central heating), and the 15th-century Haci Bayram Mosque (named after the revered dervish who is buried there). There is also the Grand National Assembly Museum (the assembly that founded modern Turkey first met in Ankara), and the 4th-century Julian's Column (built by the Roman emperor who tried to revive paganism).

Antalya All the right elements come together to make this Mediterranean town (pop. 500 000) on the Turkish Riviera one of the country's top attractions. Not only is it on a beautiful crescent bay but dramatic cliffs and the Toros Mountains contribute to one of the most beautiful backdrops on the Mediterranean. And Antalya offers variety: visitors can take a break from the sea and sand to visit Hittite Greek and Roman ruins right in town or take day trips to enjoy both natural and historic attractions. The beaches near town are pebbly; the ones farther out are much better.

Antioch This ancient Syrian capital (pop. 109,000) was once the third-largest city in the Roman empire after Rome and Constantinople and was home to one of the world's first Christian communities. Much of the ancient heritage of Old Antioch however was destroyed by wars and earthquakes. What is left is the atmosphere of a French colonial city (the French held Antioch in the 1920s) with wide boulevards and traffic circles. Drive to the top of the mountain to see the ruins of the Byzantine fortress and enjoy the impressive view. Also visit some of the city mosques. A special treat for Biblical scholars and history buffs is St. Peter's Church - a cave where Peter preached (mass is still said here every other Sunday). The Hatay Archaeological Museum houses one of the finest collections of Roman mosaics in the world.

Artvin Part of the Georgian borderlands, the Artvin valley looks nothing like central Anatolia. It is lush, green, and European in appearance with monasteries, castles, and ancient Russian-style houses. The town of Artvin is dominated by a medieval castle, and though it's small and provincial with few comforts, for the sea-and-sunshine tourist it makes a wonderful base for mountain trekking and monastery visits. The most-visited Georgian church is the 10th-century Dolishane in the village of Hamalikoy.

Bursa At the foot of Mt. Uludag (also called Mt. Olympus), is Bursa (pop. 1,000,000), the first capital of the Ottoman empire. The city justly famed for its tiled architecture has several nice attractions including gardens, the Ulu Cami (Great Mosque), archaeology and ethnography museums, the Green Mosque (Yesil Cami), and its adjoining tomb (Yesil Turbe-wonderful tile work). The Muradiye Mosque is surrounded by 11 red brick mausoleums that hold the tombs of an Ottoman sultan and members of the nobility. The suburb of Cekirge is Turkey's best-known mineral spa.

Canakkale is situated on the part of the Dardanelles known as 'the Narrows' as it is the narrowest part of Dardanelles being just over a kilometre across. The Dardanelles is the stretch of water that separates Europe from Asia and links the Aegean Sea to the south with the Sea of Marmara to the north

Cappadocia This region is known for its cliff-hanging monastic settlements of Goreme, the underground city of Derinkuyu, and Zelve. The moon-like landscape formed by volcanic activity is as famous as the wine produced here.

Ephesus This ancient city is where St. Paul preached and St. John wrote his gospel. It is purported to be the last home of Mary, mother of Christ. It has existed since 3,000 BC and was important for controlling the adjacent sea-lanes. Some of the buildings to be explored are the Celsus Library, the Scholastica baths, brothel, public latrine, the harbor street, theater, and the marble road built by the Romans. This is also the site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Pamukkale Known in ancient times as Heiropolis after the wife of King Telephus of Mycia, Pamukkale is famous for its natural mineral springs that have long been reputed to have healing properties.