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Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya)City/Region: Istanbul
Famous for its impressive size, remarkable architecture and beautiful mosaics and frescoes, the massive ochre-colored domed structure known as Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbul's most popular attractions. It was commissioned as a cathedral in the 6th century and remained the most important church in Christianity for over 900 years. In the 15th century Mehmet II conquered the city and converted it into a mosque, adding the minarets and fountains. It functioned as such for the next
481 years until the founding of the secular Turkish Republic in 1934 when it was declared a museum. Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest Byzantine buildings in the world, and the vast interior, with its huge soaring dome, is extraordinary. The interior contains different features from its time as a cathedral and then as a mosque, including incredible Byzantine mosaics, icons and marble columns, a mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca), and Islamic calligraphy inscriptions on the dome from the Ottoman period.
Address: Sultanahmet Square
Phone Number: (212) 518 1802
Transport: Sultanahmet tram stop
Hours: Open daily except Mondays from 9.30am to 4.30pm
Admission: 15 YTL
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii)City/Region: Istanbul
The Sultan Ahmet Camii, commonly known as the Blue Mosque, with its tiers of magnificent domes and six graceful minarets is one of the most striking and immediately distinguishable structures on the Istanbul's skyline. Constructed as an Islamic rival to the Hagia Sophia in 1609, it is one of the finest examples of Ottoman architecture and is still used by hundreds of worshippers. The interior is splendidly decorated with thousands of blue and white Iznik tiles embellished with traditional Ottoman flower patterns, and it is this special feature that gives the mosque its name. Its design of successively descending smaller domes, soaring columns and 260 stained glass windows leaves a lasting impression of graceful accord and open space. At the back of the mosque is a Carpet and Kilim Museum exhibiting antiques from all over Turkey.
Address: Hippodrome, Sultanahmet
Phone Number: (212) 518 1319 or (212) 518 1330 (for museum information)
Transport: Sultanahmet tram stop
Hours: Open daily, access restricted during prayer times, especially at midday on Fridays. The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday between 9am and 4pm
Admission: There is no charge for visiting the mosque, but the museum has a small entrance fee
Topkapi Palace MuseumCity/Region: Istanbul
The Topkapi Sarayi, built by Mehmet the Conqueror as a Sultan's Palace, consists of a sprawling collection of buildings arranged around several interconnecting courtyards. Magnificently situated on one of the seven hills of Istanbul with uninterrupted views over the Bosphorus River and the Golden Horn, it was the seat of the Ottoman Empire for almost four centuries. Home to nearly 3,000 people, it served as royal residence, harem, state administration and military barracks. One of the most popular sections is the harem, once the quarters of about 300 women who were the sultans' wives and concubines, and their children. Visitors can view the apartments, halls and terraces of the harem, and see the lavish royal bedchamber and Imperial Hall. No expense was spared in decorating the palace and exquisitely designed rooms, intricately detailed fountains and gateways, and the splendid Treasury, housing one of the greatest collections of treasure in the world, afford insight into the opulent lifestyle of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire.
Address: Topkapi Sarayi, Sultanahmet
Phone Number: (212) 512 0480
Website: www.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/~history/topkapi.html
Hours: Open daily except Tuesdays from 9am to 5pm
Admission: US$10 -15 depending on exchange rate; concessions available. The Harem can only be visited on a guided tour and a separate ticket is required
Turkish and Islamic Art MuseumCity/Region: Istanbul
The grand 16th century palace of the sultan's Grand Vizier, Ibrahim Pasa, today houses the Turkish and Islamic Art Museum, containing what many consider to be the finest collection of Islamic artifacts in the world. The palace itself was the finest private residence ever built in the Ottoman Empire. From its supreme position overlooking the Hippodrome, the sultan could enjoy excellent views of the celebrations in the square below. The museum is well laid out and contains more than 40,000 examples of Selçuk, Mamluk and Ottoman Turkish art, including ceramics, Koran cases, calligraphy, textiles, metalwork and illuminated manuscripts. Its antique carpet exhibit is renowned; the carpets, kilims and prayer rugs forming one of the richest and oldest collections in the world.
Address: Ibrahim Pasa Sarayi, Atmeydani 46, Hippodrome, Sultanahmet
Phone Number: (212) 518 1805
Transport: Sultanahmet tram stop
Hours: Open daily except Mondays from 9.30am to 5.30pm
Admission: 4 YTL
The Covered Bazaar (Kapali Çarsi)City/Region: Istanbul
The oldest and biggest enclosed bazaar in the world, also known as the Grand Bazaar, is one of the most enticing and mesmerizing attractions in Istanbul. Consisting of a vast labyrinth of 65 twisting streets crammed with more than 4,000 shops, teahouses, hamams (Turkish baths), mosques, storehouses and fountains. It is a fascinating experience to wander around the alleyways, looking and enjoying, or bargaining and purchasing. Here you can find almost anything, from meerschaum pipes, carpets and jewelry, to Turkish Delight, textiles, spices, clothing and hand-painted ceramics. Protracted bargaining over a cup of tea is an important institution. Built during the rule of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in 1461, the bazaar grew by covering an increasingly large area of shops and streets with roofs, arches and domes, and it became the center of trading during the Ottoman period. Caravans of silk traders traditionally stayed here and rested their camels while selling their merchandise, and many of these 'hans' or caravanserais still exist as storehouses today.
Address: Kapali Çarsi, Beyazit to Eminönü Harbour
Transport: Tram to Beyazit, Üniversite or Sirkeci
Hours: Open daily except Sundays from 8.30am to 7pm
Admission: Free
EphesusCity/Region: Aegean Coast
Resort Name: Kusadasi
Ephesus is the biggest and best-preserved ancient city in the country and is one of the world's spectacular historical sites. The city was established with a harbor on the mouth of the Cayster River, and in the 2nd century BC it became the most important port and commercial trading center in Anatolia, from Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic period to capital of Roman Asia under Augustus in 133 BC. The city went into final decline during the Byzantine era with the silting up of the harbor and by 527 AD it was deserted. The city is also important as the early seat of Christianity, visited by St Paul, whose letters to the Ephesians are recorded in the New Testament. The site needs little imagination to see what a functioning Roman city would have looked like, but guides are available and can offer a rich insight into the history and architecture of the ruins. Among the amphitheaters, murals and mosaics, baths, fountains, brothels and columns, the chariot-worn streets lead to some of the highlights, including the enormous Library of Celsus, the impressive Temple of Hadrian, a row of public latrines and the Grand Theater where Paul preached to the Ephesians. The city was originally dedicated to the goddess Artemis and her once-magnificent temple was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Address: Selçuk-Ephesus road
Phone Number: (232) 892 6402 or 892 6940
Email Address: info@selcukephesus.gen.tr
Website: www.ephesusguide.com
Transport: Dolmus services from Kusadasi make the 12-mile (19km) trip to Selçuk regularly, and buses from Izmir take about 1.5 hours. Minibus services from Selçuk cover the two mile (3km) distance to Ephesus
Hours: Daily 8am to 6.30pm
Admission: US$4.75 (adults), concessions available
PamukkaleCity/Region: Aegean Coast
Resort Name: Bodrum
Calcium-rich mineral springs surging over the edge of a mountain plateau for thousands of years has resulted in an intriguing natural masterpiece. The rock formations of Pamukkale ('Cotton Castle') are a series of natural shelves and ridges, terraces that have been turned white from the solidified chalky calcium deposits left behind as the thermal waters tumble into further basins clinging to the cliff edge below. From a distance it appears to be a dazzling white fairytale castle, with a formation of tiers rising from the ground containing warm water pools. The hot springs have been used since Roman times to cure certain ailments. On the plateau is the Pamukkale Thermal enclosing the bubbling 'sacred pool of the ancients', the main source of the springs creating the white terraces, and its mineral waters are open for public bathing. Pamukkale is also the site of the ancient Roman spa-city of Hierapolis, and there are several ruins scattered about the area, including an impressive Roman theater. It was considered a sacred site for its magic healing waters and was the weekend destination of kings and emperors of the Pergamum and Roman Empires.
Phone Number: Pamukkale Thermal: (258) 272 2024
Transport: Pamukkale is a five-hour bus journey from Bodrum
Hours: Open daily. The Pamukkale Thermal is open 8am to 8pm (to 5pm in winter)
Admission: US$4, and US$5 for a swim in the mineral water at the Pamukkale Thermal
Olympos and the Fires of ChimaeraCity/Region: Mediterranean Coast
Resort Name: Antalya
The ancient site of Olympos dates back to Hellenistic times when it was an important Lycian city and became famous as a place of worship honoring Hephaestos or Vulcan, the God of Fire. Located on a beautiful sandy bay, the ruins are spread out on either side of the Ulupinar River and include a Byzantine bathhouse with mosaic floors, a marble temple entrance, a theater, and some excavated tombs. The shoreline is also a major protected nesting site for sea turtles. On the rocky slopes above the ancient city are a series of eternal flames issuing from cracks in the rock, caused by the combustion of natural gas seeping out of the mountain. It is possible to extinguish them briefly, but they will always re-ignite and are most impressive in the dark when at their most visible. The fire that comes out of the ground is said to be coming from the mouth of Chimaera, a mythical fire-breathing monster with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and a snake's tail, who was slain by the Lydian hero, Bellerophon on his winged horse, Pegasus.
Address: Çirali
Transport: The bus from Antalya to Olympos takes 1.5 hours. In season minibuses travel to Çirali from where the eternal flames are less than a mile (1.5km) walk away
Goreme Open-Air MuseumCity/Region: Cappadocia
The Goreme Open-Air Museum is the most visited of the monastic communities in Cappadocia and is one of the most famous sites in central Turkey. It is a complex comprising more than 30 rock-hewn churches and chapels containing some superb frescoes, dating from the 9th to the 11th centuries. Inconspicuous from the outside, the interiors are characteristically Byzantine with a central dome and a floor plan in the shape of a cross. The three columned churches, the Elmali, Karanlik and Carikli churches are the best known, and are superbly painted. The largest and best preserved is the Tokali Church, its interior walls covered in some of the richest frescoes in the region depicting scenes from the New Testament.
Address: The museum is about a mile (two km) outside the town
Phone Number: (0)384 271 2167
Hours: Daily 8am to 5.30pm
Admission: US$8.50
The Underground Cities of Derinkuyu and KaymakliCity/Region: Cappadocia
Central Cappadocia was overlooked by most as a dusty, infertile and barren landscape, making it a perfect refuge for the early Christians who established the first Christian communities here. They carved chambers, vaults and labyrinthine tunnels into the soft volcanic rock for use as churches, stables and homes. Of the 40 underground cities and settlements discovered in the area, Derinkuyu and Kaymakli are the biggest and most interesting, inhabited by Christians fleeing persecution in the 7th century and hiding from Arab invasions. These cities were well-hidden complexes, a safe and self-sufficient environment that could accommodate up to 30,000 people. The most thoroughly excavated is Derinkuyu, consisting of eight floors with stables, a school room and dining hall, churches, kitchens, living quarters, wine cellars, store rooms and a dungeon. Original airshafts still function and the maze of tunnels and rooms are well lit. Kaymakli is similar but smaller with only five of its levels having been excavated so far.
Transport: The best way to see the cities is on a day tour or by renting a car, but dolmuses (minibuses) go from Goreme to Nevsehir, and from there to the cities
Hours: Daily 8am to 5pm
Admission: US$7 per city
Ancient TroyCity/Region: Aegean Coast
For about 3,000 years the fascinating story involving the destruction of the prosperous city of Troy in a long war fought over the legendary beauty, Helen, was thought to be fiction. The story, told by Homer in the Iliad, was regarded as just a myth, until the ruins of the city were found in western Turkey at Hisarlik in the mid-19th century. Today the romantic story draws tourists and archaeologists alike to the site, where not a great deal remains to be seen beyond the ancient walls and a replica of the famed Trojan horse which enabled the final conquering of the city. The setting is also spectacular, offering views of the Dardanelles and the hills of Gallipoli. The recent Hollywood epic film, Troy, has revived interest in this piece of ancient history.
Address: 340 km (211 miles) west of Istanbul on the highway to Izmir
Transport: Troy is best accessed from the town of Çanakkale on the western bank of the Dardanelles. Çanakkale can be reached by bus from Istanbul, and taxis are available for transport to the remains of Troy
GoremeCity/Region: Cappadocia
The small town of Goreme is situated in the middle of the Valley of Fairy Chimneys, surrounded by the eerie shapes and fantastic rock formations that have made the region famous. It is one of the few remaining villages where fairy chimneys and rock-hewn houses are still inhabited, and several pensions, restaurants and cafes are carved into the rock. Its biggest attraction is the Goreme Open-Air museum with over 30 beautifully frescoed Byzantine rock churches. The town makes an excellent base from which to explore the surrounding rock formations, villages, vineyards and attractions. For shoppers, carpets and kilims are plentiful.
AnitkabirCity/Region: Ankara
The mausoleum of the founder of the Turkish Republic, Ataturk, is a revered monument in the city, accessed by a wide avenue lined with lion statues, drawing Turks from all over the country who come to pay their respects to their hero. It is also a fascinating attraction for visitors to Ankara, its stark, but imposing colonnaded aspect giving onto a courtyard, which contains a museum. The ceiling of the main hall is decorated with beautiful gold leaf mosaics, and there are plenty of reliefs and statuary to be admired.
Address: Entrance on Akdeniz Cad, Anitepe
Phone Number: (0)312 231 7975
Hours: 9am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday
Admission: Free
Museum of Anatolian CivilizationCity/Region: Ankara
The museum which charts the history of Asia Minor is housed in a lovely 15th-century restored building (originally a market and caravanserai) close to the center of Ankara, and is the ideal place to visit for anyone intending to travel through Turkey, delving into the past. It is filled with fascinating collections of archaeological finds, from monolithic statues to delicate jewelry, including some from Catal Huyuk, believed to be the earliest known human social community in the world. From the Palaeolithic and Neolithic, and through all the great civilizations since, this museum is like a time machine for antiquity buffs.
Address: Old city (Ulus) near the entrance to the Citadel
Phone Number: (0)312 324 3160
Hours: Daily except Monday 8.45am to 5.15pm
Admission: 10 YTL
Temple of AugustusCity/Region: Ankara
The Roman Temple of Augustus was built by the Romans in the 2nd century AD, and contains the best-preserved copy of Emperor Augustus' last will and testament, inscribed on the vestibule walls. The temple itself is in ruins and not open to the public, but together with other Roman ruins in the vicinity (including the Roman baths and the column of Julian) it is an exciting port of call for classical history addicts.
Address: Ulus Square
Ethnographic MuseumCity/Region: Ankara
When the founder of the Turkish Republic, Ataturk, died in 1938 he was buried in the internal courtyard of the building, which now houses the Ethnographic Museum, until he was moved to his final resting place at the imposing Mausoleum in Ankara in 1953. Today the Museum, guarded by an imposing bronze statue of Ataturk astride a horse, is well worth a visit. It contains a vast collection of folklore artifacts, including costumes, arts, crafts and art works.
Address: Talat Pasa Boulevard, Namazgah
Hours: Daily except Monday 8.30am to 12.30pm, and 1.30pm to 5.30pm
Natural History MuseumCity/Region: Ankara
Anyone with an interest in the natural world will enjoy Ankara's Natural History Museum, which contains some fascinating exhibits and dioramas detailing the (often extinct) wildlife of Anatolia, as well as a large collection of fossils and minerals. Most interesting are the fossilized footprints of humans who walked the Anatolian steppes 25,000 years ago, and the skeleton of a Maras elephant which lived in the area 193 million years ago.
Address: Eskisehir Road
Phone Number: (0) 312 287 3430
Hours: Weekdays 9am to 5pm, weekends 10am to 3pm
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