Why Should You Come to the Amazing Turkey?

There are many spectacular sights found throughout Turkey From the ideal beaches and serene lagoons on the Mediterranean coastline, all the way to the spectacular ancient ruins found throughout the land, Turkey is one of the greatest tourist attractions in the world.

Reason #1 The Turkish Riviera and the Mediterranean Coastline

Facts on the Mediterranean Coastline Coastline Today, the Turkish Riviera on the Mediterranean Coastline, from Marmaris to Antakya, attracts vacationers from America, Asia, Europe, and Africa This area once attracted the Romans, Phoenicians, and Seljuks Antalya, the capital of the Turquoise coast, is a bustling resort and commercial city. It includes a large new airport and a stupendous archeological museum. As a favorite area for Turkey's artists, writers and yachting sets, the cafes are fashionable and the nightlife is vibrant.

Facts on the Mediterranean Coastline Pensions and high-class inns fill the historic region of Kaleiçi, while excellent restaurants are found along the Roman harbor, proving Antalya to be the perfect base for visiting sights throughout Europe. Closer to the Aegean Sea, is the yachting port of Bodrum, which is arguably Turkey's most charming coastal town. Also including the medieval Castle of St. Peter, Bodrum is famous for its world-class Museum of Underwater Archeology, and for the luxurious Tomb of King Mausolus.

Reason #2 Mount Nemrut

Facts on Mount Nemrut The Mount Nemrut region is home to architectural and sculptural pieces memorializing the first century B.C. kingdom of Antiochos I, who was the son of Mithradates I Kallinikos and the founder of the independent Commagene kingdom. At the peak of Mount Nemrut's, at an elevation of more than 6,000 feet, a 164-foot tumulus and three terraces cut out of the rock dominate the landscape. On top of the terraces are eight- to ten-meter statues representing Antiochos I, the goddess Commagene, the gods Apollo, Zeus and Heracles, and guardian statues of eagles and lions

Facts on Mount Nemrut Stone reliefs depicting the ancestors of Antiochos I are also on the east and west terraces, and a large ceremonial altar rises above the east terrace. The beauty of the monumental sculptures and the magnificence of the scenery go uncontested, and the site is considered by many to be the eighth wonder of the world. The constituency was listed on the World Heritage list in 1987, and the Turkish government has taken drastic steps to preserve Mount Nemrut for future generations of scholars and visitors. The site is set to be fully restored and conserved, starting in 2002.

Reason #3 The Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet Camii

Facts on the Blue Mosque It is the single most recognizable monument on the Istanbul skyline It was built between , during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I At one point, this enormous complex also included a marketplace, caravansary, public kitchen, school, a hospital, and the Mausoleum of Sultan Ahmet I.

Facts on the Blue Mosque Its interior includes 260 windows, and it is ornamented with more than 20,000 cherished Iznik tiles detailing conventional flowers of Ottoman designs. It is the deep blue glow of the tiles in sunlight that gives the building its name.

Reason #4 Hagia Sophia, Ayasofya

Facts on the Hagia Sophia Built by Byzantine Emperor Constantine in the fourth century and reconstructed by Justinian in 537 A.D., this was the greatest church in Christendom for a thousand years To this day, it is still an architectural masterpiece Its gigantic dome is more than 100 feet in diameter (wide), and it rises nearly 200 feet above the ground

Facts on the Hagia Sophia The Ottomans converted this cathedral to a mosque in the 15th century, but today the Hagia Sophia serves as a public museum, known for its fine Byzantine mosaics and splendid tranquility

Reason #5 Topkapi Palace

Facts on Topkapi Palace Covering 172 acres, Topkapi Palace is a vast throng of garden-filled courtyards, richly festooned chambers, kiosks, pools, and passageways. For hundreds of years, the palace was home to the Ottoman Imperial Family, and it was the administrative headquarters of the Ottoman Empire. This area included the Imperial Treasury abundant with incredible treasures such as kitchens boasting exhibits of fine Chinese porcelain; the gilded Council Chamber; the Imperial Harem; the pleasure kiosks; a 7-pound emerald; and an 86- carat diamond.

Reason #6 The Fourth Wonder of the World: –The temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Facts on The Temple of Artemis The temple of Artemis (or Diana) at Ephesus was built in about 550 BC by Croesus, king of Lydia. –His name has become an epitome for wealth. The temple was outstandingly large, and it also contained a famous and unusual statue of Artemis. The Artemis portrayed here is not the virgin huntress of Greek myth.

Facts on the Temple of Artemis She was a local fertility goddess, ornamented with objects variously deduced as breasts, eggs, or even, it has been disputed, testicles. The chief priest of Ephesus was always a eunuch. The temple of Artemis was destroyed by Goths in AD 262.

Reason #7 The Fifth Wonder of the World: –The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

Facts on the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Halicarnassus was chosen as a new capital in the 4th century BC by the ruler of the diminutive kingdom, Caria. The king was Mausolus, who died in about 353 BC. His spectacular tomb, which was built for him by his widow, Artemisia (she was also his sister), had given the world a new word: 'mausoleum'.

Facts on the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus It was festooned with sculptures, including a wall painting of the battle between the Greeks and the female Amazons. The temple stood until the 12th century AD, when it was damaged by an earthquake and later looted for building materials. Many fragments of the sculptures are found in British Museums.

Thanks For Listening! Hopefully now all of you will want to visit Turkey sometime very soon!

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