What are Turkey`s symbols?

Customized Turkey tour – Hagia Sophia

Customized Turkey Tour says Hagia Sophia is a great architectural beauty and an important monument both for Byzantine and for Ottoman Empires. Once a church, later a mosque, and now a museum of the Turkish Republic, Hagia Sophia has always been the precious of its time.

Selimiye Mosque

The square Mosque with its single great dome and four slender minarets, dominates the skyline of the former Ottoman capital of Edirne. Sinan, the most famous of Ottoman architects in the 16th century, constructed the complex. It includes madrasas (Islamic schools), a covered market, clock house, outer courtyard and library, to be his best work. The interior decoration using Iznik tiles from the peak period of their production testifies to an art form that remains unsurpassed in this material. The complex is considered to be the most harmonious expression ever achieved by the Ottoman kulliye. Kulliye is a group of buildings constructed around a mosque and managed as a single institution.

Cappadocia

Customized Turkey tours must include Cappadocia. As if plucked from a whimsical fairy-tale and set down upon the stark Anatolian plains, Cappadocia is a geological oddity of honeycombed hills and towering boulders of otherworldly beauty. The fantastical topography matches the human history here. People have long utilised the region’s soft stone, seeking shelter underground and leaving the countryside scattered with fascinating cavern architecture. The fresco-adorned rock-cut churches of Goreme Open-Air Museum and the subterranean refuges of Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı are the most famous sights, while simply bedding down in one of Cappadocia’s cave hotels is an experience in a 21st-century cave living.

Topkapi palace, customized Turkey tour

Several years after the conquest of Istanbul by Mehmed the Conqueror in 1453, started the construction of the Topkapi Palace. The year was 1460 and the palace was completed in 1478. A 700.000-square-metre area on an Eastern Roman Acropolis between the Sea of Marmara, Bosporus and the Golden Horn, was enough to build the palace. Topkapi Palace, was the administrative, educational and art centre of the Empire for nearly four hundred years. It had been like that since the rule of Mehmed the Conqueror until Sultan Abdulmecid, who is the thirty-first Sultan. Although the Ottoman Dynasty abandoned the palace and moved to the Dolmabahce Palace in the middle of the 19th century, Topkapi Palace had always been of great importance.

Blue Mosque

Sedefkar Mehmet Aga built the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii in Turkish) during the reign of Sultan Ahmet between 1609-1616. It is located on the site of the Great Palace of Byzantium, on the south-eastern side of the Hippodrome. Europeans call it blue because of its interior. More than 20.000 pieces of Iznic blue tiles, were used.

People also know the mosque as a fascinating structure with its six minarets. It is the oldest six-minaret mosque in Turkey. (the third oldest European capital, after Athens and Rome, is Sofia – the capital city of Bulgaria; enjoy a Sofia day trip)

Ephesus

In the ancient world, Ephesus was a centre of travel and commerce. Situated on the Aegean Sea at the mouth of the Cayster River, Ephesus was one of the greatest seaports of the ancient world.

Three major roads led from the seaport. One road went east towards Babylon via Laodicea. Another one to the north via Smyrna and a third road, south to the Meander Valley. (there is another road that takes straight to Bulgaria, jeep safari Bulgaria)

Tulip

The tulip is one of Istanbul’s traditional symbols. It came to Istanbul from Iran centuries ago. People favoured and cultivated it here until tulip-love became a real mania. In the so-called Tulip Period of Ottoman history, one could sell a rare tulip variety for a breath-taking sum.

Please, contact us and don’t hesitate to ask your questions or for more details.

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What are Turkey’s older civilizations?

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A guide in Turkey is what you need Do we need a guide for Turkey? A private guide Turkey? A simple question, indeed but...

What are Turkey`s symbols?

Customized Turkey tour - Hagia Sophia Customized Turkey Tour says Hagia Sophia is a great architectural beauty and an important monument both for Byzantine and...

What are Turkey’s older civilizations?

Sightseeing tours Turkey – Anatolia the cradle of history, fertility and culture

Sightseeing tours Turkey – Anatolia hides many ancient cities that will amaze you. This is not accidentally as it is home to many civilizations over the course of history. Anatolia is one of the most culture-filled regions on Earth where the past has left its traces. People know it to be the cradle of civilizations. From the smallest to the greatest empires had been on Anatolia’s fertile lands. They all left their traces making Anatolia a place where the footprints of unknown ancient civilizations are still waiting for somebody to discover them.

In each city that you visit in Turkey, you will find traces of people who walked on the same ground ages before you. The modern world’s increasing eagerness to learn about those who lived before us is the power that gives direction to sightseeing turkey Tours. Anatolian people are very lucky. Under each piece of soil they step on, there lies history. They are also very hospitable and they like to share the energy that is in their lands with you.

Anatolia welcomed many empires from the Hittites to the Byzantines. Let’s take a look at the remnants of some of the civilizations that once existed in Anatolia.

Ephesus

Ephesus is one of the ancient Greek cities in the region. Attic and Ionian colonists founded and built the city in the 10th century B.C. The Temple of Artemis in the city is the most well-known ancient remnant and one of the seven wonders of the world.

So in order to experience one of the seven wonders, visiting Ephesus must be on your list. This ancient city was one of the seven churches of Asia, as the Book of Revelations cited. The House of Virgin Mary is another destination that makes Ephesus worth a visit. As legend says, Virgin Mary spent her last days in Ephesus. Since the 19th century, the house of Virgin Mary has been regarded as the place where she spent her final days.

Many Catholics on pilgrimage visit the house. People also believe that Ephesus is the place where the story of the Seven Sleepers took place. According to Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox Christians, the seven sleepers slept in a cave in Ephesus for centuries. Why they did so, because of persecution for their belief in God. To be part of this mesmerizing journey into the past, Ephesus is only a short flight from Istanbul. Bulgaria, too is a short flight and even a short drive from Istanbul. You can be part of private tour Bulgaria as well.

Sightseeing tours Turkey – Catalhoyuk

Catalhoyuk is among the oldest human settlements dating to the Neolithic Age, that is, to 7,400 B.C. – 5,200 B.C. Catalhoyuk we consider is the largest and best-preserved ancient site from that time period. It has been on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites since 2012, and since then measures to protect the ancient remains have improved.

Standing as proof of the development of civilizations and social life, the site includes houses with wall paintings. As well as sculptures and other features of the Neolithic Age’s housing aesthetics and architecture. Those who want to discover life in ancient times can see the site and houses with their interior and exterior designs. At the same time they can also witness ancient social life, culture, religion, agriculture and domestic life.

Sightseeing tours Turkey – Zeugma

One of Alexander the Great’s generals founded the ancient city of Zeugma in Gaziantep’s town of Nizip in 300 B.C. Originally they called it Selevkia Euphrates. In 64 BC the Roman Empire conquered and ruled Zeugma due to the fact that it was one of the four biggest cities of the Commagene Kingdom. This action led to the new name of Zeugma. It means bridge or passageway. Witnessing huge wealth and glory at the time of the Romans the city was important. This is due to its geo-strategic location along the Silk Road connecting Antioch to China. In 256 A.D., the Sassanids invaded the city and completely destroyed it. Later again, a huge earthquake buried the city.

Due to the invasion and the earthquake, the city and its magnificent structures sadly disappeared for a long age. In the 1980s, the Gaziantep Archaeology museum conducted the first excavation in the city and found graves and statues. But the main excavation that unveiled beautiful mosaics was conducted in 1992. This excavation brought Zeugma onto the archaeological scene and attracted many foreign and local tourists to view its glorious mosaics. There are also many villas, an amphitheatre, baths and temples. They are waiting beneath the ground to be uncovered. It can also be said that the real beauty of Gaziantep is much more than what we can see above ground.

Sightseeing tours Turkey – Hierapolis

Sightseeing tours Turkey – Hierapolis is an ancient city that is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. (If you decide to visit Sofia, Sofia sightseeing, Bulgaria, you will find other places from the UNESCO list) Hierapolis is near the natural wonders of Pamukkale, which is renowned for its springs and healing thermal waters. Hierapolis, which flourished during the Roman period; is the site of many museums, churches and outdoor facilities, and considering the natural wonders and historic remnants, it is definitely worth a visit. The theater of the ancient city is where gladiators fought. According to Christians, Hierapolis is where Saint Philip, a disciple of Jesus, was murdered, so it is considered a sacred destination. Both the natural wonders around the province and the ancient sites take Hierapolis to the top of any list of historic destinations to visit.

Sightseeing tours Turkey – Mount Nemrut

The outstanding natural treasure, Mount Nemrut, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tumulus contains the tomb of King Antiochus of the Commagene Kingdom and several giant statues. They are assumed to be royal tombs dating to the first century B.C. The highest open-air museum in the world, Mount Nemrut is in the Adıyaman provincial town of Kahta. The beauties of the enchanting 10-metre statues and ancient Commagene sanctuary are mesmerizing.
People today believe the mountain was a place for worship in ancient Anatolia. When you visit it, you will understand why ancient people chose it as a sacred place. On the East and West, there are giant statues, inscriptions and reliefs.

Five statues portray the gods and Antiochus. Every year, thousands of tourists come to the mountain to witness its history in person. Also, the artistic achievements of the Hellenistic period and the fascinating beauty of the monumental sculptures. While the statues are magnificent at any time of day, the mountain offers its best view at sunset. When you see the sun setting on the mountain, you see the breath-taking landscape, so do not forget to take your best camera along.

Sightseeing tours Turkey – Gobeklitepe

Some regard Gobeklitepe as one of the oldest temple complexes in the world. The evidence of recent findings reveal that it is the oldest sculpture workshops. It is on the outskirts of Urfa, and you must see it when you visit the city. Archaeological excavations conducted in the area have unearthed many artefacts, and it is characterized as the zero point of history since it dates back 12,000 years. Its fame lies in the fact that it is the largest, most monumental site built when humans were still hunter-gatherers. It was before the invention of agriculture. Moreover, some of the illustrations there are so amazing that they make modern artists envious.

Along with Gobeklitepe, Urfa is also a sacred city. People call it The City of Prophets, due to the legacy of Abraham. All three holy books of the three major monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam mention it. The history of the city, which is like a crossroad for different faiths, dates back more than 9,000 years. Numerous prophets are believed to have lived there. So, both Gobeklitepe and Urfa are amazing destinations for quick visits in history. Contact us so you don’t regret later.