Turkish Delight

Turkey

What are the images of Turkey to travelers? The minarets, the mosques, or the chicken kebabs? Turkey is more than the sum of all things combined. It is a country that spans western Asia and eastern Europe.

A brief history of Turkey:

Turkey's predecessor is known as the Ottoman Empire. Before Ottoman, there was the Byzantine Empire which was the medieval Greece. Even before Byzantine, there was the Roman Empire. 

The Byzantine Empire around the year 867

                  

The Ottoman Empire around the year 1600

the founder of modern Turkey
Mustafa Kemal
Atatürk

 



   



The Turks slowly migrated to the land of Anatolia around year 1100, from central Asia. They built up the Ottoman Empire gradually, following a series of war with the Byzantines. In the year 1453, Ottoman Empire completely defeated the Byzantine Empire. After world war one, the Ottoman Empire disintegrated, and the modern Republic of Turkey was established in the year 1923.

The Itinerary in 2012 :

Istanbul->Antalya->Denizli->Kusadasi->Istanbul

Istanbul

Istanbul was called Constantinople in Byzantine times. The city wall of Constantinople is still standing today. A taxi was driving through the city wall in the picture above.

The Hagia Sofia (Turkish: Ayasofya) at night. The construction of Hagia Sophia was completed in year 360. From 360 until 1453, it served as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral and seat of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The building was converted to a mosque from 1453 until 1931, when it was secularized. It was opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.

The Blue Mosque (Turkish: Sultanahmet Camii) and the Hagia Sofia are close to each other. The picture was taken from a window in Hagia Sophia.

inside the Blue Mosque, featuring the praying area. It was built from 1609 to 1616.

The Nuruosmaniye Mosque (Turkish: Nuruosmaniye Camii) is an Ottoman era mosque built in the 18th century.

The view from Galata Tower towards the Asian side.

The Galata Tower  (Turkish: Galata Kulesi), it was built in the year 1348 as a fortification tower.

İstiklal Caddesi (Independence Avenue), a long pedestrian shopping street, at Taksim Square.

Inside basilica cistern, it was built in the 6th century as a reservoir for the city people. Now it is a museum.

The people of Istanbul along a busy street.

The Bosphorus Channel, separates the Asian continent from Europe.

Antalya

It is the biggest city along the Turkish Mediterranean coast. There are a marina, old town and beaches squeezed into the city center.

The Mediterranean Sea next to the Antalya marina.

The Konyaaltı Beach at Antalya

I was in Antalya.

A boat sailed out from the Antalya harbour. The mountain in the background is the majestic Antalya mountain.

This is the city tram of Antalya. There is a tram station at the bus terminal, and we can take the tram to the old town section of Antalya.

The Hadrian gate, constructed in 130AD to commemorate Roman Emperor's visit to the city.

Perge

Perge was an anicent Greek city (founded 1000BC). It was a prosperous city in Greek and Roman times, sitting next to a river. Due to war and accumulation of sands in the river, it was slowly abandoned. Now what is left is a pile of ruins. Perge is about 15km from Antalya.

Side

Side is an anicent city. It was a prosperous harbour city in Roman times. Today, Side is a popular holiday destination. Side is about 75km from Antalya.

The Apollo temple is the most famous attraction in Side.

The Mediterranean Sea at Side town

Aspendos

Aspendos is another Greek-Roman ancient city. It is about 40km east of Antalya. Romans built the Aquaduct.

A man walked in the Roman Theater.

The best preserved Roman theater is in Aspendos.

The tour guide and the farmer were having a philosophical discussion?

Kusadasi

I took a bus from Denizli to Kusadasi. Kusadasi is a major harbour at the Turkish Aegean Sea.

The Ladies beach at Kusadasi in the early morning. It was quiet.

The fishing harbour in the evening at Kusadasi.

Ephesus

It was the capital of Roman Empire in the Asian region. There are pedestrians streets in the city of Ephesus.

The ruins of Celsius library

The great theatre of Ephesus.

Pamukkale

Pamukkale means 'cotton castle' in Turkish. It contains hot springs and travertines. The ancient Greco-Roman city of Hierapolis was built on top of Pamukkale. In present days, Pamukkale is a small village, which is 10km from Denizli. However small it maybe, Pamukkale is a UNSECO world heritage site.

The lake in front of the travertine pools in Pamukkale

The travertine pools is snowy white.

A tourist examined the travertine rock up close