The history of Turkey - Insight into Turkish History

Many vistors leave Turkey with the strong desire to delve into Turkish history, as once visiting any of the numerous sites of antiquity, interest in the history of Turkey is piqued and many desire to seek further information on its fascinating past.

The Republic of Turkey is a transcontinental nation meaning that it spreads across two continents. It is a Eurasian country that extends from the Anatolian peninsula in Southwest Asia to the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. 8 countries, in Europe and Asia, surround Turkey. They are Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Iraq and Syria. The Black Sea lies to the North of Turkey, the Aegean Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. There is also the Sea of Marmora in Turkey, which is considered to be the dividing line between Europe and Asia and on which stands the magnificent city of Istanbul, where property is now becoming extremely desirable with investors. Because of the unique location, Turkey has the flavor of both Europe and Asia, and is a beautiful land worth visiting again and again.

Istanbul is the perfect meeting point between East and West, the ancient and the modern, Christian Europe and the Islamic Mid Asia – a place where you can feel thoroughly immersed in Turkish history. A city that charmed the Byzantines, Romans and Ottomans into making it a capital in their empire, Istanbul continues to allure and seduce new visitors from across the world. The city itself is position in both Europe and Asia, with two sides of the city separated by the Bosphorous River.

Here, you can drink a Turkish coffee down by the Bosphorous River, or search for the purest water in Turkey in the Belgrad Forest. One of the most famous sights of all of Turkey is the Blue Mosque found in Istanbul, an awesome sight viewed from the First Hills or from the sea on the Asia continent side of Istanbul. Equally the Topkapi Palace, former home and harem of the Sultan Ahmet 1 is well worth a visit, it is the THE most popular tourist attraction in Istanbul. If you really want to enjoy the experience, arrive when it opens at nine in the morning, to enjoy it without the throngs of fellow tourists.

The historic Byzantine and the Ottoman Empire have risen in the place which we call Turkey today. The architect of modern turkey is Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who came to power with the downfall of the six hundred year old Ottoman Empire after a three-year war of independence in 1923. After the devastation of First World War where the Ottoman emperor had joined the Germans and lost vast stretches of his empire, Kemal brought together all the Turkish nationalists under his leadership and instilled a sense of national pride in them. The Turkish under his able leadership pushed out the invading Greek forces from Anatolia or Asia Minor, and Turkey was declared as a republic. He made Turkey into a secular, democratic, and constitutional republic and made sweeping changes in the existing political, social, linguistic and economic structures in Turkey.

Turkey is the founding member of the United Nations, a member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization from 1952, member of the Organization of Islamic Conference, and since 2005 Turkey has wanted to join the European Union. Turkey is a member of the G-20, the twenty largest economies in the world.

Ankara is the capital city of Turkey which is divided into 81 administrative provinces. These provinces are further divided into districts giving a total of 923 districts in the whole country. The principal cities in Turkey are Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Konya, Bursa, Adana, Antalya, Mersin, Gaziantep, Trabzon etc. and it would be worth mentioning that the majority of Turkish population - that is about 67%, are urban, the others live in cities.

Turkey can be geographically divided into seven regions. Marmora, Aegean, Black Sea, Eastern Anatolia, South-Eastern Anatolia and the Mediterranean. The North-Western portion or the European section Of Turkey is called Eastern Thrace, and borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Anatolia or the Eastern part of Turkey is formed of a central plateau with narrow coastal plains. The Eastern region of Turkey is mountainous and rivers like Euphrates, Aras, and Tigris, originate here. Mount Ararat and Lake Van are also situated here. Turkey, shares borders with four seas: The Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, The Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmora which demarcates the border between Europe and Asia.

As of today, Turkey is more inclined to the western world, while still holding on to eastern values. It is a curious mixture of the modern high rises, swanky shopping malls with the traditional bazaars and mosques.

Izmir is the third largest city of Turkey and is the capital city of the Province of Izmir. It is a city which is based on its Aegean Coast on the Gulf of Izmir and home to approximately 4 million people. It is a very important city in terms of its strategic location, and is the seat of North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s command for land forces in Southeastern Europe. It is also a very big industrial hub and is the production center for cement, dyes, soaps, textiles, tobacco etc. Izmir is famous for many landmarks like Agora and the ancient Aqueducts of Kizilcullu. 50 kilometers to the south of Izmir lies the famous ruins of Ephesus.The famous city of Troy is said to have been located quite close to Izmir.

Ephesus is the ancient city of ancient Anatolia dating back to before the 7th century BC, which connected the Mediterranean Sea to Asia Minor and owing to its strategic location, was a major trade route between Asia and Europe. The history of Turkey comes alive in Ephesus - it was a very rich city, and was renowned for its Temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which was later burned down. The magnificent ruins of Ephesus yields a beautiful theatre, capable of seating 25,000 people and was also home to one of seven of the oldest churches in Asia. Ephesus also had the most advanced aqueduct systems of its time, something that one would marvel at nowdays, as well as a well-stocked library, which was later razed to the ground by the Goths. Meryemana is a city South of Ephesus where many people come for pilgrimage as it is claimed by early Christianity that the tomb of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus is located here. Ephesus is currently being restored.

The Taurus Mountains separate the Mediterranean Coast of Turkey from Anatolia. The Mediterranean coast of Turkey boasts beautiful beaches, quaint bazaars selling Turkish delicacies and carpets, as well as comfortable resorts perched on rocky cliff-sides, that offer panoramic views of the blue Mediterranean or the picturesque fishing villages. Cities and towns worth visiting on this coast are Marmaris, Antalya, Adana and Mersin. This region is known as the Turkish Riviera, with its lovely beaches, luxury hotels and resorts as well as the ruins of Greek, Roman, Arab, Seljuk, Armenian, Crusader, and Byzantine origin which are a real bonus and worth a visit. Beautiful mountain ranges, white sandy beaches, clear blue warms seas, hot summers and mild winters are just a few of the many wonderful features that make the Turkish Riviera a top holiday destination.

The fascinating History of Turkey – an insight into Turkish History