Turkey Tourist Attractions
Turkey is situated in the Middle East of Asia. The country is bordered by Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Syria. The Black Sea is located north to the country and the surrounding region is an historical site. It is the place of landing of Noah’s Ark according to Christian myths. The capital of Turkey is Ankara.
Turkey is immensely popular for its historic sites and locations. There are many museums, art galleries, sites of ruins, and cultural centers forming Turkey tourist attractions. The other popular attractions in Turkey include castles, gardens, mountains, and parks. The country is rapidly developing, yet the traditional buildings are of interest to the visitors.
Istanbul
The city of Istanbul is an important tourist spot. The place is also commercially viable. It is the largest city of the country and hosts many historical Turkey attractions. There are a wide range of hotels and restaurants here and tourists can opt to stay in this city. The prominent Istanbul attractions include the following:
- Sultan Ahmed Mosque
- Hagia Sophia
- Topkapi Palace
- Basilica Cistern
- Gelata Tower
- Pera Palas
- Spice Bazaar
- Dolmabahce Palace
With urban developments taking place in the city, Istanbul also became a sought after destination for shoppers. There are some of the largest shopping centers of the country located here.
Hagia Sophia
The name Hagia Sofia signifies Church of the Divine Wisdom. In Greek history, this is the foremost church during the era. It was a pilgrimage center for Christians for centuries now. The Roman architecture revelas a huge dome measuring about 30 meters and has the distinction of being the largest enclosed area in the world. It was a basilica turned into mosque during the 15th century. The museum was constructed in 1930 and is among the sought after tourist destination today. The museum represents two diverse religion and unique style of architecture. Hagia Sophia is located in Istanbul, Turkey. The permanent collection at the museum includes fine art of Turkish photographer Ahmet Ertug.
Topkapi Palace
This is the most beautiful of the historic structures existing in Turkey. It is located in Istanbul and was the official residence of the Ottomon Sultans who ruled for around 620 years in Turkey. They lived in this palace for about 400 years. The palace was host to occasions and royal celebrations. Today, houses some of the most precious royal exhibits and relics of Prophet Mohammad, the founder of Islam. It houses the cloak and sword of Prophet Mohammad. The locals down centuries therefore regard it as a holy place. Topkapi Palace was included in the list of world Heritage Site in 1985 and is included in the “Historic Areas of Istanbul”.
The palace known for architectural elegance began to lose its elegance during the 17th century. In 1856, Sultan Abdul Mecid I made Dolmabahce Palace the royal court and it was the first of its king European style palace in Istanbul.
The Topkapi Palace was turned into a museum in April 1924 to house the possession of the royal rulers. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture presently governs the place. It eventually turned as a center of culture and heritage. Of the hundreds of rooms and chambers in the palace museum, only a portion is accessible to the public. The main collections of the museum include robes, cloaks, miniatures, porcelain, weapons, shields and armor. Other permanent exhibits comprise Islamic manuscripts, murals, treasure and jewelry of the Ottomans, and other artifacts related to the era. It is a well-guarded place.
Troy
Troy is a legendary city situated in the northwestern part of Anatolia, part of Turkey. It is also close to Mount Ida. Homer’s epic has the first mention of Troy that was destroyed in the Trojan War. The Trojan War finds special mention in the Greek epic Iliad. Today, it is a historic site in the country widely visited by historians, archeologists, and international tourists. A tour to the place will take you around several periods in history and the story of Homer’s work. This historic site today is a newly formed town of Truva. It is also called Troia and is a commercialized place attracting visitors.
