Cappadocia Province, Turkey

This is one of the main tourist centers located in Central Turkey, known for its cultural and natural attractions. In Goreme National Park is one of the world’s phenomena, called the “Valley of the Fairy Chimneys” (the Valley of the Fairy Chimneys). These strange rock formations, covering 9,572 hectares, were formed over the centuries as rains and winds eroded the layer of lava that covered the area 30 million years ago as a result of the eruptions of the three volcanoes Erciyes, Hasan and Melendiz Dadlari, creating bizarre rock formations. In addition to the “chimneys” the area is replete with other bizarre formations, such as stone dunes. All these formations are composed of tuff – a soft volcanic stone that can be perfectly processed. You can view them both from the ground and from a balloon. For hundreds of years, the local population has adapted to carve houses into these rocks, many of which have been turned into quite comfortable houses today. hotels, hermits arranged cells here, communities were created, churches and monasteries were built. The city of Göreme itself is an open-air museum where many of these frescoed houses and churches can be viewed. A huge number of rock churches – one of the main attractions of Cappadocia.

In Kemalpasha there is a unique Hittite bas-relief “Eti Baba” (“Father of the Hittites”, XIII century BC) and the ruins of the Maiden’s Castle (Kyz Kalesi), in which in 1244 the wedding of the daughter of Frederick II and the Byzantine emperor John III took place. Only three floors of the building survived from the castle, but its former power can be seen even in these remains.

110 km. from Izmir, in a picturesque bay of the Aegean Sea, Didim is located, famous for its resort Altyn Kum (“golden sands”) and one of the most grandiose monuments of antiquity – the Temple of Apollo (VIII-IV centuries BC), which was considered a sacred place of the ancient world (second only to Artemisia in Ephesus and the temple of Hera on the island of Samos).

The town of Manisa is famous for its mosques Ulu Jami (1376) and Muradiyya Jami (1586). Not far from Manisa is another monument of the Hittites – a giant image of the mountain deity “Tash Suret” (“stone statue”).

According to TOP-MEDICAL-SCHOOLS, City of Bergam, in ancient times – the majestic Pergamum, is one of the most famous cities of the ancient world. Around the acropolis, towering on a mountain above the city, the ruins of the once famous library (II century BC), the theater for 10 thousand spectators (IV-II centuries BC) with unique acoustic characteristics, the Corinthian temple Trajan (117-118 AD), a Doric temple of Athena (III century), the temple of Dionysus (II century BC) and the ruins of a huge marble altar of Zeus (II century BC), considered one of the seven wonders of the world. Today, most of the finds from Pergamon have been transported to the Berlin Pergamon Museum specially built for them and carefully reconstructed there. In the vicinity are the ruins of the Hellenic temple of Hera (III-II centuries BC), the buildings of the gymnasium and the terms, as well as the powerful ruins of the Red Court, originally built as a temple of Serapis (II century AD), and later remade to a Byzantine basilica. Not far from the acropolis, the ruins of another monument known in ancient times have been preserved – the Temple of Asklepion, dedicated to the god of health and healing Asclepius (Aesculapius). From it, the ruins of the propylaea (entrance gate, 2nd century AD), several columns raised from the ruins, the ruins of a library and a round temple, once bordered by columns of the “sacred road”, as well as individual fragments of the term. Nearby are the historical treasures of Miletus and Troy.

The main attraction of Miletus is the Theater (IV century BC), which is located on a high hill, designed for 25 thousand spectators. The southern Agora, the Baths of Faustina, the Buleuterium (2nd century AD), fragments of two huge statues of lions guarding the entrance to the harbor, the temple of Delphic Apollo and the Stadium (2nd century BC), which contained 15 thousand spectators. Not far from the southern agora rises the mosque of Ilyas Bey (XV century) – a square building with a huge dome of elegant shape.

Ruins of majestic Troy (Ilion), the largest city of the Early Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC), which for a long time was considered just a beautiful legend, lie in the vicinity of the Khizarlyk (Hissarlyk) hills on the northwestern coast of the country. Partially preserved is the inclined entrance overpass of Troy II (2500-2150 BC) 21 m long and 5.5 m wide, the city rampart of Troy VI (1900-1300 BC), the wall of the Roman period, the Acropolis, which served simultaneously to protect the city and to protect the so-called cistern (reservoir with water supplies, currently there is no access to it), the temple of Athena. On the territory of the courtyard, the remains of hewn stone foundations have been preserved, the temple itself has been destroyed to the ground. The southern city gates and the majestic columned hall measuring 20 x 12 meters, belonging to Troy VI, can only be admired from a distance today.

Many ancient monuments in Antalya , of which the “symbol of Antalya” is especially good – the Yivli minaret (“folded”, XIII century) built by the Seljuk Turks, 37 m high, as well as the Eski Jami mosque, built on the model of a Byzantine church in 1373, tombstones of the Sultan’s wife Bayazed II and Mehmet Bey, the former monastery of the “dancing dervishes” Mevlevihane with an exhibition of modern art, and the Cut Minaret, destroyed by lightning at one time. But the main attractions are concentrated in the vicinity of the city – the ancient city of Perge (334 BC) where the ancient theater and stadium have been preserved, Aspend with many beautiful buildings, including the theater-palace of the architect Zenon (II century BC)..) and the arched Roman aqueduct, Olympos, etc. In the vicinity of Demre lie the ruins of the ancient capital of Lycia – Mira, which became famous for the fact that in this city in the 4th century. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, beloved in Russia, was a bishop. On the site of the cathedral in which he served, in the 7th century. The church of St. Nicholas was built, which became a place of pilgrimage for all Christians. Burials from the time of the Lycian kingdom have been preserved in the rocks above the city.

Cappadocia Province, Turkey