Turkey Facts

Interesting facts about Turkey.

Did you know...

Turkey is known as the Cradle of Civilization. In fact, many civilizations were already here as far as 9000 B.C.

Turkey borders three major seas : the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

Turkey was known as Asia Minor; the Asian side of Turkey is known as Anatolia.

Turkey is where Alexander the Great cut the intricate Gordian Knot; literally a phrase used for shortcut to Solving Difficult Problems.

Turkey is the birthplace of Kind Midas, who turned everyting into gold.

Turkey was the center of two of the major empires in history : the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.

Turkey provides 70% of the world's hazelnuts : probably the nut in your chocolate bar was grown in Turkey.

Turkey has a 650-year old covered shopping mall of 64 streets, 3500 shops, 22 entrances and 25000 workers : the famous Grand Bazaar.

Turkey is the birthplace of St. Nicholas, popularly known as Santa Claus.

Turkey is the origin of the names of Paris, Philadelphia and Europe.

Turkey is where Noah's Ark landed : at Mount Agri (Ararat), Eastern Turkey.

Turkey is the location for two of the Seven Wonders of the World : the Temple of Artemis and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.

Turkey has historical relics pertaining to three of the world's major religions : Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

Turkey has the most valuable silk carpet in the world in the Mevlana Museum (Konya) : 144 knots per sq. Cm - 13th century.

Turkey is said to have provided the water for the Garden of Eden from its 2 great rivers : the Euphrates and the Tigris.

Turkey is the birthplace of St. Paul (Tarsus).

Turkey is uniquely in two continents : Europe and Asya.

Turkey gave the English language many words such as turquoise, parchment, yogurt, meander, angora..

Turkey is the location of the city of Troy in the west of the country, where the Trojan War was fought.

Turkey had the world's first female Supreme court Judge and gave women the right to vote in 1934.

Turkey is the location of the first known beauty contest, judged by paris, with Aphrodite, Hera and Athena as leading participants.

Turkey has a city, Mardin, which is one of the few places where you can hear the native language of Jesus Christ - Aramaic. The final home of Virgin Mary, to which she traveled with St. John, is located nearby.

Turkey was producing wine as early as 4000BC.

Turkey has the first temple built ever (Urfa - between 9000 and 8500BC) and the first church built ever (St Peter's in Antioch)

Turkey first introduced tulips to Holland and today still supllies tulips to the world.

Turkey reputedly has one of the world's 3 greatest cuisines.

Turkey has more ancient sites than any other country.

Turkey was the first to produce and use coins 2700 years ago.

Turkey is the location of the Seven Churches of Revelation.

Turkey is one of the safest countries in the world according to comparative statistics.

49 Reasons to visit Turkey

(courtesy of http://www.turkishtravel.com/coolinfo.htm)

1) The famous Trojan Wars took place in Western Turkey, around the site where the Trojan horse rests today.
2) The first church built by man (St. Peter's Church) is in Antioch (Antakya), Turkey.
3) The oldest known human settlement is in Catalhoyuk, Turkey (7th Millenium B.C.)
4) Ephesus and Halicarnasus - two of the most famous places of the ancient world - are all in Turkey.
5) St. Nicholas, also known as Santa Clause, was born in Demre, on Turkey's Mediterranean Coast.
6) Noah's Ark landed on Mount Ararat (Agri Dagi) in Eastern Turkey.
7) The last meal on Noah's Ark, a pudding of sweet and sour taste (asure), is still served throughout Turkey.
8) Turks introduced coffee to Europe.
9) Turks gave the Dutch their famous tulips.
10) Istanbul is the only city in the world built on two continents.
11) Tradition in Turkey says that a stranger at one's doorstep is considered "God's guest" for at least three days.
12) Turkey is noted for having one of the three most famous and distinctive traditional cuisines in the world.
13) The First Ecumenical Council was held in Iznik, Turkey.
14) Writing was first used by people in ancient Anatolia. The first clay tablets - in the ruins of Assyrian Karum (Merchant Colony - date back to 1950 B.C.).
15) The oldest tin mine was found in Goltepe, 60 miles south of Tarsus.
16) The first Neolithic paintings found on man-made walls are in Catalhoyuk, Turkey.
17) Anatolia is the birthplace of historic legends, such as Homer (the poet), King Midas, Heredotus (the father of history), and St. Paul the Apostle.
18) Julius Caesar proclaimed his celebrated words, "Veni, Vidi, Vici (I came, I saw, I conquered)" in Turkey when he defeated the Pontus, a formidable kingdom in the Black Sea region of Turkey.
19) Female goddesses dominated the Central Anatolian pantheon for thousands of years before these supernatural powers were transformed to male gods.
20) The Hittites sold Abraham the cave where he buried his wife Sarah, when the Israelites came to Palestine.
21) Virgin Mary's house where she spent her last days situated on the top of Bülbüldag (Ephesus) and it is considered as a holy place for all religions.
22) Seven Churches of Revelation are all in Aegean Region in Turkey.
23) The Siren Rocks are in Foca which Homeros mentiones in history.
24) You can watch the spectacular view of Oludeniz while paragliding from Mt. Babadag as well.
25) The richest flora is in Turkey and almost every year new plant species are gained to the world literature.
26) The spa which cures almost all type of illness having the best quality is in Balcova (Agamemnon) Izmir.
27) You won't be able to have a blue voyage like the one you can have on Aegean coast in any part of the world.
28) That's why the color "Turquoise" which belongs to Turkish resorts can only be seen in Aegean and Mediterranean coast in Turkey.
29) There is a lift in Izmir on the street where the famous singer Dario Moreno lived; it is the unique lift in the world that you pay for being transported from one region to another of the city.
30) The second biggest covered fun fair of Europe is in Istanbul.
31) Antalya Museum was rewarded specially by European Council to become the best museum in 1988 in Europe.
32) In Antalya, in the spring time you can both ski & swim.
33) There is a golf club in Belek having international standards.
34) UNESCO declares Pamukkale and Zelve Open Air Museum as world heritages.
35) The millienum stone at Sultanahmet Istanbul was the zero meridian point of the world once upon a time.
36) Kasikci diamond is the greatest piece of the world and is displayed in Topkapi Palace.
37) Sultanahmet, (The Blue Mosque) is the only mosque in the world having six minarets.
38) Having 26.5 m width. and 50 m. height, Süleymaniye (the Blue Mosque) is one of the masterpieces of architecture in the world.
39) Three of the 10 remaining icons of the world and according to the belief of Orthodox, Jesus Christ's cross which he was crucified are in Hagia Yorghi church.
40) Hereke which is in the world carpeting literature with the quality of the wool and silk rugs is in Izmit (Kocaeli).
41) Safranbolu houses which are very famous all around the world are 100 and 450 years old.
42) Homeland of Iskender Döner (Gyro) which is very famous all around the world is Bursa.
43) Turkish Raki (Lion's Milk) and finest Turkish wine is served at all the world-famous restaurants.
44) Iznik tiles is one of the most valuable collections antique markets.
45) The philosopher Aristotales lived in Assos for three years.
46) Lydia which is one of the greatest civilization lived in Anatolia has still got some remainings around Salihli (Sardis) and it's the first civilization which coined money.
47) Dionysos Temple which is the symbol of antic era was built in Teos.
48) Virgin Mary's House is in Ephesus and it is visited by Pope the 6th Paul and Pope Jean Paul as well.
49) The world's greatest amphora and glass collection is in Bodrum Museum in Bodrum Castle.