Discover Turkey's Most Popular Historic Sites
Historical Places in Turkey Waiting to be Discovered
Turkey; a geography where the first civilizations in history were established and different civilizations came to life; Our country, which connects Asia and Europe, has many routes waiting to be discovered. Our geography, where natural monuments and historical cities are located, has a structure that reflects the mix of East and West.
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Turkey, which has held different civilizations or belief groups together throughout history; It is accepted as one of the few places in the world with its advantageous location, climate, cultural venues and deep-rooted history.
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Historical artifacts with traces of other civilizations on every corner await their visitors, sometimes on top of a mountain and sometimes by the sea. In this part of our article, we will share with you, our esteemed travelers, the most curious historical artifacts in Turkey. In your next domestic travel plans, you can take note of the historical places you have not seen yet and see them on the spot.
Our Picks for You from Historical Places in Turkey
There are many beautiful places to see in Turkey, which has hosted many different civilizations throughout history and is one of the most important transit routes in the world with its geographical location. Here are some must-see places in Turkey from east to west, from north to south;
See History, Mystery and the Azure Sea Together in Lycia
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You can spend a natural and mysterious holiday in Olympos, which has historical structures from the Lycian, Roman and Byzantine civilizations. You can see the fire that has been burning for 3 thousand years in Çıralı, and you can swim in one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
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This road, which starts from Fethiye and extends to the Beldibi town of Antalya, took this name because of the Lycian Civilization that lived in the region in ancient times. Located on the Teke Peninsula, the road is surrounded by the Gölhisar district of Burdur to the north, the sparkling Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Köyceğiz district of Muğla to the west and the center of Antalya to the east. Likya way; It was first walked by Kate Clow, a British tourist, in 1999. We are less likely to get lost thanks to the points it marks, which are still carried today.
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From the Classical Greek Period to the Present: The Ancient City of Ephesus, Izmir
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The history of the ancient city of Ephesus, also known as the Ephesus Ruins, located within the borders of Selçuk district in the west of Anatolia, dates back to the Neolithic Age in 6000 BC.
In this ancient city, which has taken its place in the UNESCO World Heritage List, besides the Virgin Mary House, which is frequently visited by Christians, Artemis Temple, Celsus Library, Ashab-ı Keyf Cave, Çukuriçi Höyük, Selçuk Castle, St. John's Basilica, Isa Bey Mosque and Bath are waiting for you. Many historical buildings and ruins can be seen here, including the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
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The name of Ephesus, which is rumored to have been founded by female warriors named Amazon in the Neolithic Age, is said to come from the city of Apasas of the Arzawa Kingdom, which is also called the City of the Mother Goddess. Although it is not fully proven by whom it was founded first, Ephesus; It has been used as a settlement for 9 thousand years by hosting people living in the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine, Ottoman and Principalities periods.
Zeugma Ancient City – Gaziantep
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Zeugma Ancient City, located in the Nizip district of Gaziantep, covers an area of 20 thousand decares. It is located in a strategic position, especially in the commercial or military sense. In the city, which also offers traces of the Hellenistic period apart from Rome, the artistic and cultural trend immediately draws attention. As a result of the excavations, villas belonging to some wealthy Roman people were unearthed.
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Seleukos Nikator, one of the generals of Alexander the Great and later the King of Syria, united the name of the Euphrates with his own name and founded a city named Seleukos Euphrates (Silifkesi of the Euphrates) here in 300 BC. Later, in the 1st century BC, the city came under Roman rule. With this change of domination, the name of the city changed as well, and it took the name "Zeugma", which means bridge, passage and known all over the world. In Zeugma, which reached a population of 80,000 in a short time due to the placement of the 4th Skitia Legion Garrison of the Roman Empire here and trade, villas are built on the slopes with the view of the Euphrates. A population of 80,000 people makes Zeugma one of the largest cities in the world.
Monastery Behind the Clouds; Sumela Monastery, Trabzon
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According to legend, the Virgin Mary enters the dreams of the priests Barnabas and Sophronios, who built the Sumela Monastery. He says that there is an icon made by St. Luke and brought by angels in the cave where the Sumela Monastery was built today. Two monks, one living in Istanbul and the other in Athens, come to Trabzon without knowing each other and find the icon in the cave. Thus, they built a wall at the entrance of this cave and turned it into a church. For this reason, it has become one of the pilgrimage points considered sacred for Christians.
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The fact that it was built by the first Christian tribes and it is one of the first holy temples of Christianity makes the Sumela Monastery privileged. Another reason is a painting believed to have come to the monastery. According to belief, St. St. Luke, one of the apostles of Jesus, made Hz. Jesus and St. Pictures of the Virgin Mary were brought here during the construction of the monastery. Unfortunately, there is no trace of these paintings today.
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Sumela Monastery, which is always at the top of the list of places to visit in Trabzon and located in the Maçka region of Trabzon, arouses admiration especially with its architectural details.
Journey to the World's First Temple: Göbeklitepe, Şanlıurfa
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Göbeklitepe is a historical site that has been very curious recently and is called the birthplace of civilization. Göbeklitepe is the oldest and largest temple known in history. The discovery of Göbeklitepe, also known as the zero point of human history, was a turning point for the writing of human history. It is an important historical site not only for Turkey but also for the world.
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Göbeklitepe, the oldest known settlement in the world (10,000 BC), is known to have been built in the Neolithic period. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018, the historical site hosts travelers and history buffs from all over the world.
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Göbeklitepe, which managed to include its name in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018, has recently gained tremendous popularity. The construction of Göbeklitepe, which is 15 km away from the center of Şanlıurfa, dates back to 12 thousand years ago. This place is also accepted as the first temple in human history. Although there are 20 temples in the region, six of them have been unearthed so far.
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While plowing this land, which is 10-15 km from the center of Urfa, farmer Mahmut Kılıç found it in 1986 and delivered the limestone sculpture he found to the Urfa Museum. Göbeklitepe, which was not given much importance in these years, was the first to start excavations by Klaus Schmidt in 1995.
Göreme National Park and Cappadocia, Nevşehir
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Fairy Chimneys, one of the natural beauties of Turkey, are located within the borders of NevÅŸehir. Fairy Chimneys were formed as a result of the erosion of lava from Erciyes and Hasan Mountains 60 million years ago by wind and rain. Today, various activities are carried out with balloon flights in the region, which is heavily visited by tourists. Cappadocia is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
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Cappadocia is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful heritages of Turkey. Because it is a masterpiece full of rare works that are unique in the world. This masterpiece is also listed by UNESCO, which ensures that unique works in the world are protected.
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The park where this magnificent visual landscape is located is one of Turkey's It is located in the province of Nevşehir in the Central Anatolia Region. Close to the Nevşehir-Kayseri borders, this place is located between Ürgüp, Ortahisar and Uçhisar settlements and Çavuşin and Avcılar.
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The first settlement in the Cappadocia region started in the Catholic period, that is, in the 4th century. People who lived monastic life until the 13th century are the people who wrote history on fairy chimneys today. These people, who embroider conical natural beauties like needle lace, have transformed fairy chimneys into churches, chapels and living spaces. The people who took shelter and protective dwellings in these areas lived in this region with freedom of belief as the first Christian citizens when Christianity was not yet accepted.
