About Turkey

A country of in depth history and culture, the Turkish Republic is located where the three continents of the old world, Asia, Africa and Europe, are closest to each other and straddle the point where Europe and Asia meet. Because of this geographical location, the mainland Anatolia has witnessed the mass migration of diverse peoples, shaping the course of history. Home to countless civilizations, Anatolia has developed a unique synthesis of cultures, each with its own distinct identity, yet each linked to its predecessors through insoluble threads. As a modern nation in an ancient land, Turkey today is the inheritor and conservator of such an essential, shared heritage of humanity.

What do you know about Turkey?

Over the centuries, visitors have been enthralled by the delightful tastes of Turkish cuisine. Genuine warmth and generosity are characteristic of the hospitality extended to visitors since Turkish tradition declares that every traveler is "a guest of God".

The only city in the world located on two continents is Istanbul, which has been the capital of three great empires, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman for more than 2,000 years.
One of the world's oldest known settlements is in Catalhoyuk in central Anatolia, Turkey, and dates back to 7,400 BC.
St Nicolas – the original Santa Claus – was born in Patara in Turkey and has a church dedicated to him in Demre.
The belief is that Virgin Mary spent her last days in Selcuk, İzmir, near the ancient city of Ephesus.
Leonardo da Vinci drew designs for a bridge over the Golden Horn that was never built.
Julius Caesar proclaimed his celebrated words “Veni, Vedi, Veci” (I came, I saw, I conquered) in Turkey when he defeated Pontus, a formidable Kingdom in the Black Sea Region of Turkey.
Aesop – famous for his fables and parables – was born in Anatolia.
The Turks introduced coffee to Europe when the retreating Ottoman army abandoned sacks of it at the gates of Vienna.
Homer (Homeros) was born in Izmir on the west coast of Turkey and he depicted Troy, which is north of Izmir, in his Epic the Iliad.
The smallpox vaccination was introduced to England and Europe from Turkey by Lady Montague in the early 19th century (after Turkish physicians saved her son’s life).
Part of Turkey’s south western shore was a wedding gift from Mark Antony to Cleopatra.
The famous Trojan Wars took place in Troy in western Turkey, around the site where a wooden model of the Trojan Horse has been erected at the site.
Alexander the Great conquered a large territory in what is now Turkey and cut the Gordion Knot in the Phrygian capital (Gordium) not far from Turkey´ s present-day capital (Ankara).
One of the seven wonders, The Temple of Artemis was at Ephesus (today only base ruins remained in Selcuk, Izmir)
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus is another place listed among the seven wonders. Today only base ruins remained in Bodrum, Mugla
The Seven Churches referred in the Book of Revelation are all found in Turkey: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
One of the first men ever to fly was Turkish. Using two wings, Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi is believed to have flown from the Galata Tower over the Bosphorous to land in Uskudar in the 17th century.
Göbekli Tepe /Sanliurfa, dating back to 7500 - 6000 BC, is one of the oldest human-made place of worship yet discovered.
World´s first known bank is Temple of Sardis Artemis located Salihli/Manisa. Banking task were fulfilled by priests of temple.

Copyright © 2012 EURAM