- The only city in the world located on two continents Europe and Asia is Istanbul, which has been the capital of three great empires : Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman for more than 1,650 years.
- According to the Legend of Great Flood, after the withdrawal of the waters, Noah's Ark landed on Mount Agrı, very close to Dogu Beyazıt in eastern Anatolia.
- Gobekli Tepe is the oldest human-made place of worship yet discovered very close to Sanlıurfa. The history of region go back to XI. millennium B.C.
- The oldest known shipwreck in the world was excavated in Kas. The shipwreck is on display now in Bodrum Underwater Archaeology Museum.
- According to legend, Anatolia was the location of the first known beauty contest, judged by Paris, with Aphrodite, Hera and Athena as leading participants.
- Homer (Homeros) was born in Izmir on the western Turkey and he depicted Troy, the legendary city Piriam, in his Epic the Iliad.
- The first coins minted in Sardis, the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Lycia, at the end of the VII. century B.C.
- The world’s oldest known human settlement is located in Catalhoyuk, Konya, in central Turkey and dating back to 6500 BC
- 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 Ankara, the capital of Turkey.
- Two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World stood in Egean coast of Turkey : The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus and Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Bodrum. Unfortunately except the bases of these monuments arrive to our day.
- Julius Caesar proclaimed his celebrated words “Veni. Vedi, Veci” (I came, I saw, I conquered) in Manisa, Turkey when he defeated Pontus, a formidable Kingdom in the Black Sea Region of Turkey.
- The Seven Churches mantioned in the Book of Revelation, Bible all are found in Turkey: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
- According to the legend San John brought Virgin Mary to Ephesus where she spent her last days in a small house on Mt. Koressos near Ephesus. The place was declared a shrine of Catholic Church in 1896.
- A cave known today as the Grotto of St.Peter or Church of St.Peter is believed to be where the apostle Peter preached when he visited Antioch (Antakya). The word Christianity also first time used here, in Antioch.
- Saint John, Paul, and Peter all lived and preached in Turkey.
- St Nicolas (St Claus) was born in Patara in Turkey and has a church dedicated to him in Demre. According to legend his bestowing dowries upon the daughters of a poor family, in time became a costum to give presents on the eve of the San Nikolas feast, later that tradition converted to Christmas Day.
- The first known University in history was founded in Harran, South-east part of Turkey.
- Turkey introduced coffee to Europe during XVI century.
- One of the first most accurate world maps were drawn by the well-known Turkish cartographer and navigator Piri Reis in 16th century.
- The first man ever to fly was Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi. Using two wings flew from the Galata Tower over the Bosphorus to land in Uskudar in the 17th century.
- Contrary to popular opinion, tulip not originated in Holland but on the Asian steppes. From Turkey passed to Dutch then that started the craze for the flower in England and the Netherlands. In Ottoman State time there is a period of elegance and amusement between 1703 - 1730 is called "The Tulip Age".
- 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).
- The number of archaeological excavations going on in Turkey every year is at least 150.
- The word "turquoise" derives from the French word for Turkish (Turquois), the beautiful colour of waters of the Mediterranean Sea on the southern Turkish coast.
|
|