Türkiye’s Wonders: The History

 

Türkiye sits on an astonishingly rich history of ancient civilizations, witnessing not only the very first steps of settlements but also the ascendance of some of the greatest empires of the world. Göbeklitepe, which is in the eastern part of Türkiye, dates back to 12,000 years ago. It is older than Stonehenge and considered the “zero point” of the entire history. The settlement in Gobeklitepe hints at the dawn of village life, a transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture.

Türkiye is abundantly rich in terms of prehistoric sites that can be dated to thousands of years ago. One of them is Alacahöyük, situated in the central part of the country. Belonging to the great Hittite Empire, which reigned over great parts of Anatolia during the Neolithic Age. Artifacts found here suggest that the settlers started to use copper tools alongside stone tools. Excavations show that the town was progressing towards a flourishing community with a substantial network of roads and trade routes.

Konya, a central city in Türkiye, boasts a wide array of historic monuments from nearly all ages of history. Greeks, Persians, Romans, and Seljuk Turks inhabited the city during different times and all contributed to the city’s historic heritage, respectively. Mevlana, who is a renowned religious philosopher, practiced his teaching here. His resting place is now a museum, demonstrating the mystic way of life his dervishes lived.

One cannot skip İstanbul when talking about history in Türkiye. Being a former capital of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, İstanbul possesses more historical places than any other city in the country. Hagia Sophia can easily be the oldest of these. Built by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian in 537 AD, this monument changed the history of architecture. Although built as a church, it was converted to a mosque by Fatih Sultan Mehmed, the great Turkish conqueror of Constantinople, nowadays called İstanbul. Opposite to Hagia Sophia lies the Blue Mosque, named after its wonderful blue tiles.

Türkiye’s historic heritage is vast and widely diversified, a sight to behold and admire.

Türkiye’s Wonders: The Nature

 

Located on a unique geographic crossroad, Türkiye enjoys all four seasons. Summers are not too dry unlike its neighbours in the South. Winters are also no colder than its northern neighbors. You may feel an occasional breeze cooling you when the weather is too hot.

You can always take a swim in the turquoise waters of beautiful beaches spread out all around the country’s coastal regions if you still swelter. Türkiye boasts some of the best beaches out of all Mediterranean countries.

 The north of the country harbors the Black Sea and is famous for its humid climate. Rainfalls are so common in these parts that they let the trees flourish.  The green forests meet the clear blues of the sea, creating a view that is so picturesque you will want to visit it again.

The east of the country is mountainous. As the elevation gets steeper, you can witness some eye-candy scenery there. The famous Mount Ararat (Ağrı Dağı) attracts climbers from all around the world.

One of the natural wonders of Türkiye is the Peribacaları, or Fairy Chimneys. Situated right at the middle of the country, these are interestingly-shaped rock formations caused by natural forces eroding the rocks.

And there is İstanbul, a city that serves as a bridge to both European and Asian side of Türkiye. A large canal called Bosphorus divides these two continents while providing a passageway for the ships traveling between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

Türkiye’s natural wonders are not limited to this essay. One must visit the country to truly dig for the other hidden gems.