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| Central Anatolia |
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This central region of
the country hosts a number of interesting sites. Currently the
center of modern Turkey's political life, it has been the center of
a number of important culture and civilizations in the past.
The cities located in
this region are Ankara, Çankırı, Eskişehir, Kayseri, Kırşehir,
Konya, Nevşehir, Niğde, Sivas, Yozgat, Aksaray, Karaman and
Kırıkkale. The capital city of Ankara is located squarely in the
middle of Central Anatolia. The most visually impressive structure
in the city is the Anitkabir mausoleum built for Ataturk.
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Ataturk founded the
modern Republic of Turkey by winning the War for Independence
and then made Ankara its capital. Ankara is a city planned and
developed for the modern world. The Museum of Anatolian
Civilizations located in Ankara is among the best museums in
the country. In the museum are exhibits from Anatolian
civilizations starting from 50,000 BC and moving forward
according to eras until the 2nd century AD. In the area
surrounding Ankara can be found important settlements of early
Anatolian civilizations. The Hittites migrated to the
Anatolian plateau from the Caucus Mountains and set up the
first kingdom in history to encompass the whole of Anatolia
from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and from the Aegean
Sea stretching east. The capital of the Hittite Empire
Hattushash (now Bogazkale) and the second largest city
Shapinuva are both located northeast of Ankara in the province
of Çorum. | |
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Hattushash with its
massive walls was a city of temples. Reliefs of all of the gods and
goddesses of the Hittites can be seen in the open air temple in
Yazilikaya near the Hattushash. Yazılıkaya was an important pantheon
of the Hittites. Alacahoyuk is another important Hittite settlement
found near Hattushash. Alacahöyük is known for the sphinxes which
can be seen at the city gates. |
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Sometime in the
1200's BC, the Phrygians came to the Anatolian Plateau from
Europe. The Phrygian capital, Gordion, was established near
Polatli west of Ankara. Alexander the Great is supposed to
have become the ruler of Asia by virtue of 'undoing' Gordion's
knot with his sword. The tomb of the Phrygian king Midas, who
according to legend turned everything he touched into gold, is
located near Gordion. Near Eskişehir and Afyon there are a
number of Phrygian cities and worship centers. |
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Now let's head down
to vast fertile Konya Plain on the northern slopes of the
Taurus Mountains. Catalhöyük, one of the worlds oldest cities
is located here. This city, located southeast of Konya,
belongs to the Neolithic Era and was an important cultural
center with many temples decorated with frescoes by city
artisans. | |
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Konya and the
surrounding regions would later be ruled during the
Chalcolithic, Bronze, Hittite, Phrygian, Persian, Hellenistic,
Roman and Byzantine eras. It became the capital city of the
Selçuk in the 12th century AD and consequently experienced the
most important "Renaissance" period of its long history. In
the 13th century, Konya was completely redecorated with Selçuk
architecture. |
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The great Turkish
philosopher Mevlana, who built his philosophy on human love and
believed that mystical unity with God could be reached by means of
the 'Sema', a whirling dance to music performed by the dervishes,
lived in Konya and developed a following here. Every year in the
month of December, there is a 'Mevlana Week' in Konya, which
includes performances of the 'Sema'. Mevlana is buried with his
father Bahaeddin Veled in the Green Tomb (Yesil Turbe), which has
become the city symbol. The Dervish Lodge and Mevlana Museum
adjacent to the tomb are open to the public. |
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southwest of Konya is Beysehir Lake, a still undiscovered paradise
full of natural beauty. To the southwest of the lake, Kubad Abad,
the summer home of the Selçuk rulers, and the castle found on
Kızkalesi Island are both sites worth visiting. The Esrefoğlu Mosque
and Tomb, located in Beysehir, have an important place among the
timber architectural structures of the Selçuk period. |
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As you leave Konya
and head towards Aksehir you will probably notice that there
is a smile playing at the corners of your mouth. This is
undoubtedly due to the fact that you are approaching the home
of Nasreddin Hoca, the famous folk philosopher and master
comedian (13th c.), whose brilliant wit, quick retorts and
stories with ever so subtle moral points have attracted
audiences far beyond the borders of Turkey. This much-loved
folk figure died in 1284 and his tomb in Aksehir is the city's
most symbolic structure. | |
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As you travel
through the region of Eskişehir, your lips will undoubtedly be
reciting lines from the poetry of Yunus Emre. This eminent
pioneer of Turkish poetry used the language, idioms and
concepts of the ordinary man in such an unpretentious fashion
to convey such meaningful ideas regarding divine justice, love
and friendship that to not visiting his grave, located in the
village bearing his name (Yunus Emre Köyü), would be a huge
loss. |
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| Ankara |
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This structure,
which was complete in 1953 is a synthesis of antique and modern
architectural themes and proves the elegance and strength of Turkish
architecture. |
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The oldest parts of the
city surround the Castle. The Alaaddin Mosque found inside its walls
is still one of the best examples of Selçuk art and wood
craftsmanship, in spite of the fact that it was restored by the
Ottomans. The area has experienced a rejuvenation with the
restoration of many interesting old Turkish houses and the opening a
several art galleries and fine restaurants which feature examples of
traditional Turkish cuisine. Near the gate of the castle is the
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, which is a beautifully restored
portion of the old bazaar. It contains priceless artifacts belonging
to the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras as well as the Hatti, Hittite,
Phrygian, Urartu and Roman civilizations.Ankara has a vibrant
cultural and artistic life with many select ballet, theater, opera
and folk dances performances. The city's Philharmonic Orchestra,
which always plays to a packed house is especially
famous. |
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| Anıtkabir |
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Located in an imposing
position in the anittepe quarter of the city the mausoleum of Kemal
Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic. Completed in an imposing
position in the Anittepe quarter of the city stands the mausoleum of
Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic. Completed in 1953,
it is an impressive fusion of ancient and modern architectural ideas
and remains unsurpassed as an accomplishment of modern Turkish
architecture. The main entrance is aşong the lion road lined with 24
hittite carved stone lions and a series of statues, which symbolize
The Turkish Nation. |
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| Anatolian Civilizations Museum |
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The museum of
Anatolian Civilization is one of the most beautiful and
richest museum in the world with regard to it's exhibits. The
museum is housed in a charming building, a restored covered
market dating from 15th century. The exhibits are arranged
chronologically; paleolithic, neolithic, early bronze,
assyrian colonies, hittite, phrygian, urartian and later
periods until today. The highlight is an exhibit of finds from
the catalhoyuk site, often described as the earliest kknown
human community in the world. |
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| Konya |
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Konya is one of the
first centers of population in the history of humankind. and
it owns the traces of many ancient civilizations. Because of
these characteristics, Konya has the specialty of a "museum -
city". Konya is also famous for the Islamic Elders lived here,
besides its innumerable historical, cultural and natural
values. During the old times, Konya took place on the most
important and main roads. It used to be one of the most
important trade and billeting centers of the Silk
Road. |
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| Cappadocian |
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Cappadocian region is the
place where nature and history come together most beautifully within
the world. While geographic events are forming Peribacaları (fairy
chimneys), during the historical period, humans had carried the
signs of thousand years old civilizations with carving houses and
churches within these earth pillars and decorating them with frisks.
During the Roman Emperor, Augustus period, territories of
Cappadocian Region as a wide region lying till to the Toros
Mountains at south, Aksaray at west, Malatya at east and Eastern
Black Sea shores at north within the 17 volume book named
'Geographika' of Strabon, one of the Antic Period
writers. |
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Today's
Cappadocian Region is the area covered by Nevşehir, Aksaray,
Niğde, Kayseri, and Kırşehir cities. More limited area, rocky
Cappadocian Region is composed of Üçhisar, Göreme, Avanos,
Ürgüp, Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı, Ihlara and environment.
Traditional Cappadocian houses and dovecotes carved into
stones are showing the uniqueness of the region. These houses
are constructed on the feet of the mountain via rocks or cut
stones. Rock, which is the only construction material of the
region, as it is very soft after quarry due to the structure
of the region, can be easily processed but after contact with
air it hardens and turns into a very strong construction
material. Due to being plentiful and easy to process of the
used material, regional unique masonry is developed and turned
into an architectural tradition. |
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Materials of neither
courtyard nor house doors is wood. Upper parts of the doors built
with arches are decorated with stylized ivy or rosette motifs.
Dovecotes within the region are small structures constructed within
18th century and end of 19th century. Some of the dovecotes, which
are important for showing Islamic picture art are constructed as
monastery or church. Surfaces of dovecotes are decorated with rich
inscriptions and adornments by regional artists. |
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| Ürgüp |
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Ürgüp, which is 20
km east of Nevşehir, is one of the most important centers of
Cappadocia Region. It had numerous names in the course of
historical period like in Göreme. It is known as Osiana
(Assiana), Hagios Prokopios during Byzantium Period; Başhisar
during Seljukian Period; Burgut castle during Ottoman Era; and
as Ürgüp beginning from the first years of Republic.
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| Pottery |
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The first people to sit
down at a potters wheel in Avanos were undoubtedly the Hittites.
This art has been passed on from tribe-to-tribe, father-to-son up
until the present time. The rich clay silts in the old river beds of
the Kızılırmak brought down from the mountains of Avanos are
meticulously sifted and thoroughly kneaded to form an excellent mud,
which is then given the desired shape by the skilled hands of potter
on a foot-driven potter's wheel. The pots made in the little shops
called 'İşlik', are first put out in the sun to dry and then
carefully fired in ovens fueled with straw and wood shavings first
at temperatures which start around 800 degrees and eventually reach
1200 degrees.Food dishes, water jugs, storage containers for winter
food stuffs and other earthenware vessels are all the work of local
potters. Avanos is today known as the shopping and handicraft center
of Cappadocia. |
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| Kaymaklı |
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The underground cities of
kaymakli and derinkuyu were used by the early chirstians who needed
a shelter to escape the iconoclastic strife of Byzantium. A complete
environment, these cities included rooms for grain storage, stables,
airshafts and kitchens, sleeping chambers to accommodate 15.000
people. The cities were subdiveded into separate sections for better
defense purposes. Each section could be isolated from each other by
closing the millstone shaped round rock gates. |
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| Zelve |
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Zelve, which once
housed one of the largest communities in cappadocia, is an
amazing cave town, honeycombed with dwellings, religious and
secular chambers. The church with the grapes is one of the
most interesting churches in the area. The frescoes, painted
on the walls, showing bunches of grapes were ritualistic
symbols of some earlier religions, populer in the region and
also representing christ according to the christian
belief. | |
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| UçHisar |
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Uchisar is famous
for the citadel where you can see the beautiful panaromic view
of the nearby gorges and valleys.
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| Avanos |
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Located 18 km north
of Nevşehir, the name of the city in ancient times was
'Venessa'. The ceramic trade in this province with its
countless pottery factories goes all the way back to the
Hittites. The ceramic clay from the red silt of the Kızılırmak
(Red River) comes to life in the hands of the skilled potters
of Avanos.
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| Göreme |
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Göreme, which hide
among fairy chimneys, is the heart of Cappadocia. First period
settlement within the region reaches to Roman period from
Christianity. Ortahane, Durmus Kadir, Yusuf Koc and Bezirhane
churches in Göreme, houses and shafts engraved from rocks till
to Uzundere, Bağıldere and Zemi Valley carries the mystical
side of history today. | |
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