Holiday Turkey Tourism

Memorials Mimar Sinan Memorial

This memorial is a marble statue of the greatest Turkish architect, Mimar Sinan (1409-1588), wearing clothes original to his own style of dress, and located in front of the Language, History and Geography Faculty. Made by scultor Huseyin Anka, it was commissioned by the Real Estate Loan Bank in 1956.

Guvenlik Memorial

In Guven Park, in the city centre of Kizilay, it was made in 1935 out of local stone. Because it was presented as a gift to the Turkish national police, it is known as the Security Memorial.

Mithat Pasa Memorial

In 1966, the Turkish Republic Agricultural Bank commissioned Professor Huseyin Anka of the Fine Arts Academy in Istanbul to make this sculpture. It is located beside the General Headquarters of the bank in Ulus.

Ulus Republic Memorial

This was erected in 1927 in honour of the heroes of the Turkish War of Independence, and lies in Ulus Square.

Triumph Memorial

On Ataturk Boulevard in Yenisehir in front of Ordu Evi, the Triumph Memorial is a bronze statue of a uniformed Ataturk, standing on his feet and leaning on his sword.

The Bust of Lady Zubeyde

In front of the Ismet Pasa Girls Institute, the bust of Ataturk’s mother Zubeyde was erected March 31 1964 by the United Turkish Women’s Centre, in honour of the greatest of all Turkish mothers.

Museums and Ancient Cities

Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) Museum : Aya Sophia was built, for nearly a thousand years ago, is the largest enclosed space in the world, and still seen as one of the world’s most important architectural monuments. It is one of Turkey’s most popular attractions, drawn by the sheer spectacle of its size, architecture, mosaics and art.

It used to be a church for 916 years, then a mosque for 481 years, and since 1935 has been a museum. Thought to have been constructed by Emperor Konstantinos I (324 – 337) it was burned down during a revolt. Rebuilt by Emperor Theodosium II, it was opened for worship in 415 and once again was burned to the ground, during the Nika revolts of 532.

Emperor Iustanianus (527 – 565) wanted to construct something even bigger than the original two and appointed architects Isidoros from Miletos, and Anthemios from Tralles to build the Aya Sophia which still stands. Columns, heads, marble and coloured stones were imported to Istanbul from ancient cities in Anatolia for the purpose.

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Sites

Registered Immobile Cultural and Natural Heritages in İstanbul

Sites

Archaeological Sites: 14

Urban Sites: 14

Natural Sites: 11

Historical Sites: -

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Palaces

After his conquest of Istanbul Mehmet the Conqueror had ordered a palace to be built on a site which is now the grounds of Istanbul University. This palace, consisting mainly of small, wooden pavilions, was surrounded by thick walls. When the building of the new palace at Sarayburnu (the Topkapı Palace) was completed it was renamed Esk Saray (old palace), or Saray-ı Atik and became a residence for the wives and favourites of dead sultans. As it lost its importance the Saray-ı Atik steadily declined and crumbled away leaving no detailed evidence of its architecture and layout. It is only a steel engraving by the English artist Thomas Allom, executed in the first half of the l9th century that depicts a ceremonial entrance with extremely wide eaves resembling the baroque entrance of Babıali on the Alayköşkü side. The location of this palace is marked on old maps of the water supply systems. The New Palace (Yeni Saray), otherwise known as Saray-ı Cedid, or the Topkapı Palace, at Sarayburnu was gradually enlarged with the addition of new buildings and pavilions. This process continued until a preference for a new, European-style palace by the Bosphorus emerged. The Topkapı Palace which had initially adopted the name of a small summerhouse on the coast, developed into a complex of buildings surrounded by gardens. A protective wall, known as Sur-ı Sultanî, was built around it on the inland side and a strong defence system established.

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Van Closed Basin

Nemrut Lake

City: Bitlis

Provinces: Tatvan, Güroymak

Surface Area : 4500

Altitude : 2247 m

Protection: N/A

Bird Species: It gains important bird areas status with kadife ördek (max. 20 pairs) and kaya kartalı (1 pair).

Main Characteristics: sweet water lake, mountain

Sodalıgöl

City: Bitlis

Provinces: Adilcevaz

Surface Area : 1500

Altitude : 1650 m

Protection: N/A

Bird Species: Boz ördek (10 pairs), Macar ördeği (30 pairs) are dikkuyruk (30 pairs) most important ones reproducing within the region.

Main Characteristics: salt lake

Erçek Lake

City: Van

Provinces: Van Merkez

Surface Area : 9520

Altitude : 1803 m

Protection: N/A

Bird Species: It gains important bird areas status with kılıçgaga (50 pairs) and büyük cılıbıt. Important numbers of kara boyunlu batağan (max. 4430) and angıt (max. 5600) can be observed.

Main Characteristics: salt lake

Van Lake

City: Van, Bitlis

Provinces: Van Merkez, Edremit, Gevaş, Tatvan, Ahlat, Adilcevaz, Erçiş, Muradiye

Surface Area : 390.000

Protection: partially

Bird Species: It gains important bird areas status due to Van Reed bed breeding yaz ördeği (5 pairs), Sodalıgöl’s (important bird areas status no. 94) just east present peninsula reproducing toy (during reproduction period max. 32 individual) as well as Ahtamar Island (80 pairs), Çarpanak Island (500 pairs) and probably other areas breeding Van Lake martısı (max. 3285 individual). Ak kanatlı sumru can be seen during immigration period.

Main Characteristics: salt lake, islands

İznik became the centre of worldwide attention once again when the year 1989 was declared the year of İznik. Several activities relating to İznik took place; a symposium, an international exhibition and the publication of two books. Finally, the İznik Foundation was established in September 1993.

Geographical location

The location of İstanbul could be placed in a circle, lying roughly at the intersection of the 41 st parallel and the 29th meridian. A number of the world’s important cities also lie on, or near the same parallel-cities such as Peking Salonika, Naples Madrid and New York. İstanbul is the place where the two continents Europe and Asia. It was founded at the point where the Black Sea is linked to the Mediterranean and the islands by the Sea of Marmara. Istanbul is where roads link East and West, where the sea brings North and South together. This geographical feature of the city is further stressed by the presence of the Golden Horn, which throughout history has served as a natural harbor for ships of all kinds.

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How to Do

As it is impossible to come enough close to birds, binoculars are the most basic equipment for close observation. In open areas, distant lands, telescopes made for this aim are also very beneficial. During the observation period, a note book, which is required for registry, should not be forgotten. Also a guide book including bird species will be very beneficial.

During the observation, there are some basic rules to be obeyed. First of them is not to disturb the birds. You should not enter their nesting areas, and take eggs or nest material. At the end of the observation no property should be left within the region.

Tunceli - Mercan (Munzur) Mountains

Height: 70 m.

Location: This is an extension of the Central Taurus mountains, lying between the Northern Anatolian and the Southeastern Taurus Mountains in the vicinity of Tunceli and Erzincan.

Best time for Climbing: Between mid-June and late August.

Characteristic: These limestone mountains have a very broken and jagged appearance. There are numerous lakes and in some places the snow never melts, and coverage of high meadows. The Munzur Valley National Park is located on the Ovacik road.

Climbing: To reach the peak of Akbaba in the Mercan Mountains, follow Mercan Creek north of the village of Ovacik. Every climber can choose an ascent that matches his level of skill.

Where to Visit

Zelve

About 5 km from Avanos and 1 km from Pasabaglari, Zelve was founded on the steep northern slopes of Aktepe. Consisting of three separate valleys, the ruins of Zelve is the area with the most ‘fairy chimneys’ - a famous sight special to Cappadocia - which here have sharp points and thick trunks. It is not known exactly when people began living in the dwellings carved into the rock, found in places like Uchisar, Goreme, Cavusin and Zelve. What is known is that Zelve was an important Christian community and religious centre in the 9th and 13th centuries, where, the first religious seminars for priests were held in the vicinity.

Çavuşin (Nicephorus Phocas) Church

It is beside the Göreme-Avanos road 2.5 km out of Göreme. The narthex of this church has fallen down. It has tunnel vaults, a high nave and 3 apses. It dates back to 964-965 AD.

Güllüdere (St. Agathangelus) Church

It is located in the far left draw of the Güllüdere valley about 2 km from the village of Çavuşin. It was founded at the mouth of the draw on top of a steep slope.

The design of the nave is square with a flat ceiling and it has a single broad apse. The apse was added in the 9th or 10th century to the main structure dating back to the 6th - 7th century. There are 2 or 3 layers of frescoes in the apse which indicates that it was painted regularly. Symbols of Gospel authors are drawn symmetrically and are sitting on the right and left of an enthroned Jesus.

In the middle of the flat ceiling is the relief of a cross in the middle of a circle surrounded with palm leaves and garlands. This sort of relief most likely belongs to the Iconoclastic period. The people of the area had a great love for the cross and it continued to be used as a motif after the Iconoclastic era because it symbolized the “Holy Cross” in Jerusalem.

Özkonak Underground City

Located 14 km northeast of Avanos, this underground city was built on the northern slopes of Mt. Idis in an area with lots of strata made up of volcanic granite. The extensive galleries of the city are spread out over a large area and connected to each another by tunnels. The underground cities in Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, are very narrow (5 cm) and there are long holes between the different levels of the city that used to provide communication between the different levels of the city. The ventilation of these neatly carved out rooms was provided by these holes when the city was sealed up against enemies.

The city was discovered in 1972 by the local muezzin and farmer Latif Acar, when he was trying to find out where the water disappeared, which was tending to his crops. First of all, he found an underground room which, , was revealed a whole city housed with an incredible 60,000 people for up to three months, after excaveted. A total of 10 floors were discovered, to a depth 40m, although now only four are open.

It is unlikely that the other underground cities in this area, besides the rolling stone doors, there were holes above the tunnels used for dumping hot oil on the enemy. Similar to Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, Ozkonak has a ventilation system, a water well, a winery and rolling stone doors.

Opening hours: Summer 08.00 - 19.00; winter 08.00 - 17.00