Turkey - in the footsteps of great civilizations (part 1)
“Civilizations changed here, originated and
great empires died, grew here
Christianity, great philosophers lived here,
commanders and emperors, history was made here ..."
Excursion to the legendary Istanbul
The capital of emperors...The city that dominates the continents...The cradle of civilization...The meeting point of cultures and civilizations...And these are just some of the thousands of opinions about Istanbul. Napoleon said: "If the whole world were one state, Istanbul would become the capital. " And yet no words can describe this city. You need to walk along the streets saturated with history, see the works left from the great imperial dynasties of Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire, enjoy panoramic views, solve the mysteries lurking in every corner of Istanbul and, solving them, fall in love with this city with all your heart ...
The former Constantinople, and since 1930 - Istanbul, is the largest city in Turkey with a population of over 13 million people.
It is located in a hilly area on both banks of the Bosporus near the Marmara and Black Seas, being the only city in the world that lies on two continents at once - Asia and Europe.
The Golden Horn Bay conditionally divides the European half of the city into two parts. Eminonu (Old Town) is located on a peninsula south of the bay and has largely retained its medieval appearance. Beyoglu (New City) north of the entrance to the Golden Horn consists of the commercial port area of Karakö y (formerly Galata) and the business and cultural center of Beyoglu (formerly Pera).
The Asian part of the city of Uskudar is villas on the coast of the Marmara Sea in the Moda area and large military barracks. Parts of Istanbul are connected to each other by ferries and bridges. The city has preserved many interesting architectural monuments created during the times of Rome and Byzantium and during the period of Ottoman rule.
We begin our acquaintance with the place of the Hippodrome of Constantinople, where during the Byzantine period horse races and fans took place here, at that time it was called "blue" and "green", they supported the participants in the races. Until our time, only the southern edge of the hippodrome has been preserved. Three of the most famous columns in the world are still preserved here: "dikilitash" - a stone stuck into the ground, "ilandi syutyun" - a column with snakes and "orme syutyun" - a wicker column.
Our attention is drawn to the Christian Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, whose official name is the Ayasofya Museum.
During the Byzantine Empire, the cathedral was located in the center of Constantinople next to the imperial palace. After the capture of the city by the Ottomans, the Sofia Cathedral was turned into a mosque, and in 1935 received the status of a museum. For more than a thousand years, St. Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople remained the largest church in the Christian world - until the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome.
The height of the St. Sophia Cathedral is 55.6 meters, the diameter of the dome is 31 meters.
We visit the Blue Mosque, which is located directly opposite the Hagia Sophia. The mosque was built in 1616 and, according to the plan of the Sultan, was supposed to surpass the famous temple in beauty. The arrangement of two architectural masterpieces makes the area between them unique. For almost 400 years, these two monuments of two such different, at first glance, and such similar, in fact, religions have been standing against each other, competing in grandeur, beauty, and maybe in the rightness. Officially, the Blue Mosque is called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, it has 6 minarets. It owes its well-known name to the tiles, predominantly blue, which, in number of more than 20.000, decorate it inside, emphasizing the openwork work. The patterns of the mosque are dominated by floral motifs - traditional tulips, lilies, carnations and roses, as well as ornaments of various colors on a white background.
More than 50 variations were used for ceramic tile patterns.
Opposite Ayasofya is Yerebatan - an underground gallery that supplies Constantinople with water. The construction of the Yerebatan reservoir was completed in 532 and it was used until the 16th century. During the Ottoman period, they stopped using it, they simply forgot about it, and by the middle of the 19th century it was restored. This huge vaulted dungeon with a forest of columns and dripping water from everywhere, with huge floating carps, makes a powerful, some kind of mystical impression.
Then we head to the Topkany Palace, which is surrounded by the walls of Sur-i Sultani from the land side. The Ottoman sultans lived and ruled the country in this palace, including Suleiman and his beloved wife Roksolana. We pass through the gates of Babu-s-Selyam (Gate of Greetings).
This palace is a complex of buildings. Its history cannot be attributed to any period.
Its construction was completed in 1478. For 400 years, the palace served as the seat of government, and each time new necessary buildings were added to it, and the wonderful Gulhane Park grew. Despite the fact that in the middle of the 19th century, the sultans began to live in other palaces located closer to the Bosphorus, it was not completely abandoned and museums are currently located in it.
Inside the palaces - a beautiful painting.
From the windows and terraces of the palace there is a wonderful view of the Sea of Marmara and the Asian part of the city, to which we are going after the Topkany Palace.
We pass a bridge connecting the European part of the city with the Asian part, i. e. we leave the Balkan Peninsula of Europe and move to Asia Minor.
We stop at the observation deck, from which native Europe and the European part of this amazing city are clearly visible, which at different times was called Byzantium, New Rome, Constantinople, Constantinople, and was the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires.
In Istanbul, in addition to numerous cathedrals and mosques, there is something to see. We enjoy walking around the city on our own. First, we get acquainted with the Laleli (Tulip) area, where our hotel "Erden Sarayevo" is located. The area is located near the historical center of the city and is its lively shopping center, where there are many different shops, as well as a brisk trade right from the sidewalks. Here, the local population has mastered the Russian language well, because there are many Cargo warehouses where Turkish salesmen from the countries of the former USSR buy up Turkish things.
We continue our acquaintance with the city on the city tram.
Trams are modern, equipped with modern electronics and air conditioning. Tokens must be purchased from special vending machines, which are located near each stop, but are sold only for Turkish 2 lira coins.
Ankara is the capital of Turkey
Ankara became the capital of the Republic of Turkey on October 13.1923, when a decision was made to move the capital from Constantinople. This is one of the oldest cities in Asia Minor, known since the 7th century under the Greek name Ankira (Α γ κ υ ρ α , i. e. anchor), located at the crossroads of busy trade routes linking Europe and Asia. Until 1923, it remained a small provincial town with a population of 30 thousand people. Now it is the second largest city in Turkey with a population of about 5 million people.
We begin our acquaintance with the fortress, located on a steep mountain, which in former times served as a road observation post. It still contains residential buildings.
The panorama of the city is clearly visible from the Ankara Fortress.
We descend from the fortress and head to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. The exposition of the museum includes grave burials, various cuneiform writings, and decorations. Numerous finds from the Hittite, Lydian, Urartu, and Phrygian periods are exhibited in the halls of the museum.
We are going to the main attraction of modern Turkey - the Ataturk Mausoleum, the construction of which began in 1944 and lasted 9 years. On November 10.1953, the coffin with the body of the "father of all Turks" was transported to Ankara.
The design of the Ataturk Mausoleum complex consists of three parts: the central alley with lions, the ceremonial square and the Mausoleum itself. There are ten symmetrically placed towers in the building of the Mausoleum, each of them symbolizes the most important reforms carried out by Mustafa Kemal, which influenced the development of the Turkish state.
On the roofs of the towers there are bronze Turkish spears - in ancient times such spears were installed on the tops of tents. The sayings of Ataturk are inscribed on the inner walls of the towers. In the very center of the ceremonial room is an orator's platform, decorated with quotations from the works of Ataturk. The body of the "father of the Turks" himself is located in the lower part of the Mausoleum, the tomb, under the symbolic memorial plate in the Hall of Honor. In special vessels located around the tomb, there is earth brought from different regions of the country. Of particular interest are the hall with panoramas of the battles of the Turkish troops and images of the beloved leader in various forms of art.
Monitors are installed throughout the halls, where documentary footage related to his activities and recordings of his speeches are broadcast.
The building of the Mausoleum rises above the delightful Baris Park, where tree seedlings were brought from all regions of Turkey and around the world. The number of trees that grow in this park currently reaches 48.500 thousand, among them there are more than a hundred different plant species.
Every year the complex is visited by millions of visitors and their number is growing every year. Ankara boasts many interesting historical monuments, but among the modern buildings, the Mausoleum of Ataturk can be called one of the most important.
Respect for Ataturk is so great that every new government before taking power must visit the Mausoleum, paying tribute to the memory of the national hero.
From visiting Ankara, there was an opinion that it is a well-planned, spacious city with wide boulevards and parks. However, in Ankara since 1930 there has been a problem with "gejikondu" (a shack built overnight).
Currently, the number of such buildings has reached 350 thousand, which generally spoils the appearance of the rapidly developing capital of Turkey.
Hattushash - the capital of the Hittite civilization
We get acquainted with the capital of the Hittite kingdom Hattukash, which was found as a result of excavations on the territory of Bogazkoy. The capital of the Hittite kingdom, founded in 1650 BC. e. , was first found in excavations led by the French scientist Charles Texier. In the excavations of 1907-1912, numerous cuneiform inscriptions were found. Information about Hittite settlements preserved on stone tablets dates back to 1700 BC. e.
The eastern part of the fortress walls is occupied by the Royal Gates, framed by vaulted arches, crowned with sharp tips, characteristic of Hittite architecture.
The remains of Bogazkoy, located on a rather spacious area, also include other areas, including Yazylikaya (Rock with an inscription).
This Hittite sanctuary - one of the most interesting open-air temples, one of the places where monotheism appeared in the world - is located 2 km from Hatushshash and is blocked by monumental gates of various periods.
The images of a number of nameless gods (more than 63) discovered in the excavations of Yazylykay are monuments from the period of the kingdom of Hattushash III (1275-1250 BC). The small gallery is dedicated to relief images of the great Hittite king Tuthalia IV (XIII century BC). The western wall of the Grand Gallery is occupied by images of the nameless God, the eastern wall is occupied by the Goddess.
Cappadocia - Turkish wonder of nature
We drive up to an amazing area, which is called Cappadocia, which in Persian means "Land of beautiful horses. " One of the oldest settlements is characterized by an interesting landscape of volcanic origin, underground cities.
The geology of the valley owes its structure to the appearance of new volcanic formations of the Erciyes mountains, as a result of which tuff layers appeared. Due to climatic conditions with sudden and significant temperature changes, cracks formed in the rocks. Millions of years of compression turned volcanic ash into soft tuff stone, covered with a thinner layer of dark, hardened lava - basalt.
Early in the morning we begin our acquaintance with this amazing area on a balloon floating through the air. From a bird's eye view, we examine Cappadocia, starting from the Goreme Vadisi valley, then the sites of the ancient settlements of Yurgip, Avanos, Chavushin, Zelve and Uchhisar.
It is impossible to convey in words the feeling that you experience when you meet a new day over such an amazing area and, moreover, on such an extraordinary form of transport! You have to experience it yourself!
We continue to study this miracle of nature from above. Before us open incomparable, never before seen landscapes. We fly over the apartment in the rock.
Cappadocia was under the rule of the Hittites, Phrygians, and Persians. By the end of the 4th century, the Cappadocia kingdom was founded, later it was declared a Roman province, turning into the most active region for the spread of Christianity. In the 7th century, during the Arab invasion, the Christian part of Cappadocia moved to the Goreme valley, and by the end of the 14th century, it came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire.
Streams of flood waters flowing along the slopes of the valleys and the wind changed the surface so that the so-called "peri bajas" (in translation - the chimney of the fairies) formed here. There are several types of earthen pyramids formed as a result of erosion: capped, cone-shaped, and mushroom-shaped with a pointed cap.
We continue our acquaintance with this amazing corner of our planet by visiting the Gö reme open-air museum, opened in 1960. Here, in the rocks in the distant past, St. Basil, together with his brothers, created a system of education based on the unification of Christian teachings.
Among the most significant sights, one should note the Church of St. Basil, which takes its name from the surrounding gardens. The Apple Church, which takes its name from the traces of sandals preserved in the church, Charykly Kilise (church with sandals), etc. and frescoes.
The first Christians, no longer able to endure persecution and cruelty from the Roman emperors, settled in the underground cities of Cappadocia, which nature itself built from soft stone, easily workable, and which provided reliable shelter from enemy raids.
These underground cities were formed before the coming of Christ, and people who were looking for protection and peace, with love and patience, landscaped these underground labyrinths, giving them the appearance of churches, monasteries and dwellings. More than 30 such cities have been found in Cappadocia. They have no analogues in the whole world and still delight visitors with their ventilation system, air circulation tunnels, security and safety systems, as well as unusual entry and exit technologies, earthen wells and a garbage collection mechanism. One of them - Kaymakli, discovered by archaeologists in 1968 and located 25 km from the city of Nevsehir, we visit. Presumably, the underground city could accommodate more than 10 thousand people and had 8 floors. There were premises underground: a winery, a church, a ventilation system, sleeping places, food storage rooms, and kitchens.
Gö reme National Park and Cappadocia cave settlements are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Konya and the Mevlana Museum Complex - the center of Sufi culture
We stop in Konya - the administrative center of the largest region in terms of area. In 1071, the Seljuks conquered most of Anatolia along with Konya, and in 1076 Konya was declared the capital of the Seljuk state. In 1442 the city came under the hegemony of the Ottoman Empire.
Since 1228, Jalaladdin Rumi Mevlana, the founder of the Mevlevi dervish order, settled in Konya. In the Garden of Roses, presented by the Seljuk ruler to the father of Mevlana "Sultan of the Wise Men" Bahaddin Veled in 1274, a tomb was built and in 1396 a cone-shaped dome was erected. In 1925, the Order was abolished, and in 1927 the museum complex was opened to visitors and became the center of Sufi culture. Inside the complex, the works of Mevlana and the Mevlevi movement, musical works of those times, works of calligraphic art, samples of valuable fabrics and carpets are displayed.
In the land of sun and sea Lycia
We arrive in the city of Demre (the ancient name of the World), where we visit the rock tombs. The land in the southwest of Anatolia, on the Teke peninsula, washed by the waters of the Antalya and Fethiye bays, in the old days was known as Lycia, which is famous for its rock graves, decorated with reliefs, grave inscriptions, epitaphs. These sarcophagi are unique to archaeologists.
Excavations and scientific research have shed light on the history, language, and art of Lycia. Starting from the II millennium BC. e. , Lycia had a strong navy, a powerful army and was an independent state. Xanthos is described as the largest city in Lycia. It was independent until 545 BC. e. when it was destroyed by Persian troops under the command of Harpogos. Of the monuments that have survived to this day in Mir, you can see the Roman amphitheater, the Byzantine basilica, etc.
In Mir there is also a dilapidated church of St.
Nicholas, which we are visiting. Here he lived and did his good deeds. He is revered as the patron saint of sailors and children. In the West, he is known as Santa Claus, we have him as Nikolai Ugodnik. St. Nicholas died on December 6.343 in Mir.
His body was buried in a sarcophagus for which a church was built. In 1087, Italian merchants plundered the tomb and took the relics to the city of Bari, but in a hurry some of the relics were abandoned.
We decide to go on a small sea cruise on a yacht along the island of Kekova. There are two small villages Uchagiz and Kale (the ancient name of Simena) on the island. On the slope of the elevated area of Simena, inside the well-preserved fortress wall, there is an ancient theater carved from solid rock, as well as Lycian tombs, the remains of a ruined bath.
A piece of the sea between the island of Kekova and the peninsulas Sychak and Teke has a joint name with the island.
Kekova has the shape of two bays adjacent to each other by a narrow passage. Most of the northern coast is occupied by the remains of a sunken city, past and over which we sail.
We drop anchor in the middle of the sea and with the greatest pleasure we jump from the side into the clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
The next day we take a boat trip overlooking the enchanting reed landscape of the Dalyan River, which connects Koycegiz Lake with the Mediterranean Sea. In the ancient city of Kaunos, located opposite Dalyan, archaeological excavations are underway.
Only by boat you can swim to Itsuzu Beach, the so-called turtle beach, at the end of the lagoon. Here we, after watching the big turtles, go swimming in the sea and sunbathe under the gentle sun on the warm sand.
Having refreshed ourselves with crabs prepared for us on the boat, we set off on our way back along the Dalyan River, once again passing by the beautiful places we loved.
So pleasantly ends for us acquaintance with the ancient Lycian civilization.
