ISTANBUL

İstanbul is Turkey's largest city. Although historians believe the city was founded nearly 2,600 years ago, archaeologists say it has been inhabited for at least 8,000 years. Serving as a bridge between two continents, İstanbul has been a center of civilizations and was capital of three world empires — the East-ern Roman, the Byzantine and the Ottoman.

İstanbul has also served as one of the four centers of Orthodox Christianity and hosted five religious councils. People from all over the world visit the city because it has played an important role in the development of religions. The city houses Haghia Sophia, a basilica and of the greatest Byzantine architectural achievement, as well as the Orthodox Church Patriarchate in the district of Phanar (Fener), which makes the city important.

SULTANAHMET MOSQUE AND COMPLEX: One of the most magnificent shrines in the Müslim world and Istanbul's biggest mosque, the 17^th century Sultanahmet Mosque is better known as the Blue Mosque because of its majestic blue-tiled interior. Sultan Ahmet I had the architect Sedefkar Mehmet Ağa built the mosque between the years 1609 and 1617.

It was the first big mosque to have been constructed in İstanbul since the time of Mimar Sinan, the Ottoman Empire's greatest architect. Due to the height of its dome, the mosque does not have any windows. The interior tiles can be seen with certain lighting. The mosaics, the highly ornamented prayer niche, the gate - inlaid with mother of pearl - and glittering tiles, marble carved balustrade are exquisite.

BÜYÜK MECİDİYE CAMİİ (ORTAKÖY MOSOUE): Sultan Abdülmecit had this single- domed mosque constructed in 1854. The facade has what is known as empire-style decorations that are complex.

AYASOFYA (HAGHİA SOPHİA) MUSEUM: Haghia Sophia, or Aya-sofya, is a sixth century Byzantine basilica turned into a mosque by the Ottoman Turks. It is now a museum. It was constructed on one of the seven hills of the city in the Fourth Century, but destroyed in riots and rebuilt. The church is a masterpiece of the Orthodox architecture, and indication of the greatness of the Byzantine Empire. It was used for centuries as the site for the coronation ceremonies of the Byzantine Emperors.The church is 94 meters long, 72 meters wide. The dome is 56 meters high and has a 32 meter diameter. The green columns inside were brought from the famed Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, while the red columns originated from Egypt, were transported to the city from Rome.Upon conquering the city, Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II rode to Haghia Sophia on his white stal-lion. When he got there he found the Orthodox Church Patriarch and thousands of frightened local citizens kowtowing before him. According to some sources, he told them: "Stand up. You need not have fear for your lives and freedom from my wrath." He ordered his commanders and soldiers not to bother the local populace and told them that they should allow the local inhabitants of the city to go to their home freely. After the first Friday prayers were held at Haghia Sophia on June 1, 1453, the sultan invited the newly elected Patriarch Georgios Skalarios, known as "Gennadios," to din-ner and gave him the crown and cane that symbolized the patriarch's spiritual leadership of the Orthodox Church, and accompanied him to the palace's door afterwards.The sultan also gave the Jewish community the right to operate its synagogues, and had a patriach elected of the Armenian Orthodox community to keep a balance between the various non-Muslim religious communities

ETZ AHAYIM SYNAGOGUE: Located in Ortaköy district, which was a typical Jewish settlement, the synagogue was built in the 17^th century. Etz Ahayım means ^'Tree of Life'. In 1941, a fire destroyed the synagogue. All that remains today is the cupboard where a handwritten copy of the Old Testament was kept, standing in the garden of the gutted synagogue. That the synagogue is located next to a church and a mosque shows that three monotheistic religions have existed together in peace and harmony for centuries.

MOSQUE OF EYÜP SULTAN: The mosque was built in 1458 by the orders of Sultan Mehmet II, and was the first Islamic shrine to be built after the Turkish conquest of the city.

THE TOMB OF EYÜP SULTAN: Considered one of the holiest shrines of the Müslim world, the tomb contains the remains of Halit Bin Zeyt (Eyüp), the standard bearer of the Prophet Mohammed. He was killed during the seventh Arab siege of İstanbul. His grave was found outside the walls of the city after the conquest of İstanbul. Sultan Mehmet II built a magnificent tomb to bear Eyüp's remains next to the Eyüp Sultan Mosque, in the district of Eyüp on the upper reaches of the Golden Horn.

FATİH MOSQUE: Sultan Mehmet II had this grand mosque constructed on the site of the ruins of Church of Apostles. It has a large complex of buildings and neighboring foundations for various other religious denominations. Sinaneddin Yusuf, the architect, built the mosque between the years 1462 and 1470. The mosque has a typical Ottoman style, without any influences of Byzantine architecture.

BAYEZIT MOSQUE: This mosque is located in Bayezıt Square. The mosque and complex, which includes a medrese, a mektep (school for lay students), a hospice, a caravanserai and a hamam was built by Sultan Bayezıt II between 1501 and 1506. If one looks at the style of the mosque, it is believed to be the work of architect Hayrettin. Located in a wide area, the complex played an important role in the urbanization of the city.

SÜLEYMANİYE MOSOUE AND COMPLEX: The Mosque of Süleyman the Magnificient is one of the greatest achievements in Islamic arhitecture. İt is the work of the famed Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who considered it as his work of apprenticeship. The complex is known for its technical, aesthetic and cultural magnificence, its sturdiness, and its decorations.The mosque has four minarets, two of which have two balconies and two which have three. The total balconies are ten, indicating that Süleyman was the tenth sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

THE TOMB OF MİMAR SİNAN: The Tomb of Mimar Sinan is located across from the Mosque of Süleyman the Magnificent and it is a simple but stylish tomb for the chief architect of the Ottoman Empire. Mimar Sinan died in 1588

THE MOSOUE OF SULTAN SELİM:

Located in the Sultan Selim neighborhood of Edirnekapı district, construction of the mosque was completed in 1522 during the rule of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificient. The writings at the entrance of the mosque say it was built on the orders of the Z7-. Sultan Selim I. Others say his son in honor of his father constructed it. Acem Ali was the architect.

HASEKİ MOSOUE: Süleyman the Magnificent had this mosque built in 1538 in honor of his wife Hürrem Sultan. It is the work of Mimar Sinan, and the complex includes a medrese (religious school), a darüşifa (dispensary), a hospice and a sebil (a monumental public fountain)

YENİ CAMİ (THE NEW MOSOUE):

Safiye Sultan, mother of Sultan Mehmet III started the mosque's construction in 1597. By the time it was finished both mother and son had died. It was completed in 1663 by Turhan Sultan, mother of Sultan Mehmet IV.

ŞEHZADE CAMİİ (ŞEHZADE MOSOUE): This mosque, constructed by Süleyman the Magnificent in honor of his favorite son Mehmet in 1548, is located in the Saraçhane district, across from the building of the İstanbul

DENIZLI

Denizli, the capital of the province by the same name, is located in the Aegean region of Turkey and is one of the oldest sites of settlement in western Anatolia. Discoveries made at the Beycesultan Höyük (Mound) in the town of Çivril have shown that the city was an important center of civilization from the Chalcolithic (copper) Age to the Bronze Age. Until the ll^th century, it was shaped by Western Aegean-Anatolian culture. Great changes took place with the coming of the Turks. Due to its thermal waters, caravanserais, rich flora, cultural assets and hotels, Denizli province is an excellent place to hold business meetings and conventions.

GONCALI (LAODICEIA) CHURCH:Located six km north of Denizli is the ancient city Laodiceia, which gets its name from Laodice, wife of the Seleucid King Antiochus II, who ruled the area between 261-246 BC. The site has two amphitheaters, a stadium, a b a s i l i c a , a nymphaeum, a temple, and a colonnaded street. The monuments were constructed during the Roman period. The church is one of the Seven Churches (early Christian communi-ties) of Revelation, as mentioned in the New Testament.

ST. PHIUP'S MARTYRIUM: Named after St. Philip, one of Christ's 12 disciples who lived and was martyred there, St Philip's Martyrium is located on a hill overlooking the ancient city of Hierapolis. The Martyrium was constructed in the late 4^th or early 5^th centuries in the honor of St. Philip.

HIERAPOLIS CATHEDRAL: Located in center of Hierapolis on the colonnaded street between the Agora and amphitheater, this cathedral was built in the 6^th century.

PAMUKKALE: Pamukkale, which means "Cotton Castle" in Turkish, is one of the most spectacular natural wonders of Turkey, and is one of the sites protected under United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List. The site is a cliff of white limestone cascades, tiers of stalactites and natural swimming travertines formed over thousands of years by deposits of mineral and calcium-rich hot streams which run down the hill.

KONYA

Located in fertile lands in central Anatolia, Konya is known as Turkey's granary. İt is also one of the earliest sites of settlement in Anatolia.
Çatalhöyük in Çumra county is recognized as one of the first places in the world   where hunting to farming, This took place around 7000 BC, according to excavations carried out at the site.

Erbaba Tepesi and Karahöyük are settlements from the Chalcolithic Age (Copper Age.) Alaaddin Tepesi in the city ofKonya is a settlement dating back to early Bronze Age around 3000 BC and Hittite era of 2000 BC.Known in the past as Iconium, Konya later came in succession under the control of the Lydians, Persians, Alexander the Great, the Pergamon Kingdom,the Romans, the Arabs, theSeljuks, the Karamanoglu Princes and the Ottoman Turks. St. Paul visited Konya between the years 47 and 53, making the city an important site of Christianity. The great Turkish philosopher Mevlana and his whirling dervishes made Konya his home. Mevlana through his teachings and life shed light on millions of people throughout the world.

Konya was also home to Yunus Emre, one of the greatest Turkish poets who spread out his arms of love to the world. Konya was also the home of Nasreddin Hoca, the 15^th century wise man and humorist whose tales are told to children even today.Konya was one of the most important cities on the historic Silk Road.

MUSEUM  OF  MEVLANA:  The Mevlana Convent and Museum is one of the holiest shrines of Turkey and home of the mystic Mevlevi order of whirling dervishes, and also symbol of the city of Konya. Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat gave the area on which the museum is located, which was a rose garden of his palace, as a gift to the father of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, the great poet, mystic and the founder of Mevlevi order of dervishes who lived in the 13th century. Construction of Mevlana'stomb began in 1274. In 1396, the tomb was covered by a cone shaped dome deco-rated by exquisite turquiose tiles.Additions to the complex continued throughout the Ottoman period. In 1926, the Mevlana Convent opened as a museum. The artifacts presented to the convent throughout the centuries are on display. The most interesting section of the museum is under the green dome where the sarcophagi of Mevlana and his son, Sultan Veled,stand. The museum contains 65 sarcophagi of the members of Mevlana's family and his followers. On display are hand-written copies of the sayings and books about Mevlana and the Mevlevi order, musical instruments, metal glass and wooden objects, carpets and kilims. İn the former dervish cells, the garments of the order are exhibited on three mannequins. The museum's library houses 9,116 printed and 3,705 hand-written documents. Five more tombs are located in the courtyard.

İNCE MİNARELİ MEDRESE: This medrese, or religious school, has served as a museum since 1956, exhibiting Seljuk period stone and wooden artifacts, including doors, door knobs, window frames and Ottoman era wooden cupboards, drawers. Reliefs with the twin-headed eagle, dragon and winged angel are the most interesting figures on display.

ALAADDİN MOSQUE: Dating from the Seljuk period, this is the oldest and biggest mosque of Konya. It was constructed on the Alaaddin Tepesi (Hill) in the center of the city. Construction of the mosque began during   last years of the reign of Seijukt Sultan Rükneddin Mesud I and continued under Sultan Kılıçy Aslan II (1156-1192) and was completed in 1221 under Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat.The mosque was covered by trees and soil. The interior looks like a forest of pillars and is composed of 41 Byzantine and classical period marble columns supporting the superstructure of the mosque. The pulpit is made of  carved,  interconnected pieces of ebony and is one of the best examples of Seijuk art of wood carving

EŞREFOGLU MOSQUE: Located in the town of Beyşehir, this is the biggest and most original of Anatolia's wood-framed mosques.The 6-meter high, 5.5-meter long mihrap is completely covered with turquoise and purple mosaics and is among most magnificent of its kind in Turkey. The stone ornaments of the portal and the tiles of the mosque's interior and the wooden pulpit all reflect the aesthetics of the Eşrefoğlu principality.

SİLLE(SİYATA): Sille is located eight km northwest of Konya and was a center of early Christianity. Many of the world's first monasteries, including the Ak Manastır (Monastery of St Khariton), were hewn right into the rocks in Sille.

GÖKYURT (GLISTRA): Located in Meram County near the town of Hatunsaray, Glistra was an important Christian site.St. Paul lived in the town during his mission to spread Christianity, after having visited Antioch ad Pisidia. He and Barnabas gave sermons in Glistra.

ÇATALHOYUK: Located 10 km east of the town of Çumra, Çatalhöyük is one of Anatolia's first settlements. It was here that man first abandoned hunting and gathering food for agriculture and started to domesticate animals. This Neolithic site dates back to 7000 BC.The first houses and holy buildings of mankind were formed here, shedding light on the history of humanity.Many of the artifacts found here are housed in the Konya Archaeological Museum and in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara

KARAHOYUK: Located near the town of Harmancık 15 km south-east of Konya, this höyük, or tell was settled between 3000 BC and 2000 BC. During excavations 27 layers of settlements have been found on the site.

The site has shed light to history of Konya province. It is one of the most important sites for archaeological research of Anatolia.

EFLATUNPINAR: Eflatunpınar and Fasıllar Monuments, situated near Beyşehir, were important settlements during the period of the Hittite Empire.

MARDIN

Mardin province is located in southeast Turkey and its history dates back to 3000 BC when the present city and provincial capital was settled by the Hurrians. Archaeologists found a vase, made by Hurrian artisans, at Gırnavaz Tepe (Mound), near the town of Nusaybin, indicating that the settlement was an important Hurrian-Mitanni hub.The province subseguently came successively under the domination of the Persians, the Romans, the Byzantines, and the Sassanids. In the middle of the 7^th century, Islam came to be a power to be reckoned with, as Arab armies conguered Mardin, which came under the Arab-lslam influence. Arabic became the dominant language. Eventually, the Turks gained influence over the region.

In the 12^th century, the Turkish Artuk princes controlled the region. They built such edifices as Mardin Kızıltepe Ulu Mosgue

ULU CAMİ (ULU MOSQUE): This 12th  century grand mosgue is an example of Artukid architecture. The mosgue decorations are quite interesting.

CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES:

Some of the earliest Christian churches and monasteries are located in the region, construction of which started in the l^st century. The Syrian Jacobites, who had their patriarchate in Mardin until 1932, built many churches monasteries in the neighboring towns, villages and hamlets. The oldest Syrian Jacobite church in Mardin today is Mar Behnam (Kırklar), dating from the 2^nd century. Other Syrian Jacobite Churches include Mar Mihail, Behrimiz Meryem Ana, Mar Yusuf, Mar Bitris, Surp Kevork (Red Church), which are still used today.

DEYR-UL ZAFERAN MONASTERY:

Deyr-ul   Zaferan   is   one   of Christianity's oldest shrines, located five km east of Mardin. Built on the ruins of a temple in the 4^th century, the monastery is one of the most important cen-ters of the Syrian Jacobite Church. Mosaics from the 4^th century can still be seen at the church, which holds a historic New Testament and contains the graves of 52 patriarchs of the church. The Church of the Virgin Mary, dating back to Byzantine times, is located one km north of the monastery.The castles of Arur and Erdemeşt stand on the hills near the monastery.Another monastery, the Mor Yakup, was carved into the rocks of the Arur Castle in the I^st and 2^nd centuries. A small room and chapel exist on the top floor of the two-storey monastery, and a church on the ground floor.Deyr-ul Zaferan Monastery, the Church of the Virgin Mary and the Mor Yakup Monastery form a complex of holy buildings.On the road to the monastery near the village of Eski Kale stand three other churches and a castle that predates the Christian era. A third monastery nearby, Mor Izozoil, is no longer used.

RUINS OF DARA: This site is found in the village of Oğuz southeast of Mardin. It was once one of the most important cities of the ancient Mesopotamia. Persian Emperor Darius founded the old. metropolis, which frequently changed hands between the Persians and Romans. Later the Omayides and Abbasids, eventually the Turks gained control over the city in the 15^th century.The ruins of a church, a palace, a market, a prison, an armory, and a small dam can be seen. The rocky formation cascading down to the village's southem end was used to construct the dam. Dwellings hewn into the rocks are located around the village.

DEYR-UL UMUR MONASTERY: This monastery, the center for a metropolitan bishopric of the Turabdin region, is perched on a hill, 18km east of the town of Midyat. It is one of the most important sites of the Syrian Jacobite Church.

Monks' cells, prayer cubicles and special compartments where sarcophagi were to be laid and three churches were added to the building at different stages.

MOR YAKUP CHURCH: This 1900-year-old church is located next to Zeynel Abidin Mosgue in the town of Nusaybin. The basement of the church contains a granite tomb bearing the remains of Mor Yakup.

HATUNİYE MEDRESE: This religious school was erected in the 12^th century during the Artukid period.Nevşehir province in central Anatolia lies on a wide plateau, formed by the lava flows and ash from the eruptions of the now extinct volcanoes Erciyes, Melendiz and Hasan Mountains in the region. The Kızılırmak, Turkey's longest river, cuts through the province from east to west. Nevşehir was first settled in the Neolithic Age. The Hittites, the Phrygians, the

ZİNCİRİYE MEDRESE: This Islamic theological seminary was built by Artuk Prince Melik Mecdeddin Isa in 1385

THE MOSQUE AND TOMBS OF ZEYNEL ABİDİN: This site is located in Nusaybin and contains the tombs of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Zeynel Abidin, and his sister, Zeynep.

KASIMİYE MEDRESE: It was built during the Akkoyunlu period in the 15th century.

NEVSEHIR

Persians, the Greeks, the Romans stamped their culture on the region. The spread of Christianity brought about revolutionary changes in the area. Goreme, Urgup and Ortahisar became key religious centers. The rock churches of Cappadocia are well known for their frescoes and other art works. After Turkish sovereignty, Turkish-lslamic culture began to expand.

CAPPADOCIA: Cappadocia, a fascinating and impressive region covering the provinces of Nevşehir, Kırşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray and Nigde, combining natural beauties and historical wealth, was one of the areas St. Paul chose for building the first Christian churches.

The area has remarkable rock formations, with churches carved into odd-shaped rocks, and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Turkey. There are more than 220 churches, most of which are located in the Göreme Valley, Zelve, Çavuşin, Ortahisar, İbrahimpaşa, Mustafa Paşa, Yeşilöz and Açıksaray. Moreover, there are many underground cities, including Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı.

GÖREME: The Göreme Valley became one of the important religious centers in Anatolia after the early Christians, fleeing from Roman persecution, settled in the area, and in the 7th century, when they were escaping from Arab attacks. The Christian settlers easily chiseled cave dwellings, underground cities and churches in the soft rocks where they could hide from their persecutors and pray.

GÖREME OPEN AIR MUSEUM: The Open Air Museum is located ir a triangular region between the city of Nevşehir and town ol Avanos and Ürgüp, 13 km from Nevşehir and two km east of the town of Göreme. The first settlements in the area were founded after the missionery journeys of St. Paul in the year AD 53. The soft rocks were hollowed out for different purposes. The most important rock churches include the Elmalı Kilise (Church with the Apple), Church of St. Basil Church of St. Barbara, Yılanlı Kilise (Church with a Snake), Karanlık Kilise (The Dark Church), Çarıklı Kilise (Church with a Moccasin) and Tokatlı Kilise (Church with c Buckle).

UÇHISAR: On the Ürgüp-Nevşehir Road, Uçhisar is famed for its immense fist-shaped tower of volcanic tuff. The citadel, the highest point in Cappadocia, offers a stunning panorama of the Goreme Valley.

ZELVE: Only five km. from Avanos, Zelve consists of three valleys of rock churches, where 'fairy chimneys' are clustered together. It was an important religious center during the Iconoclastic Period with its monasteries and churches, most significant of which are Balıklı Kilise (Church with the Fish), Uzumlu Kilise(Church with the Grapes) and Geyikli Kilse (Church with Deer).

CHURCH OF ST. THEODORE :

This 19th Othodox Church is found in the town of Derinkuyu and was dedicated to St. Theodore Trion. The church, situted in a courtyard, has a basilica plan with three naves, impressive frescoes and a dome.

MUSEUM OF HACI BEKTAS-I VELI: The convent and complex of Hacı Bektas-i Veli serves as a museum now. Hacı Bektas-i Veli a famous Turkish-Islamic mystic and philosopher, and founder of Bektasi order, lived in the 13th century. He was born in Khorasan.

His studies under tutelage of Hoca Ahmet Yesevi of Turkestan equipped him with a knowledge of the positive sciences. He was inspired by many Turkish scholars from Khorasan and acquired a broad and genial view of the world. He played a key role in restoring the fragmented Turkish-Islamic unity in Anatolia.

YALVAÇ (ANTIOCH AD PISIDIA):

Located on the fertile slopes of the Sultan Mountains one km north of the town of Yalvaç, this is an important Pisidian city. Antioch was a Seleucid colony.

It isn't certain when the city was established exactly, but is believed to have been founded by Seleucus or his son Antiochus.

CHURCH OF ST. PAUL: Located in Antioch ad Pisidia along the walls, 200 m south of the Roman baths, this building is one of the first churches. This basilica-planned church was built on the ruins of a synagogue, where St.Paul delivered his first official sermon, thus, proclaimed Christianity to the world.The church was named after St. Paul, who visited the city with St. Bamabas in AD 46. St. Paul actually visited the city three times during his missionary travels to spread Christianity.

AYA PAYANA KİLİSESİ (CHURCH OF HAGHIA PAYANA): Founded in the center of Isparta, this church was probably constructed in 1750. The rectangular church has an apse and three naves. The church, which has a wooden cross-vaulted roof, has three entrances at the northern, southern and western sides.

AYA YORGİ  KİLİSESİ (CHURCH  OF ST. GEORGE): Located in the center of the city of İsparta, the Church of St. George is a basilica