Cultural sightseeing in Turkey. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

For fans of history, Bodrum is an ideal place to enjoy a rich Turkish culture. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which is one of the seven wonders of …
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Turkey regularly hosts many music and cultural festivals, sports competitions, and exciting entertainments for the whole family. Turkey is a large …
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Geographically, the Republic of Turkey is like an ancient bridge between old continents. The Anatolian peninsula is the westernmost protrusion of Asia …
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These spots really worth the attention of a real traveler-researcher.
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Monuments and architectural objects, notable for the history and culture of the country.
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Resorts of Turkey manage to maintain their popularity no matter what. Antalya, Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa, Izmir and Edirne - for millions of travelers …
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Fantastic City Tours and Excursions in Turkey
Reference information
Art galleries in Turkey
♥ Art museum 'Anadolu University Contemporary Art Museum' Eskişehir. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Baksı Museum' Bayburt. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Bursa Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art' Bursa. On the map
Photos
♥ Art museum 'Dogancay Museum' Istanbul. On the map
Photos
♥ Art museum 'Edirne Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art' Edirne. On the map
Photos
♥ Art museum 'Anadolu University Contemporary Art Museum' Eskişehir. On the map


♥ Art museum 'Baksı Museum' Bayburt. On the map


♥ Art museum 'Bursa Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art' Bursa. On the map


♥ Art museum 'Dogancay Museum' Istanbul. On the map


♥ Art museum 'Edirne Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art' Edirne. On the map


Cathedrals and basilicas in Turkey
♥ Ayatriada Rum Katoliki Kilise, Istanbul. On the map
Photos
♥ Basilique-Cathédrale Saint-Esprit, Istanbul. On the map
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♥ Ayatriada Rum Katoliki Kilise, Istanbul. On the map


♥ Basilique-Cathédrale Saint-Esprit, Istanbul. On the map


Palaces in Turkey
♥ Palace 'Adile Sultan Palace' . On the map
Photos
♥ Palace 'Aynalıkavak Palace' . On the map
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♥ Palace 'Beylerbeyi Palace' . On the map
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♥ Palace 'Dolmabahçe Palace' . On the map
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♥ Palace 'Feriye Palace' . On the map
Photos
♥ Palace 'Adile Sultan Palace' . On the map


♥ Palace 'Aynalıkavak Palace' . On the map


♥ Palace 'Beylerbeyi Palace' . On the map


♥ Palace 'Dolmabahçe Palace' . On the map


♥ Palace 'Feriye Palace' . On the map


Extreme Guinness-type places in Turkey
Eyup Sultan Camii
From the series “Top Largest and Famous Mosques Worldwide”
The first mosque was built there in 1458 and at the end of the 18th century it was rebuilt. The main Turkish mosque has a great tradition – every morning there cook a dinner for poor people. At 11 o’clock people come to the mosque to get the food. The mosque is open for everyone. The excursion begins in the garden that surrounds the building.
Inside the mosque is decorated with a luxurious carpet, walls are decorated with great patterns made … Read all
Sultanahmet Camii
From the series “Top Largest and Famous Mosques Worldwide”
For a long time the country didn’t build new mosques and people connected a number of military defeats with this fact. A young Sultan Ahmet decided to change the situation and begin the building of the great mosque nevertheless, that the country practically didn’t have money … Read all

Top cultural sites of Turkey: monuments, theaters and churches
Beylerbeyi Palace, Istanbul
Location on the map:
Interesting facts:
» Beylerbeyi Palace was built in 1861 as a summer residence and a place to entertain heads of state. Translated from the Turkish, its name means ‘Lord of lords’. 
» Beylerbeyi Palace was visited by famous rulers as Nasreddin Shah of Persia, the Russian Prince Nicholay, the Duke of Windsor. French Empress Eugenie was so delighted with the splendor of the palace, that she ordered an exact copy of windows for her bedroom in the Tuileries in Paris.
» There are 26 rooms and three floors in Beylerbeyi Palace. It’s divided into separate sections for men and women, including the harem.
» The wooden base of Beylerbeyi palace was partially destroyed by fire. After a while, the new sultan ordered to destroy the old structure completely and build a new palace.
» Floor of Beylerbeyi is covered with reeds specially brought from Egypt. In winter it has to protect from moisture and humidity, and from heat in summer.
Church of St Sergius and Bacchus, Istanbul

» The Church of St Sergius and Bacchus served as the prototype for the Basilica of San Vitale and the Cathedral of St. Sophia (hence the second name of the church, the small Hagia Sofia).
» The church is dedicated to St. Sergius and Bacchus, who were soldiers of the Roman Empire and occupied important positions, until it became clear that they were secret Christians. The soldiers were severely tortured. Then Bacchus was killed, and Sergius was beheaded.
» During the Balkan Wars, thousands of refugees have found shelter here at the church.
» Serious damage to the construction was caused by the immediate vicinity of the railway. For this reason, UNESCO has included the church of St Sergius and Bacchus in the World Heritage List, where endangered objects are mentioned.
Dolmabahce Palace, Istanbul
Location on the map:
Interesting facts:
» Ceilings and walls of Dolmabahce are decorated with hundreds of kilograms of gold. Interior chambers are decorated with antique French furniture. The palace has the room completely made of crystal. The bath here is of marble and carpets of silk. 
» All clocks in Dolmabahce Palace show 9.05 am. This time is a time of death of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (Ottoman and Turkish reformer). He died there November 10, 1938.
» The name of the palace translates as ‘filled garden’.
» The ceiling of the main hall of Dolmabahce is decorated with the chandelier weighting four and a half tons. It was a gift of Queen Victoria.
» Dolmabahce Palace is adorned with paintings of the Russian artist Ivan Aivazovsky. Sultan Abdul Hamid II ordered about 40 works depicting the Bosphorus, the sea, and views of the city. The artist received the highest Turkish award, Osmani order, decorated with diamonds.
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul
Location on the map:
Interesting facts:
» Topkapi Palace can be considered the whole city located on the territory of Istanbul, because the total area of the palace is more than 700 thousand square meters, and the length is about 5 kilometers. 
» Topkapi Palace houses a vast collection of treasures including jewelry, costumes, weapons and sacred artifacts. Major exhibits include cape and sword of the Prophet Mohammed and his collection of porcelain, which is the third most important in the world.
» The fifth largest diamond in the world, which is set in silver and surrounded by 49 smaller diamonds, is kept in the Treasury of the Palace.
» One of the main attractions of the Palace, Harem, is a protected and prohibited place. Only people, which were very close to the Sultan, including his family, wives, concubines, eunuchs and servants had access there. Entrance to the Harem was strictly forbidden to outsiders; all inside was run by the mother of the Sultan.
» The Palace has being the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans for almost 400 years.
Culture and monuments in popular cities of Turkey
The mosque of Sultanahmet is a more recent religious monument. The building of the masque was completed in 1616. This is one of the most beautiful mosques of the city, which is famous not only by its elegant architecture, but also by carefully selected interior decoration. Travelers should also not forget to visit Sultanahmet Meydanı – the most famous square of the city and an ancient hippodrome. During the reign of emperors the square was the venue for gladiator fights. Thousands of … Read more

Previously the majority of the exhibits found here were kept in Yivli Minare, which is also an important object of excursions. The height of the beautiful tower estimates 38 meters. It was built in the 13th century and has perfectly preserved till our days. The beautiful minaret consists of eight half-columns, each of which makes the building look even more spectacular. The building is surrounded by a rich park, which serves as a magnificent background to this ancient monument. Guests of the … Read more

There is one more important historical site not far away from the ruins of the temple - Column of Julian. Visitors of the city should definitely visit the citadel of Hisar that has witnessed many important historical events. The beautiful Atakule Castle is surrounded by two circles of powerful fortification walls. It is believed that the inner circular wall was erected in the 6th century, and the external one - three centuries later. According to an ancient legend, all the powers of the city … Read more

The medieval fortress of Alanya Kalesi is an important architectural landmark built in the 13th century. During the Middle Ages the castle was used as a powerful defensive fortification. Nowadays most of the ancillary buildings have been destroyed, but the main building has remained in quite a good state. There is a museum under the open sky in the territory of the castle. Next to the museum you will find one more important destination for excursions - an ancient Byzantine church. Kızıl … Read more

The castle on Guvercin Island is a striking monument of the Byzantine era, sometimes it is referred to as ‘pirates’ fortress.’ It owes its name to the legend telling that the fortress served as a refuge for Khair ad-Din pirate, who is better known as Barbarossa. Recently, a powerful fortification was completely renovated; some of its rooms host a historic museum. Kale is considered the most interesting area for excursions. A walk there would become a real journey into the past. You … Read more

A historical monument of the later period is the beautiful mosque Cezayirli Hassan Pasha. Its construction was completed in 1791. Despite the impressive age and impact of time, the mosque still looks very impressive. The Fethiye Museum (Muzesi) invites travelers to learn a lot of interesting things about the history of the city and admire its priceless artifacts. Within walls of the museum there are hundreds of exhibits relating to different eras. It is noteworthy that all of them were found in … Read more

The castle is also called the Castle of St. Peter. Nowadays this is the most famous medieval building of the city. The castle is also home to two museums. Museum of Underwater Archaeology will tell its visitors about the most interesting discoveries of recent decades. Among the items exhibited here you will find many interesting items that belong yet to the Bronze Age. The territory of the castle is also the location of famous Turkish baths. The local amphitheater is a no less attractive … Read more

Museum of Ataturk also features an interesting collection of historical artifacts. The thematic of the museum’s exhibits is very diverse, but they all are somehow related to the presence of Ataturk in the city. One of the main streets of Izmir - Ataturk Caddesi – is also named in honor of Ataturk. A beautiful pathway stretches along the coast. Here tourists will find numerous attractive shops and restaurants, as well as some beautiful architectural buildings. Bazaar is located to the east … Read more
