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Turkey HistoryTurkey is a treasure chest of ancient history. Open it and discover the events and people who have shaped this varied land. Turks originated from northeastern Asia, specifically the Altai Mountains and Mongolia. The Selcuk Empire was the first Turkish Empire in Anatolia. After the decline of the Selcuks' influence, Anatolia fragmented into a number of small states. The Ottoman Turks unified these separate units. The Ottomans ruled for more than six centuries (1281-1922), in part because of their system of government allowed flexibility in the practice of diverse religions, languages and cultures. The 18th century marked the beginning of the decline of the Ottoman Empire. The decline continued until World War I (1914-1918), when Ottoman armies fought and lost on several fronts throughout the empire. Eventually, Anatolia was divided and occupied by the allied forces. Although the Ottoman Empire was dissolved, the fight had just begun for the Turkish people. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a highly respected army general from World War I, led the Turkish people in their War of Independence (1919-1922) against the allied occupiers. It was the first war of national liberation in this century. And, Atatürk founded the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923. As the leader of the new nation, Atatürk created the foundations for a modern, secular state based on human rights and fundamental freedoms Turkey is an element of stability in an otherwise turbulent part of the world. As a modern, secular democracy with free market economy, Turkey will continue to expand its role as a commercial, political and cultural link between the Middle East, the Caucuses, the Balkans and the West. Turkey was also home to an astounding number of ancient cultures and the cradle of 10 of the world's greatest civilizations. From Hittite and Assyrian to Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine cultures, each group has left relics that can be found in many corners of the country. The god of the art, Apollo; the goddess of fertility and abundance, Artemis; the goddess of love, Aphrodite; Mevlana, the philosopher who said "Come again, whatever you are"; Cleopatra, who chose the Mediterranean coast for her honeymoon; Virgin Mary, St. Mary Magdalena and St. John, saints who found peace in this land; Yunus Emre, the poet of the love still alive in our hearts; Father Christmas, who still visits children' dreams; Alexander the Great, who could not resist the temptation of Anatolia; Thales, the mathematician who predicted the eclipse of the Sun; Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, famous for his laws; King Midas, who wanted to turn everything into gold; Fatih Sultan Mehmet, who conquered Istanbul, one of the most beautiful cities in the world; and those who created the poetry of this city, Orhan Veli, Piyer Loti, Yahya Kemal and Lamartina; the famous admiral Piri Reis, who prepared the first correct maps of America and Atlantic Ocean; Nasreddin Hoca, famous for his witticisms; Barbaros, hero of the seas; and the charismatic leader who founded the contemporary Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk... Turkey’s Little Known Facts Istanbul is the only city in the world located on
two continents, Europe and Asia. In its thousands of years of
history, it has been the capital of three great empires – Roman,
Byzantine and
Ottoman.
The oldest known human settlement in the world is located in Catalhöyük, Turkey, dating back to 6500 B.C. The earliest landscape painting in history was found on the wall of a Catalhoyuk House, illustrating the volcanic eruption of nearby Hasandag. Two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World stood in Turkey - the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Bodrum. The Turks introduced coffee to Europe. The first coins ever minted were done so at Sardis, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lycia, at the end of the seventh century B.C. The word "turquoise" comes from "Turk" meaning Turkish, and was derived from the beautiful colour of the Mediterranean Sea on the southern Turkish coast The Turks first gave the Dutch their famous tulips that started the craze for the flower in England and the Netherlands. Bulbs brought to Vienna from Istanbul in the 1500s were so intensely popular that by 1634 in Holland it was called ‘ tulipmania’. People invested money in tulips as they do in stocks today. This period of elegance and amusement in 17th century Turkey is referred to as ‘THE TULIP AGE’. The most valuable silk carpet in the world is in the Mevlana Museum in Konya, Turkey. Marco Polo's journeys in the thirteenth centuries took him here, and remarked that the ‘best and handsomest of rugs’ were to be found in Turkey. Many important events surrounding the birth of Christianity occurred in Turkey. St John, St Paul and St Peter all lived and prayed in southern Anatolia. Tradition has it that St John bought Virgin Mary to Ephesus after the Crucifixion, where she spent her last days in a small stone house (Meryem Ana Evi) on what is now Bulbulda? ( Mount Koressos). It remains a popular pilgrimage site for Christians to this day. Many archaeologists and biblical scholars believe Noah's Ark landed on Agri Dagi (Mount Ararat) in eastern Turkey. The seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation are all found in Turkey: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
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