"DID YOU KNOW THAT ?" a Turkey Travel Page by traveloturc

Temple of Artemis and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus,
the two of the seven wonders of the ancient world, are in Turkey.

Writing was first used by people in ancient Anatolia. The first clay tablets - in the ruins of Assyrian Karum (merchant colony) - date back to 1950 B.C.

The only city in the world located on two continent is Istanbul, which has been the capital of three great empires, Roman ,Byzantine and Ottoman for more than 2000 years….

Turks introduced coffee to Europe.

Turks gave the Dutch their famous tulips.

According to Turkish tradition a stranger at one's
doorstep is considered "A Guest from God" and should be accommodated accordingly.

The last meal on Noah's Ark, a pudding
with nearly 20 ingredients, is still served throughout Turkey.(Ashura)

Leonardo da Vinci drew designs for a bridge over the
Bosphorus, the strait that flows through Europe and Asia. It was never built.

Istanbul's Robert College (established in 1863), is the oldest American school outside the United States.

The Amazons were supposed to originated in Turkey's north eastern region
.
Female deities dominated the Central Anatolian pantheon for thousands of years before these supernatural powers were transferred to male gods.

Suleyman the Magnificent (the famous Ottoman Sultan)
was a poet who wrote over 3000 poems, some of them criticizing the greed of mankind.

Anatolia was producing wine as early as 4000BC.

Turkey provides 70% of the world's hazelnuts
the nut in your chocolate bar was most probably grown in Turkey.

The most valuable silk carpet in the world, is in
the Mevlana Museum, Konya with 144 knots per square centimeter.

In the 13th century, Marco Polo wrote "the best and handsomest of rugs are woven here, and also silks of crimson and other rich colors".

Hezarfen Ahmed Celebi was the first man who flew a
significant distance using wings across the Bosphorus.

Turkey receives children from around the world each
year on 23rd April to "honour and cherish the freedom and independence of all people".

One of the biggest and best preserved theatres of antiquity seating 15,000 is Aspendos on the southern coast of Turkey whereinternational music festivals are held each year.

The number of archaeological excavations going on in Turkey every year is at least 150.

The oldest known human settlement is in Catalhoyuk, Turkey (7500 BC).

Alexander the Great conquered a large territory in
what is now Turkey and cut the Gordion Knot in the Phrygian capital (Gordium) not far from Turkey's present-day capital (Ankara).

Anatolia is the location of the first known beauty
contest, judged by Paris, with Aphrodite, Hera and Athena as leading participants.

Anatolia is the origin of the names of
Paris, Philadelphia and Europe.

The Famous Trojan Wars took place in western Turkey,
around the site where a wooden statue of the Trojan Horse rests today.

Julius Ceasar proclaimed his celebrated words,
"Veni, Vidi, Vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered) in Turkey when he defeated the Pontus, a formidable kingdom in the Black Sea region of Turkey.

Part of Turkey's south western shore was a wedding
gift that Mark Anthony gave to Cleopatra.

According to legend, Noah's Ark landed on Agri Dagi (Mount Ararat) in Eastern Turkey.

Early Christians escaping Roman persecution nearly 2000 years ago sheltered in Cappadocia in Central Anatolia.

The last home of Virgin Mary is in Selcuk….near to Izmir

The first church built by man (St. Peter's Church) is in Antioch (Antakya).

The first Ecumenical Council was held in Iznik.(Nicea) Very near to (Bursa )

Anatolia is the location of Seven Churches of Asia.

In 1492 Sultan Beyazıd II, learning about the expulsion of Jews from Spain dispatched the Ottoman Navy to bring the Jews safely to the Ottoman lands. Likewise Jews expelled from Hungary in 1376; from Sicily early in the 15th century; from Bavaria in 1470; from Bohemia in 1542 and from Russia in 1881, 1891, 1897, 1903 all took refuge in the Ottoman Empire.

As it was the case during the Bolshevik revolution, Turkey served as a safe passage an heaven for those fleeing their native countries (included Trotczky) during the World War II, Turkey was one of the few countries in the world which welcomed the Jewish refugees escaping the horros of Nazism.

Prophete Abraham was born in Şanlıurfa in Southeast Turkey. The Hittites sold Abraham the cave where he buried his wife Sarah, when the Israelites came to Palestine.

Anatolia is the birthplace of historic legends, such as Omer Khayyam (the poet), King Midas, Herodotus (the father of history) and St. Paul the Apostle.

St. Nicholas, who became popular as Father Christmas,
was born in Demre near Antalya on Turkey's Mediterranean Coast.

St. John, St. Nicholas, St. Paul and St. Peter have
all lived and prayed in Southern Anatolia.

Homer was born in Izmir on the west coast of Turkey
and he depicted Troy (Near Canakkale) in his Epic the Iliad.

Aesop, famous for his fables and parables, was born in Anatolia..

The first person known to have said, "I am a citizen of world" The famous philosopher Diogenes was born in Sinop ( city at blacksea coast)

Anatolia is the origin of the names of
Paris, Philadelphia and Europe.

for more info please check this video :

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