Top Five Historical Sights in Turkey

The country we now know as Turkey has been atmyth for centuries, until the discovery of its ruins in the
the centre of countless ancient civilisations throughout19th century by Heinrich Scliemann. Today the ruins of
the centuries. Byzantium, the Ionian League, the empireTroy are an essential sight to see while on holiday in
of Alexander the Great and the Trojans are but aTurkey.
few of the ancient cultures that have left their mark onEphesus
the country. A holiday to Turkey gives you the chanceOne of the best preserved classical cities in the world,
to explore some of the most fascinating architecturalEpheseus was an important city for the Ionian League,
sights in the world; ancient theatres, ruined cities, andAlexander the Great and the Roman Empire, and
spectacular mosques are just a few of the highlightstoday the ruins offer visitors architectural gems from
on offer.across all three empires. It was also home to the
For anyone interested in ancient civilisations, TurkeyTemple of Artemis, regarded by the Ancient Greek
ranks alongside Italy and Greece as one of thehistorian Herodotus as one of the Seven Wonders of
essential places to visit. It can be difficult to choosethe World. The temple was destroyed when the
between the numerous sights that are scatteredGoths sacked the city in 262 AD, but you can still
across the country, but there are a few in particularexplore the ruins of the temple in Ephesus today.
that stand out from the crowd. Profiled below are fiveSide Theatre
of the essential cultural sights for a Turkish holiday.Side is another ancient city that passed between the
Blue Mosquevarious empires of the ancient world. There are
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (better known as the Bluenumerous temples and ancient buildings to see in
Mosque for its blue tiled interior)is perhaps the mostpresent day Side, but the real highlight here is the
spectacular sight to see in Istanbul, and one of the realamphitheatre - with seating for over 20,000 people, this
highlights of a holiday to Turkey. Located in the heartremarkably preserved theatre is an essential sight for
of the Turkish capital, it is a stunning building, bristlingculture buffs on a holiday to Turkey.
with minarets and intricately decorated, inside and out. ItPergamum
is open to visitors, unlike most of the major mosquesSpectacularly positioned in the hills above Bergama,
around the world, and is an unmissable chance to seePergamum was one of the capital cities of the ancient
inside an Islamic place of worship.world, with an Acropolis based on its famous
Troycounterpart in Athens. Today, sights to see on a
Famed as the sight of the legendary ten year battleTurkish holiday to Pergamum include a number of
between the Trojans and the Greeks (as described inancient temples, the old Roman baths, a 10,000 seat
Homer's Iliad) the city of Troy was thought to be aamphitheatre and the Pergamum Acropolis itself.