Before the Turks entered Anatolia in 1071 AD, Christianity had already experienced its most important development within the borders of today's Turkey.
Almost half of the New Testament mentions places in today's Turkey. At the same time, there are also many references to this country in the Old Testament.
The historical names of today's Turkey are: Asia Minor (Latin Asia minor, Ancient Greek Μικρά Ἀσία Mikra Asia) or Anatolia (from Ancient Greek ἀνατολή anatolē ‘east’; Turkish Anadolu; Ottoman اناطولی, ÝA Anaṭolý) is that part of today's Turkey which belongs to Western Asia, and Ex-Orient Lux.
that Turkey has over 8300 kilometres of coastline. This makes Turkey's coasts longer than the coasts of Italy and Spain combined?
The ancient regions are: Aeolis, Armenia, Bithynia, Galatia, Hellespont (Dardanelles), Isauria, Caria, Cilicia, Commagene, Lydia, Lycaonia, Lycia, Mysia, Cappadocia, Pamphylia, Paphlagonia, Pisidia, Pontus, Thrace, Troad, and they are all located in today's Turkey.
The ancient cities are: Abonuteichos, Abydos (Asia Minor), Achilleion (Troad), Adada, Adamkayalar, Adramyttion, Adrasos, Aigai (Aeolis), Aizanoi, Akkale (Cilicia), Al Mina, Alabanda, Alanya, Alexandria Troas, Alinda (Caria), Allianoi, Amasya, Amyzon, Anastasian Wall, Anazarbos, Andriake, Anemurion, Ankyra (Phrygia), Antandros, Antiochia ad Cragum, Antioch on the Maeander, Antioch on the Orontes, Antioch in Pisidia, Apamea on the Euphrates, Apamea in Bithynia, Aphrodisias, Ariassos, Arneai, Arykanda, Aþaðý Pýnar, Aspendos, Assos, Atarneus, Athena relief of Sömek, Attuda, Ayathekla, Balboura, Bargylia, Beþparmak Daðlarý, Library of Pergamon, Binbirkilise, Bubon, Aydos Castle, Bursa, Byzantion, Cambazlý, Çatýören, Chalcedon, Choma (Lycia), Chonai, Chryse (Troad), Dað Pazarý, Dara-Anastasiupolis, Dardanos (city), Daskyleion, Didyma, Dokimeion, Doliche, Dolmens in Thrace, Dorylaion, Edirne, Elaious, Elaiussa Sebaste, Ephesus, Epiphaneia (Cilicia), Ereðli (Konya), Erythrai, Eski Gümüþ, Etenna, Euromos, Rock paintings in the Latmos Mountains, Gemlik, Gökburç, Gökçetoprak,Tower of Gömeç, Hadrianopolis (Paphlagonia), Temple of Hadrian (Ephesus), Halicarnassus, House of the Virgin Mary, Heraclea under Latmus, Heraclea Pontica, Hierapolis, Hierapolis Castabala, Troy Historical National Park, Hoca Çeþme, Hyllarima, Iasos (Caria), Imbriogon, Isinda (Lycia), Issus, Iuliopolis, Ýznik, Basilica of St. John (Ephesus), Kadyanda, Kaleköy, Kandyba, Kanytelleis, Karadað, Karakabaklý, Kaþ, Kaunos, Kayseri, Kekova, Kelenderis, Kemer, Kibyra, Kibyra (Pamphylia), Church of Batýsandal, Church of Hasanaliler, Kýrýkköy menhirs, Klaros, Klazomenai, Monastery of Symeon Stylites the Younger, Knidos, Kolophon, Colossae, Kolybrassos, Comana (Cappadocia), Comana Pontica, Korasion, Corycian Caves, Korykos, Kotenna, Kremna, Warrior relief of Efrenk, Kyaneai, Kyme (Aeolis), Cyzicus, Labraunda, Lagina, Lamos (Cilicia), Lamos Kalesi, Lampsakos, Laodicea on the Lycus, Lebedos, Letoon, Limyra, Loryma, Lysimachia (Thrace), Maiden's Castle, Magnesia on the Maeander, Magnesia ad Sipylum, Mallos, Mamure Kalesi, Marmara Ereðlisi, Marpessos, Mastaura (Lydia), Mausoleum of Belevi, Metropolis in Ionia, Mezgit Kalesi, Milas, Miletus, Monumental tombs in Elif, Hisar and Hasanoðlu, Mopsuestia, Mosaic of the Three Graces, Myra (Lycia), Myrina (Asia Minor), Myus, Nagidos, Nicomedia, Nisa (Lycia), Nisibis, Notion, Nymphaion (Smyrna), Nysa on the Maeander, Oinoanda, Öküzlü, Olba and Diocaesarea, Olympos (Lycia), Panionion, Parion, Paslý, Patara, Pednelissos, Pepouza, Pergamon, Perge, Phaselis, Pinara, Pitane, Church of St. Polyeuctus, Priene, Synagogue of Priene, Prusias ad Hypium, Rhodiapolis, Roman temple in Silifke, Sagalassos, Samosata, Þanlýurfa, Sardis, Satala (Lesser Armenia), Sebastopolis (Caria), Sebastopolis (Pontus), Seleucia (Pamphylia), Seleucia Pieria
The oldest temple of mankind is located 17 east of Urfa; Göbekli Tepe is dated to 9500 BC.
One of mankind's first nature paintings was painted on the walls of the megaron houses in Çatalhöyük (6200 BC). It depicts the eruption of the volcano Hassan Dag.
The first known written peace treaty in history was laid down in Kadesh in 1284 BC by the Hittite king Hattusili and Pharaoh Ramesses II.
Homer was born in Izmir (Smyrna) and in his works describes legendary Troy and its wars.
Miletus is the city of Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Hippodamus and Hecataeus.
Herodotus, Galen, Apollonius, Anaxagoras, Scopelianus and Cleanthes were also Anatolians.
The philosophers Anaxagoras of Clazomenae, Anaximander of Miletus, Anaximenes of Miletus, Aspasia of Miletus, Alexander of Aphrodisias, Apollonius of Tyana, Athenodorus of Tarsus, Antipater of Tarsus, Apellicon of Teos, Antipater of Hierapolis, Bias of Priene, Chrysanthius of Sardis, Chrysippus of Soli, Diogenes of Tarsus, Diodorus of Aspendus, Epictetus of Hierapolis, Heraclitus of Ephesus, Cleanthes of Assos, Thales of Miletus, Xenocrates of Chalcedon, Xenophanes of Colophon and Zeno of Tarsus lived and worked in Turkey.
The architects Anthemius of Tralles, Hermogenes of Alabanda, Hippodamus of Miletus, Isidore of Miletus, Sostratus of Cnidus and Theodorus of Phocaea worked here.
The physicians Galen of Pergamon and Xenocrates of Aphrodisias demonstrated their skills.
The mathematicians Apollonius of Perga and Eudoxus of Cnidus explored the world of numbers.
The geographers Arist
Arisodemoos of Nysa, Hipparchus of Nicaea and Strabo of Amaseia recorded the world of that time in maps.
The poets Aratus of Soli, Aristides of Miletus, Anacreon of Teos, Aelius Phlegon of Tralles, Alcman of Sardis, Alcaeus of Lesbos, Chariton of Aphrodisias, Hipponax of Ephesus, Hesiod of Cyme, Callinus of Ephesus, Lucian of Samosata, Mimnermus of Colophon, Straton of Sardis and the poetess Sappho of Lesbos created their works.
The theologians Apollinaris of Hierapolis, Arnphilochios of Iconium, Bardesanes of Edessa, Basil of Caesarea, Diodorus of Tarsus, Eusebius of Nicomedia, Ephrem of Nisibis/ Edessa, Rörmilianos of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa, Ibas of Edessa, John Chrysostom of Antioch, Ignatius of Antioch, Jacob of Nisibis, Lucian of Samosata (the martyr), Melito of Sardis, Narsai of Nisibis, Noetus of Smyrna, Papias of Hierapolis, Paul of Samosata, Philip of Hierapolis, Polycarp of Smyrna, Rabbula of Edessa, Theophilus of Antioch and Theodore of Mopsuestia strove for knowledge of the faith.
The historians Arrian of Nicomedia, Asinius Pollio of Tralles, Cassius Dio of Nicaea, Ephorus of Cyme, Hecataeus of Miletus, Herodotus of Halicarnassus and Philip of Side saved the events of the past from oblivion.
The rhetoricians Aelius Aristides of Smyrna, Apollonius of Alabanda (Apollonius), Molon of Alabanda, Diodorus Zonas of Sardis, Dio Chrysostom of Bursa, A. Libanius of Antioch, Polemon of Laodicea and Varus (the Stork) of Perga refined the art of oratory.
that the general and gourmet Lucullus crossed the Roman province of Asia Minor with his legions and brought the first cherry tree from there to Rome?
The first beauty contest took place on the west coast of Turkey on Mount Kazdað. Paris was the judge; Aphrodite, Hera and Athena competed.
The oldest shipwreck was recovered by Don Frey off the south coast of Turkey near Kaþ/Antalya.
In Sardis the legendary King Croesus minted the first gold coins in 640 BC.
The Silk Road and the Royal Road built by the Persians in the 6th century ran from Susa to Sardis.
Two of the wonders of the ancient world stood in Turkey: the Temple of Artemis, the Artemision of Ephesus (Selcuk/Izmir), and the tomb of Mausolus in Halicarnassus (Bodrum/Muðla).
that Alexander the Great is said to have cut the Gordian knot near Ankara, that the double knot of Turkish carpets is called "Gördes Düðümü", and that this is the Turkish expression for a Gordian knot?
that the most beautiful and best carpets in the world in the 13th century, as already described by Marco Polo, were made in the Turkish city of Konya, and that in the Mevlana Museum in Konya you can admire a carpet woven with 144 knots per cm⊃2;?
Julius Caesar triumphed in Amasya (north-east of Ankara) in 47 BC with the words: “Veni, Vidi, Vici!”
that Cleopatra and Mark Antony spent 100 days of their honeymoon in Alanya?
After the Egyptians had banned the export of papyrus, the King of Pergamon ordered the demand for paper to be met with a new material. Writing on wafer-thin animal skins, so-called “parchment”, was then invented.
The rivers Euphrates and Tigris rise in Turkey.
Mount Ağrı (Ararat), 5,165 m high, on which according to Christian tradition Noah's Ark ran aground, and the town of Iğdır, from which according to legend the dove with the olive branch returned to Noah's Ark, bear witness to the Flood.
Harran is believed to be where Abraham stayed with his wife Sarah before he from where he moved with his family to the land of Canaan.
that the Turkish language, like Hungarian, Finnish, Japanese, Mongolian and Korean, belongs to the "Ural-Altaic" language group?
that over 250 million people worldwide speak the Turkish language and its dialects?
Particularly worth seeing is the city of Edessa, today's Urfa.
Carchemish Barak lies in the south of Anatolia on the banks of the Euphrates.
Kanesh, today's Kültepe, is found near Kayseri in Central Anatolia.
Gordion (keyword: “Gordian knot”), which the legendary King Midas ruled, the capital of Meshech, lies in west-central Anatolia.
Sepharad, probably today's Sardis, which is mentioned by the name of Zarephath in Obad 20-21, can be visited.
In Antioch on the Orontes or Antioch (Ancient Greek Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου Antiócheia hē epì Oróntou, also Ἀντιόχεια ἡ Μεγάλη Antiócheia hē Megálē, ‘Antioch the Great’; Latin Antiochia ad Orontem), today Antakya, the followers of Jesus called themselves “Christians” for the first time.
The first Christians, persecuted by the Romans, found refuge in Cappadocia.
Of the 14 Holy Helpers, nine are from Anatolia. Acacius, Barbara of Nicomedia, Blaise, Christopher, Erasmus, Eustace, George (saint), Margaret of Antioch, Pantaleon (saint) of Nicomedia
The Apostle Paul was born on the south coast of Turkey in Tarsus near the Cilician Gates. During his first missionary journey he gave his first sermon in Antioch in Pisidia.
Paul lived for a long time (approx. 4.5 years) in Ephesus and taught in the school of Tyrannus.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, stayed in Ephesus and the surrounding area after Jesus' death.
The Apostle John lived in Ephesus. The churches of the seven letters of Revelation are all located in Turkey: Ephesus (Efes), Smyrna (Izmir), Pergamon (Bergama), Thyatira (Akhisar), Sardis (Sart), Philadelphia (Alaþehir) and Laodicea (Goncali/ Denizli).
Bishop Nicholas was born in Patara and lived and died in Myra.
The cities of Cnidus, Miletus, Colossae, Hierapolis, Adramyttium, Assos and Alexandria Troas are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.
The first seven ecumenical councils of the early Church were held in today's Turkey: in Nicaea, Chalcedon, Constantinople and Ephesus. Even today the Pope convenes councils to decide disputed questions of faith. The Catholic Church counts 21 ecumenical councils, whereas the Orthodox Church counts only the first seven, which were held before the Schism of 1054 that led to the separation of the early Church into the Eastern and Western Churches. The first council is the Council of Nicaea, convened in 325, twelve years after Emperor Constantine had permitted Christianity in the Roman Empire. The following 20 ecumenical councils are:
Council of Constantinople (381), Council of Ephesus (431), Council of Chalcedon (451), 2nd Council of Constantinople (553), 3rd Council of Constantinople (680-681), 2nd Council of Nicaea (787), 4th Council of Constantinople (869-870), 1st Lateran Council (1123), 2nd Lateran Council (1139), 3rd Lateran Council (1179), 4th Lateran Council (1215), 1st Council of Lyon (1245), 2nd Council of Lyon (1274), Council of Vienne (1311-1312), Council of Constance (1414-1418), Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence (1431-1449), 5th Lateran Council (1512-1517), Council of Trent (1545-1563), 1st Vatican Council (1869-1870), 2nd Vatican Council (1962-1965).
Among the councils at which decisions of lasting importance were taken are: the 2nd Council of Nicaea, which confirmed the veneration of images; the 4th Lateran Council, at which the term “transubstantiation” was coined; the Council of Constance, which ended the Western Schism; the Council of Trent, which confirmed the doctrine of transubstantiation and rejected Lutheranism and Calvinism; and the 1st Vatican Council, which emphasised the infallibility of the Pope when he speaks “ex cathedra” (from the chair of Peter).
Istanbul is home to a patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox Church and one of the Armenian Church.
Hagia Sophia, for a thousand years the largest church in Christendom, is still a landmark of Istanbul today.
In Istanbul the emperor of the Seljuks insured merchants against loss of goods for the first time in history and compensated them for their goods in case of loss. He founded caravanserais all along the Silk Road.
Leonardo da Vinci drew the design of a bridge between Europe and Asia, which, however, was never built
The tulip came from Anatolia to Europe in 1554 AD through the ambassador of Charles V, Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq.
The word “yoghurt” comes from Turkish; this is not surprising, as yoghurt is eaten in Turkey with almost every meal.
Sultan Beyazit II sent out the Ottoman navy to bring the Jewish people, who had been expelled from Spain, to Turkey.
In the 17th century Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi was the first person to jump from the Galata Tower, swam across the Bosphorus and landed on the Asian side of the city.
The terminus of the legendary Orient Express was Sirkeci Station in Istanbul.
In 1994 the Pope called Turkey “a holy land of the early Church.
In 1998 the Pontifical Council held its 5th International Congress on Tourism in Izmir and Ephesus. Cardinal Cheli's reasoning was: “Just as Palestine is the land of Jesus, Turkey is the land of the Church”.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Turkey are: Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia, Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği, Hattusha ruins, the monumental tomb on Mount Nemrut, Xanthos-Letoon, Hierapolis-Pamukkale, City of Safranbolu, Archaeological Site of Troy, Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük, Bursa and Cumalıkızık: the Birth of the Ottoman Empire, Pergamon and its Multi-Layered Cultural Landscape.
that 85% of the world's hazelnut harvest is harvested in Turkey?
...that there are 191 species of fish in Turkey?
...that there are approx. 9000 different seed plants in Turkey, 3000 of them native? In the whole of Europe there are 11500 different species of flowers.
that Turkish cuisine, alongside Chinese and French, is one of the three greatest in the world?
that Turkey is one of eight countries in the world that are self-sufficient through their own food production? Turkey is No. 1 in Europe and No. 7 in the world in agriculture. With its current food production Turkey can feed 150,000,000 people.
that 20 different species of amphibians, 8 species of caudates and 12 species of frogs live in Turkey, the most common frog species in Turkey being the marsh frog?
that so far 426 bird species have been discovered in Turkey, and around 240 of them regularly breed in Turkey?
that the Kangal nibble fish lives in Turkey? This fish helps to heal skin diseases (psoriasis). It nibbles off excess skin tissue and in doing so injects secretions that enter the bloodstream through the skin?
that wine has been grown and produced in Turkey for 4000 years?
Smallpox vaccination was first developed by Turks. Lady Montegue, whose son was saved by Turkish doctors, introduced the vaccination in Europe and England in the 19th century.
The oldest picture of St. Francis (Francis of Assisi) from the 13th century ( approx. 25 years after his death) is in Istanbul. In the Kyriotissa Church, today the Kalenderhane Mosque in the Süleymaniye district/ Istanbul/ Turkey.