Top tourist attractions in Turkey

Let’s explore: Top tourist attractions in Turkey

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10) Patara Beach

Located in the city of Patara in Turkey, Patara Beach is one of the most beautiful widespread ancient beach on the coast of Turkish Riviera. The Beach is under protection as it is one of the very few places where sea turtles leave their eggs and for that reason the beach is closed from May to October after sunset so that the turtles can lay their eggs peacefully. Nearby attractions include Ancient Site of Patara where you can explore some unique things. Except a small café, you won’t see any buildings here on this soft sand and shallow sea beach. Don’t see any reason why not to include Patara Beach in top tourists attractions in Turkey list.

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9) Topkapi Palace

Primary Residence of Ottoman Sultans for close to 400 years, Topkapi Palace is a large palace in Istanbul, Turkey constructed during 1459. The palace is a major tourist landmark in Turkey and accommodates some of the important holy relics of the Muslim. It is also a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO as the best example of palaces of Ottoman period. The palace complex dwells of four main courtyards as well as other structures and nearly 4,000 people resided inside the palace when it was at its summit. As time passed the palace lost its significance and in 1856, Sultan Abdul Mecid moved the court to the newly built Dolmabahçe Palace. After the confine of Ottoman Empire, the Topkapi Palace has been transformed into a museum and since than it has been used as a Museum depicting the details of Ottoman Culture. No way can you forget such a heritage place when you are mentioning top tourist attractions in Turkey.

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8) Bodrum Castle

Built as the Castle of St. Peter by the Knights Hospitaller in 1402, Bodrum Castle is one of World’s best preserved monuments. It is located in the city of Bodrum and built under the supervision of German Knight Architect Heinrich Schlegelholt. In order to consolidate the castle, squared green volcanic stone along with marble columns and reliefs were used. Reconstruction of the Castle started in 1519 by Spanish Knights in Gothic Style. The Bodrum Castle after several attacks still remained one of the most popular castle of the order. At present, the castle has been converted into a museum by the Turkish Government as Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology and it is the largest museum of its type. Bodrum Castle stands out on top slots in top tourist attractions in Turkey list.

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7) Basilica Cistern

There are several hundreds of ancient cisterns that lay underneath the city of Istanbul but the largest of them all is Basilica Cistern. Built in 6^th century 500 feet southwest of Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern is an Underground Chamber of approx. 453 ft. by 212 ft. The cistern was converted from a great Basilica constructed between 3^rd and 4^th centuries during early Roman Age. Nearly close to 7000 slaves were used in the construction of the cistern. The underground cistern was capable of holding upto 80,000 cubic meters of water. The ceiling inside the Basilica was supported by 336 marble columns which were 9 meters high. Today, the cistern has the capacity to store 1, 00,000 tons of water but unfortunately there is only a few feet of water. Basilica Cisterna was included in the top tourist attractions in Turkey list as an Ancient Heritage Site.

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6) Pamukkale

Pamukkale meaning “Cotton Castle” in Turkish, is a natural site located in Turkey’s Inner Aegean Region famous for its white terraces in River Menderes valley. Terraces are built up of travertine, carbonate minerals left by flowing water. The ancient Greco-Roman and Byzantine city of Hierapolis which is 8,860 ft. long, 1970 ft. wide and 525 ft. high was constructed on top of Hot Springs. Pamukkale is a very popular tourist destination in Turkey and travelers have bathed in its pools for Millenniums. In mid-20^th century, several constructions of Hotels and Roads took place which caused severe damage to the site but as soon as the area was declared World Heritage Site, everything was demolished. There are in all17 hot water springs in this area in which temperature vary from 35 °C to 100 °C. Pamukkale is a preferred choice of travelers traveling to Turkey and is one of the top tourist attractions in Turkey.

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5) Goreme

Goreme is a town in Cappadocia which was an ancient historic field of Turkey. The town is placed among the fairy chimney rock formations which were formed as a result of wind of water erosion of two contrasting volcanic coverings. Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia, located in Goreme, are World Heritage Sites as designated by UNESCO. The official name of the town was changed to Goreme when adjacent Goreme Valley was declared as a significant tourist destination. Today, Goreme is the best place to view some curious structures described as fairy chimneys. Goreme is one of the top tourist attractions in Turkey and 100% worthy to visit.

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4) Mount Nemrut

Mount Nemrut is a 7,001 ft high mountain located 40 km north of Kahta, where upon the summit large statues are erected. A tomb sanctuary edged by large statues probably 8-9 m high was built on the mountain top by King Antiochus in 62 BC which featured the King himself, several Greek, Armenian and Iranian Gods, tow lions and two eagles with their particular names. However it is assumed that the statues were deliberately damaged due to iconoclasm, seeing the damages to head and noses. As time passed, the heads of the statues have been removed from the body and they are now divide throughout the site. During dawning, the views of the bodyless heads adds some kind of mystery to the place and all in one it makes Mount Nemrut one of the top tourist attractions in Turkey.

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3) Sultan Ahmed Mosque

Built from 1609 to 1616 by Sedefkâr Mehmed Ağa, Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a historic mosque is Istanbul, Turkey. It serves as the principle mosque of Istanbul and is generally called as the Blue Mosque because of the Blue Tiles embellish the walls of its interior. Still today, Sultan Ahmed Mosque is used a mosque and it’s been looked upon as one of the last enormous mosque of classical period. The interior of the mosque is coated with 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles. You can see the difference between lower level and gallery levels tiles as lower level tiles are conventional in design whereas gallery level tiles are flamboyant with illustration of flowers and fruits. With stalactite niche and double inscriptive panel above it, Mihrab is the most significant aspect in the interior of the mosque. Sultan Ahmed Mosuqe can be definitely termed as one of the top tourist attractions in Turkey.

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2) Library of Celsus

Library of Celsus was built in honor of Roman Senator Julius Celsus, a popular local citizen who become consul in 92 AD and governor of Asia in 115 AD, in 135 AD by his son Julius Aquila. It is an ancient Roman building located in Emohesus Turkey. The aim of building the library was to occupy 12,000 scrolls and deliver as an enduring tomb for Celsus. To give special honor to Celsus, he was buried in a sarcophagus beneath the library, in the main entrance. The building serves as one of the few remaining examples of an ancient Roman formed library. The remote of the library was severely damaged in two earthquakes that hit the city in 262 and about 400 AD. With severe precautions, it was rebuilt later in 1960s and 1970s and since then it remains one of the top tourist attractions in Turkey.

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1) Hagia Sophia

Established in 537 as a Greek Church and later used as an Imperial Mosque, Hagia Sppia is now a museum in Istanbul Turkey. From 537 to 1453 it was used as an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral whereas it was used as a mosque from 1453 to 1931 and from 1935 it is opened as a museum. Hagia Sophia is acknowledged for its massive dome which is believed to have revolutionized the history of architecture and it has also served as the World’s largest Cathedral for close to Millennium. It served as an inspiration for Ottoman Mosques and was the principle mosque of Istanbul. Definitely one of the top tourist attractions in Turkey.

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