TURKEY
Capital City
Ankara
Geographic Location
Geographically acquiring strategic significance as an European country, Turkey (officially; the Republic of
Turkey) stretching between Balkan Region of Southeastern Europe and Anatolian Peninsula of Southwestern
Asia has borders with Middle East in the south. Turkey borders eight countries as Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia,
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq and Syria. The country has coastline with Mediterranean Sea at the south,
Aegean Sea at the west, Black Sea at the north and harbors Marmara Inland Sea separating Balkan Region and
Anatolia at the northeast.
Geographic Coordinates
39 00 N, 35 00 E
Climate
Mediterranean temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; warm summers and very cold, snowy
winters in interior and east
Time Zone
GMT +2
Language
TURKISH
Monetary Unit
Turkish Lira
Telephone
The international dialling code (to): 0090, the international dialling code (from) 00 + the related country code.
Mobile Phone
GSM 900/1800
Mobile Phone
Ambulance 122, Police 155, Fire Brigade 110
Opening Hours
Banks; 8a.m. - 12p.m. and 1:30p.m. - 5p.m. (Mon-Fri) Shops; 9a.m. - 20p.m. (Mon-Sun) Public Offices; 9a.m. 12p.m. and 1p.m. - 5:30p.m. (Mon-Fri)
Public Holidays
National Sovereignty and Children's Day (23 April), Victory Day (30 August), Ataturk Commemorations and
Youth Sports Day (19 May), Republic Day (29 October), the main holiday season (June-September)
Electric
220V 50HzHz & two input sockets.
Weather
Day
June-July
Sunny
CBRT Exchange Rates (as of 12/01/2011)
FX Buying
25-30°C
Night
18-20°C
FX Selling
1.56 TL
1.57 TL
2.15 TL
2.16 TL
Dollar
Euro
General Information
Turkey was founded in 1923 in the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Situated on the Anatolian Territory
known as the Cradle of Civilizations, Turkey has been home to numerous civilizations and empires such as
Hittites, Roman Empire, Seljuk Empire, Byzantine Empire and Ottoman Empire. It is often regarded as the
bridge between Eastern and Western civilizations and a blend of these two cultures. This cultural wealth amply
shows itself in the social and entertainment life. For tourists, the country is one of the most favorable and
alluring destinations of the world. In addition to its resplendent archaeological, historical and cultural treasury,
Turkey is an excellent tourism destination with its long sandy beaches and colorful night life.
Especially, the long Mediterranean coastline of the country is indispensable and vertiginous for tourists from
all over the world. The Mugla District placed at this region is one of the symbols of the tourist life in the region.
With its diversified and fabulous cultural, historical and maritime setting, Istanbul connecting Asia and Europe
is the top touristic part of the country. When visiting Istanbul, you should not leave the city without traveling
SultanahmetMosque (Blue Mosque) and Topkapi Palace and having a sea tour in the Bosphorus. While winter
sports are popular in the mountainous Eastern Anatolia the cultural sites remaining from the civilizations in the
history allures the person. Emphasizing Izmir City, the coast line of Aegean Region is decorated with the
boroughs standing as the pearls of the country tourism. Cesme Borough guides the entertainment life in Izmir.
Starting membership negotiations in 2005, December, Turkey has undertaken a plenty of reforms with respect
to democracy and economy on the way of being a permanent member of European Union. Turkey is one of
the founders and members of the United Nations (UN) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD). In 1952, it became the member of NATO.
***Dolmabahce
The word "Dolmabahce" in English means "the filled garden", because the Dolmabahçe Palace is founded upon
a reclaimed area by filling up the sea. It's a beautiful 19th century palace right by the
Bosphorus, on the waterfront. It's in baroque and rococco style and very French.
Many people think that it is a small model of the palace of Versailles in Paris, France.
When one enters the palace area, the first thing to see is the beautiful French style
gardens. After having a lovely walk by the Bosphorus, one reaches the main building.
The palace was constructed between1842-1853 by one of the Ottoman Sultans,
Sultan Abdulmecid. The architect was a famous Armenian architect, Nikogos Balyan.
The palace reflects the European and more "modern" side of the Ottoman Empire.
The Sultans moved to Dolmabahçe Palace after its construction was finished and
never went back to Topkapı Palace, which had hosted them for nearly four
centuries.
***Rüstampaşa Camii
Rüstem Paşa Mosque stands in Tahtakale, one of the traditional commercial
areas of Istanbul. The outside of this16th century mosque makes little impact,
hemmed in as it is by commercial buildings from various dates. To increase its
visibility in this crowded district it was built above a ground story consisting of
shops and depots. A flight of steps leads up into the courtyard from the street,
and there the shops and narrow streets are forgotten as you confront one of
Mimar Sinan's greatest masterpieces. The mosque was built in the 1560s by
Mimar Koca Sinan for Grand Vezir Rüstem Paşa, one of the most renowned
statesmen of the period.
***Mosque of the Roses
Most scholars identify the church of St. Theodosia with the present-day Gul
Camii. It is a large, tall and imposing edifice of fine masonry, especially on the
east side with its three semicircular apses. The original plan of the church was
modified several times, but the basic architectural features have remained unaltered. Four massive piers
support the dome and the arch of the sanctuary apse springs from the two eastern piers.
The building is a cross-domed structure with a central dome and four smaller domes at the corner bays, of the
square. Obviously it represents a phase marking the gradual transition from the domed basilica to the
inscribed-cross type with dome. The original edifice, therefore, is assignable to the 9th century.
***Greek High School in Fener-Balat (Red School)
Fener-Balat is located just opposite of Haliç, in the Hasköy region, and is the historic school of the Greeks and
the Turks. It’s famous for its Greco – Roman architecture features and red painting.
Lunch will follow at a local restaurant then on to St Sofia and the Spice Market.
***Galata Tower
The tower was built by the Genoese in 1348, during their occupation of the area,
primarily to prevent attacks. Originally known as the Tower of Christ, it stood above the
fortification surrounding the Genoese city-state. There is a spiral rock staircase which
ascends to the top viewing platform, which today offers visitors a spectacular 360
degree panorama of the entire city. The tower was restored in 1967, and an elevator
was installed to offer a less tiring alternative to the steep climb. There is also a
restaurant on the top floor.
***Süleymaniye Camii
The Suleiman Mosque (Süleymaniye Camii) is a grand mosque in Istanbul. It was built on
the order of sultan Suleiman I and was constructed by the great Ottoman architect Sinan.
The construction work began in 1550 and the mosque was finished in 1557.
It is considered to be a kind of architectural answer to the Byzantine Haghia Sophia,
commissioned by the Emperor Justinian. The Haghia Sophia, converted into a sultanic
mosque under Mehmet II, served as a model for other sultanic mosques in Istanbul, all of
which have a certain basic similarity in structure, in order to visually represent the line of
succession from sultan to sultan. Sinan's Sulimaniye is a more symmetrical, rationalized
and light-filled interpretation of earlier Ottoman precedents, as well as the Haghia
Sophia. It is possible that dialogue between Italy and Istanbul contributed to Sinan's
enthusiasm for symmetrical and rational forms, as promoted by writers like Alberti.
***Bosphorus
One of the world’s most strategic waterways, the Bosphorus is the
strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara; it is an inundated
valley that follows an irregular northeast-southwest course 32km (20
miles) long, 730-3300m (800-3600 yards) wide, and 30-120m (100395ft) deep.
A Thracian word of unknown origin, interpreted in Greek as meaning
"Ford of the Cow", from the legend of Io, one of the many lovers of
Zeus, who swam across the sea here as a cow chased, and was
continuously disturbed by flies sent by Hera.
Known in Turkish as Bogazici (the Strait), it links the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara and, with the
Dardanelles (in Canakkale), separates Europe from Asia. It is a former river valley which was drowned by the
sea at the end of the Tertiary period. This is a very busy strait with many ships and oil tankers, as well as local
fishing and passenger boats.
There are two suspension toll bridges on this Strait: The first one over the Bosphorus between Beylerbeyi
and Ortaköy, opened in 1973, is called Bogazici Bridge, 1074m (1175yards) long, 6 lanes, and165m (540ft)
height of piers. The second one between Anadolu Hisari and Rumeli Hisari, opened in1988, is called Fatih
Sultan Mehmet Bridge, 1090m (1192yd) long, 8 lanes, and 65m above the water.
Under construction is a major tunnel under the Bosphorus which will relieve the terrible auto congestion on
the bridges and surrounding areas, and shift a significant amount of cargo traffic on both land and sea to rail.
This tunnel is expected to be operational in 2007 and will have a substantial impact on the economy and
politics around the Black Sea.
***Topkapı Palace
Topkapı was the first Ottoman palace to be built (1466-1478) in the
newly conquered capital of the Ottoman Empire. Located on the spot
where the foundations of the city were first laid in ancient times by
King Byzas in 7th century BC, the palace boasts one of the most
beautiful views of Istanbul, incorporating the Bosphorus, the Golden
Horn, the two continental shores and the sea of Marmara.
Unlike the European palaces, Topkapı is not a single monumental
structure but a more organic complex made up of various kiosks,
gardens and areas spread over the tip of the historical peninsula at
the entry of the Golden Horn. It was turned into a museum in 1924
and has become one of the most beautiful palace-museums in the
world. The most attractive exhibition halls of the palace are:
treasury, Islamic holy relics, costumes of the sultans, divan, harem, kitchens and kiosks.
There are appealing eating and resting facilities for visitors on the palace grounds with a.great. views.
***Aya Eirene
Saint Irene, Haghia Irene, or Aya Eirene, is an ancient Byzantine
church located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace in
Istanbul, Turkey. Open as a museum every day except Monday, it
requires special permission for admission. The building reputedly
stands on the site of a pre-Christian temple. It ranks, in fact, as the
first church built in Constantinople. Roman emperor Constantine I
commissioned the Saint Irene church in the 4th century and
Justinian I later had the church restored. It served as the church
of the patriarchate before Haghia Sophia was built.
Dating in its present form largely from the 8th century, Haghia
Irene is the only example of a Byzantine church in the city
retaining its original atrium. A great cross above the main narthex, where the image of the Theotokos was
usually placed in Byzantine tradition, is a unique vestige of Iconoclastic art.
***The Haghia Sophia
Probably Istanbul's most famous landmark and among the world’s greatest
architectural achievements, Haghia Sophia is more than 1400 years old and
stands as a testament to the sophistication of the 6th century Byzantine
capital. Haghia Sophia (also spelled Ayasofya) was built by the emperor
Justinian I in the year 537 AD on the foundations of two previous churches.
Constructed in only six years, the structure was designed by the architects
Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus.
On May 7, 558, the dome of the church collapsed due to a December 557
earthquake, and though a new dome was quickly rebuilt, historical records
tell us that it was not identical to the original.
In the 15th century the Ottomans converted it into a mosque by adding the
minarets, tombs, and fountains. To help support the edifice’s great weight, the structure has been buttressed
on many occasions and locations, which partly obscure the original shape. Highlights of the mosque include
the splendid Byzantine mosaics, the staggeringly vast and nave, the myriad beautiful Iznik tiles, and several
unique fountains.
***Blue Mosque – Sultan Ahmet Camii
Sultan Ahmet Camii – the Blue Mosque – was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet the
1st on the square with the same name in Istanbul between 1609 and 1616. Its
architect was Sedefkar Mehmet Aga. It’s the only mosque in Turkey with six
minarets. The Blue Mosque has dimensions of 64m by 72m. The diameter of its
central dome has a diameter of 33.4m and a height of 43m and is 2.6m greater
than that of St. Sophia. The interior of the mosque is illuminated by 260 windows.
Since it is beautifully adorned by blue, green and white tiles, it was named by the
Europeans as “Blue Mosque”. The inscriptions are by Seyyid Kasým Gubari of
Diyarbakır.
***Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı in Turkish) is one of the oldest and largest covered
markets in the world. It was built of wood after the conquest of Istanbul around an
old Byzantine building which became the part of Old Bedesten (Old Bazaar) today,
and grew larger throughout the centuries with the addition of new sections and
inns. The bazaar initially consisted of two warehouses only, known as Inner
Bedesten and Sandal Bedesten. Later on open streets were covered with doomed
roofs, and separate buildings connected to each other. Today it covers an area of
approximately 31 thousand square meters with its over 3000 shops (some even say
4000), 17 inns (Han), 61 streets, over 20 thousand employees, 4 fountains,10 wells,
2 mosques, several cafes and restaurants, currency exchange offices, a police
station, and 22 gates. It resembles a giant labyrinth and can be a little complicated
for the first time visitor, but after a couple of visits there you can familiarize yourself because streets are
arranged almost on a grid plan, and shops tend to be grouped according to the type of goods they sell.
The ancient Eastern Archeological Museum was designed and opened to service in 1917 by Halil Eldem Bey.
The collections on display are comprised of about 15,000 archeological pieces of ancient Mesopotamia, preGreek Anatolia, Assyrian, Sumerian, Acadian, Babylonian, ancient Egyptian and pre-Islamic Arabic cults.