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Turkey is a country filled with innumerable historical treasures, including temple ruins, rock-cut churches, ancient cities, and abandoned villages. Being a destination that was home to multiple civilizations, it has seen the rise and fall of numerous empires, such as the Greeks and Romans, the Byzantines, the Seljuks, and the Ottomans. Situated within the region of Anatolia, Turkey is a fascinating potpourri of ancient, historical, and modern cultures, which is why there are so many cultural places in Turkey that are enough to leave you spellbound. If you’ve been thinking of making a list of the historical places to visit in Turkey when you book one of our Turkey tour packages, we have got you sorted. In this article, we will be covering the historical spots in Turkey that every history buff should witness at least once in their lifetime.
Listed below are the historical sites in Turkey that you absolutely must visit:
Reputed to be one of the best historical places to visit in Turkey, Hagia Sophia was initially built as a church in the 6th century, after which it was converted into a mosque, a museum, and then into a mosque again. The building stands as a reflection of all the religious changes the country has gone through over the centuries. It was among the last three church buildings to be constructed in Turkey by the Eastern Roman Empire. The structure that is visible in the current times was built under the direction of Justinian I, who was the Byzantine emperor.
The Blue Mosque, which is also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, is a mosque located in Istanbul that was built in the Ottoman era between 1609 and 1617 during the reign of Ahmed I. The mosque has eight secondary domes, six minarets, and a primary dome. The interior of the structure was decorated using Iznik tiles, with painted floral motifs adorning the inside of the mosque with blue hues primarily.
Ephesus was an ancient port city whose ruins have been kept well-preserved in modern-day Turkey. It was constructed during the 10th century by Attic and Ionian Greek colonists, and the city was one among the 12 cities that were a part of the Ionian League. The presence of the Temple of Artemis nearby multiplied its popularity, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The Topkapi Palace is a museum as well as a library situated in the eastern region of Istanbul’s Fatih district. The library is home to a massive collection of manuscripts and books and the museum displays the imperial collections of the Ottoman Empire. The museum can be found within a palace complex which was once the residence and administrative center of the imperial Ottoman court approximately between 1478 to 1856. Notable for its architecture, this is one of the historical sites in Turkey that you can explore when you avail one of our Turkey trip packages.
The Basilica Cistern is Istanbul’s biggest surviving Byzantine cistern. Commissioned by Emperor Justinian, it was constructed during the 6th century and was renovated by the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality in 1985, after which its doors were opened to the public in 1987. It now stands as one of the most significant cultural places in Turkey.
The Goreme Open Air Museum is a rocky settlement region in Cappadocia that became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. It was previously a monastic complex and a spot that hosted cultural and religious activities during the Byzantine era.
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