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ARCHAEOLOGICAL
AND RELIGIOUS SITES IN TURKEY
The Anatolian peninsula,
spanning two continents, forms a natural land bridge between Europe and
Asia. Due to its unique position, Anatolia has been the destination for
numerous immigrants, many of them leaving the indelible mark of their cultural
heritage during their settlement in this area, now known as Türkiye
(Turkey).
Anatolia has been
the cradle of numerous civilizations for thousands of years and the birthplace
of the three major religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. This fact
alone, lends Turkey its unique and invaluable cultural and archaeological
heritage. Because of its secular position in the world, the Turkish attitude
toward religion has been on of tolerance.
Judaism, which was
the first monotheistic religion, was widespread in Anatolia. Recent archaeological
excavations conducted in the Aegean region indicate Judaism's existence
since the early 4th century B.C. Sardis (Sart) contains the remains of
one of the oldest synagogues dating back to 220 B.C. which provides a fine
structural and archaeological example of this place of worship.
Remains of another
ancient settlement belonging to the Jewish people was unearthed during
excavations conducted along the Aegean and Black Sea Coasts.
The Ottoman Empire
had always been tolerant of non-Moslems and never forbid or restricted
their worship in accordance with their religion.
In 1324, when Orhan
Gazi conquered Bursa, he permitted the Jewish people to construct Etz-Hayim
Synagogue. In 1934, the Jewish people departed from France on the orders
of Charles VI and look refuge in Edirne.
Then in 1492, Spain's
King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castilla expelled the Jews
(Inquisition). The Ottoman Empire of that time, ruled by the sultan Beyazid
II, had embraced those Jews who were left homeless as a result of their
deportation from Spain due to their conventions and beliefs and settled
them in Anatolia.
Sephardic Jews had
lived for centuries among the Turks in peace and comfort and followed their
beliefs under the auspices of Turkish tolerance (secularism).
Anatolia is also
as significant area for Christians and is considered holy and sacred for
many reasons which include:
-St. Paul, one of
the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, devoted himself to the dissemination and
expansion of Christianity, was born in Tarsus.
-The Seven Churches
of the Apocalypse which were mentioned in Revelations and are located in
Anatolia; Ephesus (Efes), Smyrna (Izmir), Pergamum (Bergama), Thyatria
(Akhisar), Sardis (Sart), Philadelphia (Alasehir), Laodicea (Denizli).
-Saint John lived
and died in Ephesus. His grave and the church is in Selcuk, Izmir, nearby
Ephesus.
-The first eight
of the Counsil meetings which have been held 19 times until now, were held
in Turkey. Especially, holding of the first and seventh meetings in Iznik
established the tradition of holding these meetings regularly.
-The believers of
Christ were called "Christian" for the first time in Antakya. The first
church of Christianity was carved in a cave in Antioch and called St. Peter's
Grotto.
-Virgin Mary spent
the last days of her life in Ephesus. The first church dedicated to her
is also in Ephesus.
-Saint Nicholas
was born in Patara and became bishop in Myra.
-The Apostole St.
Philip lived in Hierapolis and was martyred there.
The Turks who settled
in Anatolia after 1071 constructed many important religious symbols related
the to Islamic faith. These examples which reflect the architectural style
of the Islamic periods may be classified as follows:
* Mosques (Cami)
* Theological Schools
of the time (Medrese)
* Building Complexes
adjacent to a Mosque (Külliye)
* Shrines (Türbe)
* Tombs with conical
roofs (Kümbet)
Turks preserved
and protected the synagogues and churches which belonged to the Jewish
and Christian faith that exist even in areas where Jewish or Christian
populations were practically non-existent.
It must be emphasized
here that these well preserved holy places show the best and most concrete
example of how the Islamic religion treats other religions in tolerance
and respect. Today, you can find hundreds of religious examples in each
and every town and city of Turkey, especially in Istanbul.
The Turkish people,
the majority of them Moslem, who continue to carry on their traditions
and conventions in a contemporary manner and in harmony with their Islamic
beliefs, have constructed mosques, tombs and similar religious areas which
reflect both the features of Anatolia where the Turks have been living
for centuries and their artistic values as well as their religious importance.
An important sector
of polytheistic religions had flourished in Anatolia as the monotheistic
religions were established in the Middle East and as the religious areas
were discovered. These places have been considered holy and sacred since
the Middle Ages and were located in Anatolia a region that has and still
does act as a cultural bridge due to Turkey's geopolitical situation.
Since Turkey has
traditionally been a secular corridor throughout history, its role in international
arenas has expanded and is currently one of most strategic regions in the
world, if not in the Middle East at his point in time.
During their entire
history, the Islamic Turks, as a result of humanitarian attitude toward
the beliefs of the followers of other monotheistic religions that they
were exposed to, in a vast tolerance in obedience with the rules and beliefs
of the Islamic religion, had lived together with numerous ethnic groups
in Anatolian areas in peace and content.
The non-Moslem population
had the right of living and setting wherever they wanted during both the
Ottoman period and the republican era. Without any discrimination Islamic
or non-Islamic Turkish citizens have had the right of jurisdiction, religious
belief and concept and conducted their religious services, prayers and
ceremonies freely in their holy places such as mosques, churches and synagogues.
As a result of this
tolerant recognition all the divine places belonging to Judaism and Christianity
have been carefully preserved and protected.
In the following
list, the green spots represent Islam, the red spots represent Christianity,
and the blue spots represent Judaism. You can get more information on individual
sites by clicking on the links.
SITE
LOCATION
Seljuk
Kumbet and Tomstones Ahlat
Mount
Ararat Agri
Tyatira
/ One of the Seven Churches
of Apocalypse
Akhisar (Manisa)
Alahan
Monastry Alahan
Philadelphia
/ One of the Seven Churces
of Apocalypse
Alasehir
Sultan
Beyazid Complex Amasya
Haci Bayram
Veli Complex Ankara
Galatia
Ankara
Habib-ün
Nencar Complex Antakya
St.Peter's
Grotto Antakya
Mosaic
Museum Antakya
Yivli
Minaret Antalya
Pergamum
/ One of the Seven Churces
of Apocalypse
Bergama
Gerus
Synagogue Bursa
Muradiye
Complex Bursa
Ulu (Grand)
Mosque Bursa
Yesil
(Green) Türbe Bursa
Monastries
Çamiçi (Bafa) Gölü
St.Paul's
First Missionary Journey Çevlik
Saint
Nicholas Church Demre (Myra)
Ulu (Grand)
Mosque Divrigi
Ulu Mosque
Diyarbakir
Church
of the Virgin Mary Diyarbakir
Selimiye
Complex Edirne
Beyazid
Mosque Edirne
Old Mosque
Edirne
Virgin
Mary's House Efes (Ephesus)
Virgin
Mary Basilica
Ecumenical Basilica
and One of the
Seven Churches
of Apocalypse Efes (Ephesus)
St.John's
Basilica Efes (Ephesus)
Çifte
(Twin) Minaret Medrese Erzurum
Abdurrahman
Gazi Tomb Erzurum
Village
of Yunus Emre
Yunus Emre Monument
Eskisehir
Seyid
Battal Gazi Complex Eskisehir (Seyitgazi)
Early
Christian Settlement Göreme Milli Parki (Cappadocia)
Haci Bektas
Veli Complex Haci Bektas
Harran
(According to
the Old Testament,
Abraham lived
here) Harran (Sanliurfa)
Eyüb
Sultan Istanbul (Eyüp)
Holy Relics
Istanbul (Topkapi Palace)
Süleymaniye
Complex Istanbul
Sultanahmet
Complex Istanbul
Ayasofya
(St.Sophia) Church Istanbul
Kariye
Museum Istanbul
Neve Shalom
and Ahrida Synagogues Istanbul
Smyrna
/ One of the Seven Churches of
Apocalypse Izmir
Yesil
Cami (Green Mosque) Iznik
Ayasofya
(St.Sophia) Museum Iznik
Hipoje-Christian
Tomb Iznik
Havariler
Museum Kars
Cave of
Seven Sleepers Kahramanmaras (Afsin)
Huand
Hatun Complex Kayseri
Gevher
Nesibe Complex Kayseri
Döner
Kümbet Kayseri
Mevlana
Complex Konya
Alaeddin
Mosque Konya
Ince (Thin)
Minaret Konya
Tombs
of Seljuk Sultans Konya
Karatay
Medrese Konya
Derbe
Konya
Karadag
Konya
Lystra
Konya
Sümela
Monastery Maçka (Trabzon)
Sultan
Mosque Manisa
Deyrul
Zaferan Monastery Mardin
Alexandria
Troas
Believed that
St.Paul met St.Luke here Odun Iskelesi (Çanakkale)
St.Philip's
Martyrium - Octagon Pamukkale (Hierapolis)
Laodicea
/ One of the Seven
Churches of
Apocalypse Pamukkale (Hierapolis)
Colossae
Pamukkale (Hierapolis)
St.Nicholas'
birthplace Patara (Antalya)
Episcopal
centers Perge, Silion and Side
Sardis
Synagogue Sart (Manisa)
Sardis
/ One of the Seven Churches of
Apocalypse Sart
Tombs
of Ibrahim Hakki Efendi and
Hazreti Fakirullah
Siirt (Aydinlar)
Veysel
Karani Complex Siirt (Baykan)
Basilica
of the First Female Saint,
Aya Tekla Silifke
Seyit
Battal Tomb Sinop
Gökmedrese
Sivas
Çifte
(Twin) Minaret Medrese Sivas
Sifaiye
Medrese Sivas
Halil
Rahman Mosque Sanliurfa
The Prophet
Eyüb's Tomb Sanliurfa
St.Paul's
Well Tarsus (Mersin)
Gülbahar
Hatun Tomb and Mosque Trabzon
Ayasofya
(St.Sophia) Museum Trabzon
Akdamar
Church Van
St.Paul's
Basilica Yalvaç (Psidian Antioch)
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