1. The Hagia Sophia
One of Turkey’s most prized monuments, the Hagia Sophia is an amazing piece of Roman architecture. The massive dome is 102 feet in height and 31 meters in length. Established first as a church in 537A.D, it remained so for almost nine hundred years till it was converted into a mosque in 1453 AD. The monument was again converted in 1935 into a museum.
2. Dolmabahce Palace
The Dolmabahce Palace is situated in Besiktas in district Istanbul, Turkey. The palace was constructed in 1856 by Ottoman rulers and was at first used as an anchorage site for the Ottoman fleets. Laater, due to its splendid design and size, it was promoted as the empire’s main administrative center. The palace is built over an area of 110,000 square feet and houses 285 rooms and 43 halls. One must go here to really marvel at the structure!
3. Fairy Chimneys
The fairy chimney rocks in Turkey are is an intriguing sight indeed. These chimneys have been formed in their shape due to the waterand wind erosion that has taken place since centuries. In midst these fiary chimneys is the famous town of Goreme. Goreme National Park is also included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage list.
4. The library of Celsus
The library of Celsus is located in Selcuk. This was a famous monument built in 125 AD to honor the memory of Julius Celsus, who was a wealthy Roman senator. The function of the monument was to be a library and house 12,000 scripts as well as be the tomb of Celcus. During some riots in 4-1 AD, the library of Celsus was severely damaged and hence had to be reconstructed from its original pieces.
5. The Blue Mosque
With its interior built with 20,000 blue tiles and surrounded by six high minarets, the rightly-titled Blue Mosque is certainly more than a place of worship itself. Also known as Sultan Ahmed Mosque, it was built by Ahmed One in 1616, in Istanbul.
6. Oludeniz
This famous place situated near the south west coast of the Aegan seas is one place where almost every tourist flocks to. The amazing restaurants and surfing opportunity here are the main causes of fun and frolic for people. Paragliding is also a very common activity here that is relished by everyone.
7. Mount Nemrut
Mount Nemrut is a 2134 meter high mountain situated in south eastern Turkey. Its summit is well known as it was believed to be a royal tomb form 1BC and contains very tall statues of Greek and Armenian deities. For food lovers, there are also a bunch of tasty restaurants nearby from where you can savor a bite.
8. Bodrum Castle
Currently it is in use as the Museum of Underwater Archeology in Turkey. It was established as Castle St. Peter by the crusaders in the 15th century.
9. Aspendos Theatre
Situated in the Serik city, it is probably Turkey’s most well maintained historical site. Built by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius in 155AD, this awe inspiring monument can house twenty-thousand people and is used till this day as an amphitheatre.
10. Patara Beach
The Patara Beach is an 18 kilometer long beautiful beach that is situated in the city of Patara, Turkey. With several archeological sites located near it, the beach never fails to amuse tourists and locals alike.
