Sultanahmet Cami - Kilim and Carpet Museum - Aya Sofia

Sultanahmet Cami, known to the west as the Blue Mosque, stands next to the ancient hippodrome on the site of the Byzantine palace. It was built in 1609-17 by the architect Mehmet Aga, and was the last and largest of the imperial mosques to be built during the Ottoman era. It is one of the few mosques in the world with 6 minarets, and it has a 22.5m (74ft) diameter dome that nearly equals that of Aya Sofia in size. The dome, which is 43m (141ft) high, is supported by four large fluted columns each measuring 5m (16ft) across.

The main entrance is reached through a spacious courtyard surrounded by granite columns with a hexagonal wrought-iron ablutions fountain at the centre. Visitors, however, should use the side entrance and keep within the partitioned area so as not to disturb worshippers. Head-scarfs and coverings are issued at the door.

Turkish People and Religion

Turkish People

Before 1923 the population of Turkey included large numbers of Greeks, Armenians, Jews and Venetians, and many of the most influential figures in business, trade and the arts were non-Turkish citizens. After the War of Independence in 1923 there was an exchange of populations between Turkey and Greece, and most Greeks were re-settled in Greece. Small communities of Greeks and Jews remain in Istanbul, but the only significant non-Turkish ethnic group in Turkey today are the Kurds. Kurdish is widely spoken in the east and Arabic is common in the south-east, but the official language is Turkish. English is taught as a second language in schools and German is fairly widespread as a great number of guest-workers are "'employed in Germany. In centres of tourism and main cities the touts and shop-sellers seem to speak any language that mav bring them business and most people have no difficulty in communicating.

Turkey - History and Monuments

Turkey has a long and illustrious history well marked by historical monuments and ancient remains. The earliest traces of humans are found in the neolithic caves along the south coast. The oldest civilized settlements are in the south-east close to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers on the fringes of Mesopotamia and date from the seventh millennium BC. The best remains of early civilisation are from the time of the Hittites, an influential people whose capital city was at Hattusas, east of Ankara. The well-preserved city ruins and temple comploxes date from the second millennium BC.

At the start of the first millennium BC the Aegean and Mediterranean coast was colonised by a wave of Greek migrants who built cities and established small kingdoms. In 546BC the colonies fell into the hands of the Persians who retained power up until334BC when Alexander the Great conquered Anatolia and freed the Greek cities from Persian rule. After Alexander's death in 323BC his kingdom was divided between his generals. Lysimachus took Anatolia and founded one of the most powerful dynasties in the classical world. The capital city was at Pergamum which remains one of the most impressive ancient sites on the Aegean coast.

About Turkey Information - 1

Turkey has recently experienced a boom in its tourism industry and many holidaymakers from the west who once went to the Greek Islands now favour the Turkish Mediterranean shores.

Beaches, boat trips, scenic ruins and natural countryside are just some of the attractions; good food, low budget accommodation and generous hospitality follow closely behind. The country has a high rural population and travelling around remote villages is like stepping back in time: farming methods rely on the wooden plough and the hand scythe, and many of the old traditions and crafts such as carpet making and weaving are still a way of life. In tourist centres and major cities the atmosphere is more Western and the regular cry of the müezzin is one of the few reminders that Turkey is an Islamic country with a 99 per cent Moslem faith.

This blog is divided into ten interconnecting routes which cover the chief places of interest as well as lesser known attractions. Each route is subdivided into stages; each stage can usually be covered in the day, and ends in a place where overnight accommodation is availlable. It requires at least 6 weeks to get around the entire country. Most visitors on a short holiday break limit their travel to the beaches andd classical ruins along the south coast but an increasing number of people are also exploring the central and eastern areas as they lowly become more developed.

The Weather and Seasons