Turkey is a country part of which is located in western Asia and another part in southeastern Europe, and due to its privileged location, the country has a great history.

There are many historical places of many different ancient empires in this country.

This is one of the reasons why Turkey is a tourist country, and Istanbul is the most important, as Istanbul receives a large number of tourists from all over the world every year due to its effects.

In this article we will talk about the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Turkey.

1- Aphrodisias Historic District

There is a historical area in southwestern Turkey called Aphrodisias which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Turkey.

And it is one of the most beautiful Roman cities in the country, and this city dates back to the Bronze Age, that is, approximately 2800 BC.

Many ancient temples are located in the area, some dating back to the 3rd century BC.

Many parts of its architecture are still intact and inscriptions can be seen on its walls, it was finally recorded in 2017 by UNESCO.

2- Ani City

An ancient city on the border between Turkey and Armenia called Ani, located in a deep valley, was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.

Churches and ancient sites in this region date back to AD 961, and the King of Armenia moved his capital from Kars to Ani.

3- Troy archaeological site

Another archaeological site on the UNESCO World Heritage List in Turkey is the Archaeological Site of Troy.

Due to its historical and cultural value, this ancient site has been registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1998 and is now a tourist attraction in Turkey.

The remains of the historic city of Troy consist of a defensive wall around the castle, eleven gates, a smooth stone ramp, and five defensive forts.

4- The city of CumalıKızık

It is located east of Bursa on the road to the Turkish capital, Ankara, and is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in Turkey.

The region of Bursa and Cumalıkızık, the birthplace of the Ottoman Empire, consists of six regions:

• Orhan Gazi complex and surrounding caravans
• Khuda Vardar or First Murad Complex
• Yildirim complex or Bayezid I.
• Yeshil complex or Mehmed I
• Khuda Vardar or First Murad Complex
• Complex Mouradia or Murad II.

5- Safranbolu City

Another UNESCO World Heritage site in Turkey is Safranbolu, which still maintains its ancient texture and has a large number of historical monuments.

The city was registered by UNESCO as an International Cultural Zone and World Heritage Site in 1994.

What was recorded from this city includes one museum, 25 mosques, 5 tombs, 8 springs, 5 Turkish baths, 3 caravans, a historic clock tower, a historical cemetery, and hundreds of homes.

6- Diyarbakir Castle

One of the most important ancient cities in Turkey, which is located on the banks of the Tigris River, Diyarbakir, is surrounded by an ancient stone wall.

Diyarbakir Castle was added to the UNESCO list in 2015, this historical complex is a cultural monument from the Hellenistic, Roman and Sassanid eras.

7- Ephesus city

Another historical city in Turkey that is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in Turkey is the city of Ephesus, the city was registered in 2015 and was used as the capital of the Kingdom of Arzawa around 1500 BC.

Most of the historical monuments in the city of Ephesus date back to the time of the Greeks, and there are many legends in ancient times that indicate that it was one of the 12 cities under the Ionian Union in Greece.

The Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is located in this city, and other attractions that we suggest you should definitely visit are the Grand Theater, the Royal Palace and the Archaeological Museum.

8- Divriği Great Mosque

One of the monuments that can be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in Turkey is the Great Mosque of Divriği, a remnant of Ahmed Shah, it was built by order of Ahmed Shah and has unique features.

One of the unique features of this masterpiece of Islamic architecture is the intricate and creative technique of the roof architecture and the many decorative carvings found in the three gates of the Great Mosque of Divriği.

Divriği Great Mosque was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

9- Hattusa

Another Turkish monument is Hattusa, whose history dates from 1600 to 1800 BC, and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List of Turkey in 1986.

Features of these Turkish monuments include stone columns that protrude from the ground and are protected by a number of walls.

10- Mount Nemrut

Well, another attraction that we want to introduce is Mount Nemrut, this tourist attraction was registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List in Turkey in 1987.

In this area there are huge statues dating back to the century BC, some of these statues sometimes reach 9 meters in height.

11- Göbekli Tepe

In the Anatolia region of Turkey, another attraction that is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List of Turkey is Göbekli Tepe.

There are T-shaped columns with images of wild animals engraved on them, providing insight into the lives and beliefs of the people of Mesopotamia from about 11,500 years ago, be sure to visit this wonderful area on your trip to Turkey.

12- Çatalhöyük

One of the most prominent archaeological sites in Turkey is the Neolithic site Çatalhöyük, which was discovered in the 1950s and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012.

The complex has become one of the most famous archaeological and historical sites in the world due to its large size and the beautiful murals they discovered.

Some archaeologists in the area have managed to find artifacts dating back 9,000 years.

Among the most famous discoveries that have been made in this area are the finding of several inscriptions and paintings on stone of animals such as deer, in addition to several statues, including a statue of two lions facing each other or a statue of a god sitting next to two cats.

13- The historic city of Pergamon

In Turkey there is a very strange historical city called Pergamon, which is 26 kilometers from the Aegean Sea and is located on a sea cliff located in the northern part of the Caicos River.

One of the oldest ancient libraries in the world is housed in a building and temple located in the city of Pergamon, the building is located on top of a hill and has a wonderful appearance.

In 2014, the area was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

14. Pamukkale Hierapolis

Other attractions inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List include Pamukkale Hierapolis, which name was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1988.

Pamukkale Castle is located in southwestern Turkey in the Aegean region and means Cotton Castle.

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German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann excavated the site of the city of Troy in Turkey in 1870 and found several cities built on top of each other. The city called Troy 8 is believed to be the site of the famous Trojan War in Homer’s Iliad.

Troy is the name of an ancient city in present-day Turkey. Troy was a Greek immigrant residing in Anatolia. The surviving ancient Troy is the story of the Iliad in Turkey and is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Troy is a unique symbol of the cultural fusion of the inhabitants of Anatolia, the Balkans and the inhabitants of the Aegean Sea, where the history of human habitation dates back to the Bronze Age or 3000 BC.

The city of Troy was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt throughout its turbulent history. Also traces of another city were found on the site, which belonged to the Roman Empire, but gradually lost its importance and became uninhabited after the construction of Constantinople (present-day Istanbul).

History of the city of Troy

The main city of Troy was built in Turkey in 3000 BC as a small castle, and during historical texts, the beautiful decoration of the southern gate of the city was mentioned several times, but these works were destroyed in 2500 BC in a huge fire, until the new city was built on a spacious hill.

The homes of ordinary people in this city were made of mud and the wealthy had stone houses, but this city, known as the Second Trojan, was destroyed in 2300 BC in another fire.

Between 2300 and 1700 BC the fourth and fifth Trojans were built, with so little found around the third and fourth periods. Although the Romans conquered the seventh city of Troy in 85 BC, most of the archaeological finds in the region date back to this period.

The story of the Trojan War

The Trojan War (12th century BC) is one of the greatest wars in Greek mythology. It is an epic described by the Greek poet Homer in the book of Iliad in the twelfth and fourteenth centuries BC.

Troy fell after ten years of sterile battle, using a huge wooden horse as a hoax to open the impenetrable city gate.

According to ancient Greek myths, the son of the King of Troy stole Helen, the sister-in-law of the King of Greece (Agamemnon), after he fell in love with her and fled with her to his homeland, then the King of Greece started a war on Troy, but the city walls were so strong that nothing was done.

The city of Troy was under siege by the Greek forces for nine years, and was among the best soldiers of Greece, Achilles, who devised a plan to break through the walls of the city of Troy by building a huge wooden horse and hiding inside it.

Reconstruction of the city of Troy in Turkey

Reports issued by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism indicate that the ministry has a coordinated plan to present the city as a historical jewel in Turkey.

Turkey intends to take serious steps to boost the tourism industry, especially after the inclusion of the historic city of Troy on the World Heritage List by UNESCO.

It is worth noting that the city of Troy is located south of the Dardanelles strait in the northwestern province of Çanakkale. It overlooks the coastal plain of the Aegean Sea, and is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world with a history dating back 4000 years.

The new Turkish Museum in the legendary Trojan city

The Trojan Museum in Turkey opened its doors to the public in October 2018, after five years of construction, at a cost of $ 10 million, where tourists can travel through a 4000-year history.

The museum displays 2,000 historical artifacts, including 24 gold jewelry dating back to 2400 BC. These gold coins were previously preserved in the Pennsylvania Museum in the United States.

Exhibits at the 3000 square meter museum include a variety of works, where there is a small bronze ring (showing the relationship between the inhabitants of Troy and the Bronze Age in northern Central Anatolia) and a very large stone sarcophagus (which was inserted inside the museum building with the help of a crane before the museum building complete).

The museum also contains a section entitled “Lost Heritage” dedicated to relics brought to Turkey from other countries and not yet been returned.

Read more about Istanbul Archaeological Museum

How to get to the city of Troy in Turkey

You can reach Troy from Istanbul in an hour by car. You can also use public transportation like buses.

The post The City of Troy, The Legendary City in Turkey appeared first on Move 2 Turkey.