Turkije bezienswaardigheden

De Bosporus, ook wel de Straat van Istanboel, doet niet alleen dienst als de grens tussen Europa en Azië, maar is ook een van de mooiste plekken van heel Turkije. Er is prachtig groen, paleizen, parken en niet te vergeten de adembenemende kustlijn. De Bosporus heeft meer te bieden dan je in eerste instantie zou denken. Een van de bekendste attracties, het Dolmabahçepaleis is een van de belangrijkste en grootste bouwwerken uit het Ottomaanse Rijk. Met meer dan 240 kamers en 43 gangen was dit het politieke middelpunt van Turkije, in de periode van 150 jaar voor de val van het koninkrijk. Mocht je de prachtige omgeving willen bekijken dan zijn de parken Emirgan en Macka de mooiere plekken. Emirgan heeft vooral veel waterrijke plekken met vijvers, watervallen en de Bosporus zelf, terwijl Macka vanuit een vallei-achtige omgeving een prachtig uitzicht over de Bosporus biedt.

Synonymous with Ottoman style architecture, the Topkapi Palace is one of Istanbul’s most historical landmarks. Resident to Sultans for over 400 years, the palace is a measure of its empiric significance. Visitor interested in understanding the culture and pride of Turkey’s people would benefit from a visit to the complex.

De Sultan Ahmetmoskee, ook wel Blauwe Moskee, werd gebouwd door de gelijknamige sultan om de er tegenover gelegen Aya Sofia te overtreffen. De moskee werd aan het begin van de 16de eeuw op de plek van het Grote Paleis van Constantinopel gebouwd. Het blauw komt van de blauwe tegels aan de muren en de koepel. De blauwe tegels, het vakwerk en de marmeren beeldhouwkunst behoren tot de hoogtepunten van de inrichting. Aan de buitenzijde zijn de redelijk vlakke koepels omgeven door 6 spitse minaretten.

Hagia Sophia (or Aya Sofya) is one of the world’s most beautiful buildings, built to be the world’s largest place of worship by Emperor Justinian in 532 AD. The church became a Mosque under the Ottomans, and its mosaics and decoration were plastered over. They have been successively revealed since the 1930s, when the building was declared a museum by Turkey’s legendary ruler, Atatürk. The Hagia Sophia’s golden mosaics are rivaled only by Ravenna’s, and its design was the inspiration for the basilica of San Marco in Venice. The huge complex is a riot of domes and minarets, focusing on the huge central dome which for centuries was unrivaled as an architectural masterpiece. Inside, the lofty interior is a soaring sequence of domed and arched spaces, centering on the shell-like apse and the massive dome, which seems to float unsupported and gives the church its amazing sense of space.

The Grand Bazaar, or Kapali Carsisi, is the mother of all markets, a treasure trove of gifts, souvenirs, essentials and fripperies. Heading into the cavernous bazaar from the daylight, it takes a minute for your eyes to adjust to this Arabian Nights visual feast of glimmering Turkish lights, brightly colored rugs and flickering candles. Crammed into more than 60 domed alleys or streets, around 5,000 stallholders hold court in the labyrinthine covered market, parts of which date back to Byzantine days. Calligraphy, carpets, beaded bracelets, gold and silver jewelry, curly-toed slippers, multicolored lanterns, flower-bedecked ceramics and belly-dancing outfits are just the tip of the iceberg in this shoppers’ cornucopia.

Atmospheric music, rosy flood lighting and the lilting sound of water lapping on marble – entering the Underground Cistern known in Turkish as Yerebatan Sarayi - or Basilica Cistern, is an experience that charms all the senses. Built to store water, this has to be the fanciest and most enormous well you’ll ever see. The cistern dates back to Byzantine days when the city was called Constantinople. Built by Emperor Justinian in the mid-500s, the cavernous underground water-storage area has a vaulted brick ceiling supported by a forest of Corinthian-carved marble columns. If this eerie, magical place looks a little familiar, you may recognize it from a scene in the James Bond movie From Russia with Love. On your walk around the Basilica Cistern, seek out the two pillars that have the face of Medusa carved onto their base.

The extraordinary staircases of blazing white thermal pools at Pamukkale are made of soft limestone and connected by calcium-filled waters that trickle down a 200-meter (656-foot) cliff overlooking the Plains of Cürüksu near Denizli, south-east of Izmir. The semi-circular pools range in size up to about six meters (19.5 feet) and are filled with water naturally heated to a pleasant 35°C, which has been known for its therapeutic properties since Roman times. The mineral waters are believed to aid high blood pressure, kidney stones, rheumatism and a variety of skin diseases. The Roman city of Heirapolis grew above the pools and owed its existence entirely to its proximity to Pamukkale; it began life as a spa town in the second century BC and flourished for centuries before falling into ruin. Today the baths complex and temple remains can clearly be seen alongside churches, a theater and a cemetery.

The ancient Greek city of Ephesus, also know as Efeze. Famed for its Temple of Artemis, it is also one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Ephesus’s most spectacular site has to be the façade of the Library of Celsus. Constructed between 110 and 135AD, the library originally had three floors, but an earthquake destroyed the building in the 10th century. Other sites include the Theater, Basilica of St. John, the Cave of the Seven Sleepers, Church of Mary, House of the Virgin, the Isabey Mosque, the Prytaneion, the synagogue and the Temple of Hadrian. All the sites are in varying states of disrepair. Unfortunately, all that remains of the Temple of Artemis, rumoured to have been four times as large as the Parthenon, is one column standing in a marshy basin.

When the Ottoman sultans wanted to update their living space, they moved from the Topkapi complex on Seraglio Point to the Dolmabahce Palace (Dolmabahce Sarayi). The sultans lived here from 1856 to 1922. With its columns and pediments, the opulent palace has a very European appearance, and the interior is a mid-Victorian statement in over-the-top luxury. Gilt, marble and crystal abound, and also the home ot the world’s largest crystal chandelier, which was a gift from Queen Victoria. Guided tours lead from waiting rooms to the offices of the Grand Vizier and other ornate apartments looking over the sea. The palace has a special place in the hearts of modern-day Turks, as its where the leader Atatürk lived and passed away in in 1938.

For many Australians and New Zealanders visitors, Gallipoli is the focus of their trip to Turkey. During World War I, the tiny cove on the Dardanelles was the site of a long and entrenched skirmish between Turkish and Allied troops. Horrendous casualties resulted on both sides, and for the Allies the operation was a failure. These days Gallipoli is synonymous with the incompetence of Britain’s leaders and the sacrifice of the empire’s Commonwealth soldiers. The leader of the Turkish troops was none other than Ataturk, who went on to lead Turkey into the modern era. The Gallipoli Peninsula is now a national park, with moving memorials to those who died here almost a century ago. Antipodean visitors come here in their thousands to commemorate ANZAC Day on 25 April.

Leave the present day behind and take a wander around Old Istanbul, the wonderful old Sultanahmet district. This World Heritage-listed district is crammed with historic buildings and enough magical atmosphere to keep you enthralled for days. Drink in the majesty of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia), a museum-church-mosque all in one, and admire the Blue Mosque that mirrors it. Spend days amid the riches of Topkapi Palace, and discover the underground world of the Basilica Cistern. Then shop for everything from curly-toed slippers to magic lanterns in the massive Grand Bazaar.

The Rumeli Fortress sits on a hill on the European side of Istanbul, overlooking the Bosphorus at its narrowest point. Built by Sultan Mehmed II prior to the conquest of Constantinople, the fortress was intended to help him control traffic along the Bosphorus and prevent aid from reaching the city from the Black Sea during the Siege of Constantinople in 1453. With the help of thousands of workers, the fortress was completed in just over four months. In addition to three main towers, the fortress had one small tower and thirteen watchtowers, as well as three main gates next to the three main towers. It also had wooden houses for soldiers, a small mosque and a large cistern that distributed water to the fortress through three wall fountains. The shaft of the mosque’s minaret and one of the water fountains remain in the fortress today. After the conquest of Constantinople, the fortress served as a customs checkpoint before later becoming a prison.

De Bosporusbrug is een van de twee bruggen die over de Bosporus liggen en het Europese en Aziatische deel van Istanboel met elkaar verbinden. De brug loopt van Ortaköy aan de Europese kant naar Beylerbeyi aan de Aziatische zijde en wordt ook wel de Eerste Bosporusbrug genoemd. Met 1.560 meter was deze brug de vierde brug in lengte ter wereld toen deze in 1973 in gebruik werd genomen. Het was de eerste brug die Europa en Azië met elkaar verbond sinds de bouw van een brug over de Dardanellen in 480 voor Christus. Tegenwoordig staat de brug op plek 21 van langste hangbruggen ter wereld. In 2007 werd een led-installatie gemonteerd waardoor de brug n zowel ’s avonds als ’s nachts verlicht is. Met een computersysteem wordt elke avond een prachtige lichtshow gepresenteerd. Hoewel de brug normaal voor voetgangers gesloten is, gaat deze in oktober van elk jaar wel open voor de Istanbul Eurasia Marathon, de enige marathon die van het ene naar het andere werelddeel gaat.

De eigenwijze geuren van saffraan, teentjes knoflook, suiker en kruiden hangen rond op de Egyptische Kruidenbazaar en markt, ook wel Misir Carsisi, een van de oudste markten van Istanbul. Rijen met kraampjes waarin handelaren hun waren verkopen in deze overdekte markt, gebouwd in 1660. De markt heeft een koepeldak met verlichting van Turkse lampen. Manden met allerhande kruiden geven de markt kleuren in goud, oranje, geel en groen en de hoeveelheid gedroogd fruit en noten is overweldigend. Geniet van Turkse lekkernijen, gedroogde abrikoos, pistachenoten en walnoten, honingsnoep en topkwaliteit saffraan. Loop over de markt en val van de ene verbazing in de andere. Neem de tijd en loop langs de drukke stalletjes. Stop even voor een thee of om met een tapijthandelaar te praten. Als je haast hebt mis je te veel!

Hierapolis is an ancient city of the Lycus River valley famed for its sacred hot springs. Its ruins are a popular day trip from Antalya as are the spectacular white cliffs of Pamukkale. As you near the ancient city ruins of Hierapolis, you won’t be able to miss seeing Pamukkale’s iced-white terraces. Easily viewed from the ruins, these terraces are created by a natural build up of calcium carbonate, a by-product of the hot spring water that flows down the slopes. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pamukkale shares its World Heritage status with Hierapolis, whose original inhabitants built the city to take advantage of its proximity to the hot springs. Hierapolis’ most popular attraction includes the thermally heated Sacred Pool where you can swim among the remains of ancient Roman columns, toppled into the water by various earthquakes.

Kusadasi is a resort town located on Turkey’s Aegean Coast that is best known as a jumping off point for visits to Ephesus, the best preserved classical city in eastern Turkey. Just a few decades ago, it wasn’t much more than a small seaside village, but the growth of the local tourism industry has brought modernization and commercialization. It is an easy walk from the cruise ship terminal to downtown Kusadasi. Chances are you won’t be spending much time in Kusadasi itself as most cruise passengers join half or full day excursions to nearby Ephesus. If you do stick around, think of it as a chance to kick back and relax for a day. Try a Turkish bath, head to the beach to soak up some sun or cool off at the wave pools and water slides at one of the city’s aqua parks. You may also like to take a walk out to the small hilltop fortress on Pigeon Island, accessible by a footbridge just across from the port.

It’s one of the strangest landscapes you’ll ever see: the cliffs and valleys and fairy chimneys of Göreme National Park in Cappadocia. Wind and water erosion scoured out this land of soft volcanic ash (tufa) leaving this extraordinary place of valleys and pillars, some of which rise to 130 feet (40m). The earliest settlers were Christian exiles in Roman times and they carved churches into the rock, along with houses and tombs. In the Middle Ages Göreme became an important religious center with monasteries, churches and chapels; many of which have impressive Byzantine religious wall paintings. Some of the most important are Basil Kilise (St Basil’s Church), Elmali Kilise (Apple Church), and the richly decorated Tokali Kilise (Buckle Church), which is the oldest. The best-preserved and recently restored frescoes can be found in the Karanlık Kilise (Dark Church).

Spanning the Golden Horn, Istanbul’s Galata Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in Turkey. The bridge has been a symbolic link between the old city center, with its imperial palaces and religious structures, and the more commercial neighborhoods that were populated by foreign merchants and diplomats. It also appears frequently in Turkish literature, poetry and theater. While a bridge has stood in the same location since 1845, the current structure dates back only to 1994. The previous bridge (the fourth), was damaged in a fire in 1992 and moved further up the Golden Horn. Stretching from Karakoy to Eminonu, the present-day bridge is actually the fifth Galata Bridge to stand on those shores. At 42 meters wide, it has 3 lanes for traffic and one walkway in each direction. The lower level of the bridge is now lined with lively cafes and restaurants offering a magnificent view of the Golden Horn and the old city.

It’s true, you need a fairly active imagination to people the ruins of Troy and bring this legendary site to life. But of the many names from history books and epic cinema, the legend of Troy is one that truly resonates. Before being overcome by invasion and earthquake, the fabled city of Troy ruled from around 3,000 BC to 1,000 BC. Today, it is an area of archaeological excavations and ruins. A stately model of the famous wooden horse of Troy guards the ruins, a replica of the vehicle that brought the invading Greeks inside the walls of Troy. You can climb inside the horse for elevated views of the ruins. The Excavations House provides several models of Troy over the millennia, to give an idea of the city’s former glory and layout. A circular path leads amongst the ruins with signboards to help explain the various walls, fortifications, temples and remains of houses.

Voor Izmir was er Smyrna, een oude Romeinse stad aan de Egeïsche kust van Anatolië (nu Turkije). Bewijs van deze geschiedenis in het moderne Izmir is het meest duidelijk bij een bezoek aan het oude Agora, wat de naam was voor een “openbaar plein of markt” in oude Griekse steden. De Agora van Smyrna is tegenwoordig een van de best bewaard gebleven agora’s ter wereld. Dit komt voornamelijk door het prachtige openluchtmuseum. De nog zichtbare zuilen, poorten en bouwwerken werden gebouwd door Alexander de Grote en later herbouwd na een aardbeving. Ze tonen hoe een Romeinse bazaar er destijds uit moet hebben gezien. Maar er is meer dan de overblijfselen van oude steden. Aan de rand van deze oude bezienswaardigheid liggen ook de resten van een moslimbegraafplaats, met veel grafstenen. Wandel door zuilenrijen van Korintische zuilen en langs beelden van oude Griekse goden en godinnen om na te denken over het verleden.

Cappadocia’s Grand Canyon, the 328 ft (100 m) deep Ihlara Valley was formed by the Melendiz River thousands of years ago. Around 4,000 people lived in the valley and there were 80 churches carved into the cliff faces, 12 of which can be visited today. These days the valley is home to one of the most popular hiking trails in Cappadocia with 26 bends along an 8 mile (14km) route that passes vineyards and pistacio trees. The valley begins at the village of Ihlara and ends at Selime Monastery in the village of Selime, but there are two other entrances depending on how far you are willing to hike. Around 2.8 miles (4 km) into the valley is the most popular entry point with 300 steps down to the valley floor. Or you can drive to the village of Belisirma in the middle of the valley. The best section for seeing churches is between Ihlara and Belisirma.

Modern-day sun lovers worship Didyma’s golden beaches, but in classical Ionian times this was the legendary site of the Temple of Apollo. In its heyday, Didyma’s famous temple was the home of the oracle of Apollo, who provided the Hellenic world with divine predictions from the gods. The sanctuary at Didyma was the most significant temple in the territory of the legendary city of Miletus, approached via the Sacred Way. It was renowned for its wealth and sacred spring, a revered site predating the era of the Greeks. The symbol of Didyma is the beautiful stone heads of the Medusa that crown the temple’s Ionic columns. Monumental steps lead to the remains of more than 100 equally huge pillars, two of which are linked by a sole surviving architrave. Recent excavations have unearthed other temples, including one dedicated to Artemis, destroyed by fire and earthquake over the millennium.

Wellicht is bij toeristen de naam Pamukkale bekender. Hierapolis is een oude stad aan de rivier de Lycus, bekend vanwege de heilige warme bronnen. In dit UNESCO-werelderfgoed is veel te zien. De populairste attractie is de heilige warmwaterbron, waar u kunt zwemmen tussen restanten van oude Romeinse zuilen, die bij aardbevingen in het water terecht zijn gekomen. Tussen de ruïnes liggen de overblijfselen van de Tempel van Apollo (Apollo zou de stichter van de stad zijn geweest), de Poort van Domitianus, de graftombe van Flavius Zeuxis, het necropolis (begraafplaats), het Plutonium (een grot die de toegang tot de onderwereld zou zijn) en het theater. Van al deze bezienswaardigheden is het theater misschien wel het best bewaard gebleven. Het werd rond 200 voor Christus gebouwd, er was destijds plaats voor 20.000 bezoekers. Nu zijn er nog slechts 30 rijen bewaard gebleven.

Ölüdeniz heeft een van de populairste stranden van Turkije. Het is veel gefotografeerd, mede dankzij de fantastische ligging langs een blauwe lagune. De naam betekent in het Turks “dode zee”, wat verwijst naar het kalme water. Strandliefhebbers kunnen hier twee kanten op: een lang breed open strand aan de Middellandse Zee, bekend als Belcekız; en de meer beschutte kustlijn van de Blue Lagoon, dat binnen de grenzen van een natuurpark ligt (betaalde entree) en waarachter de berg Babadağ ligt, een van de meest geliefde plekken voor paragliden van Turkije. Omdat Ölüdeniz erg populair is, is het er ook erg druk, vooral in de zomerweekenden. Het is geen plek voor mensen die houden van rust. En niet te vergeten de vele restaurantjes en souvenirwinkels.