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Turkey is still growing, popularity-wise, with tourism ever on the increase and word of mouth concerning the incredible hospitality of the nation as a whole spreading like wildfire. The history offered up should be of interest to most, and the forward-thinking nature of the nation helps to provide an even more welcoming atmosphere to most. Bridging two continents means Turkey has been a crossroad for many civilisations over around 10,000 years, and each has left their mark for visitors to enjoy in modern times. The Ancient City Of Troy, Topkapi Palace, the six minarets of Blue Mosque and Mount Nemrut are all popular landmarks that see a great deal of visitors year after year. Former Ottoman capitals Bursa and Edirne flank Istanbul, with the former Byzantine capital Iznik not too far away – and not much further along the World War I battlefields of Gelibolu are open for exploration. This is but a small example of the wealth of history in just a small area of Turkey. Museums and ancient sites are another area in which Turkey is rich, thanks – obviously – to the massive history of the nation, with one of the best being The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, which contains exhibits from the Anatolian civilisations dating back to 50,000 BC all the way up until the second century AD. Catalhoyuk, one of the oldest cities in the world, can be visited on the Northern slopes of the Taurus Mountains – or if visitors have a taste for mountainous terrain, they can take a look at Agri Dagri – the biblical Mount Ararat where Noah’s Ark came to rest in the legend. Numerous festivals litter the nation’s calendar, from the International Istanbul Festival of the Arts and the Folklore and Music Festival through to the more traditional Muslim holidays of Seker Bayrami and Kurban Bayrami, there are many interesting events and traditions for tourists to see or take part in. Attention should be paid to when the longer Muslim public holidays are taking place, as the entire country can more or less come to a standstill, with banks and shops closing for the majority of the time. There’s even camel wrestling, for those who are interested! Turkey really does have an amazing amount to offer, and thousands of years of history simply cannot be covered in a few hundred words – this is a country that needs to be seen to be believed. http://www.tourismturkey.org/index.htm http://gototurkey.co.uk/index.php http://www.turizm.gov.tr/INTRO/ http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/Default.aspx?17A16AE30572D313D4AF1EF75F7A79681D9DD78D03148A6E
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