Turkey connects Europe to Asia. Turkey’s Asian territories has been named as Anatolia, European territories has been named Thracia.

The population of Turkey is approximately 72 million.

Turkey is bounded by four seas on three sides with Black Sea to the North,

Mediterranean Sea to the South, Aegean Sea to the West and Marmara Sea to the Northwest.

Marmara Sea is an inland sea and the only way to get to the Mediterranean Sea for Black Sea countries.

Turkey's land borders are quite wide so Turkey has lots of neighbours. These are Greece and Bulgaria on the West, Georgia on the North, Armenia and Iran on the East, Iraq and Syria on the South.

ANKARA

Although İstanbul is known as the most popular city, the capital of Turkey is Ankara because Ankara has been the center during Turkish Liberation War.

Atatürk's Mausoleum, Anıtkabir, is in Ankara.

ISTANBUL

İstanbul is the most popular and the largest city in Turkey and is the fifth largest city in the world with a population of 14 million people.

Also İstanbul had been the longest capital city during history and now, in 2010, İstanbul is European Capital of Culture.

Ayasofya (Hagia Sofia)Mosque

Ayasofya Church was built by I. Justinianos between 532-537 BC. After Ottoman Empire conquered it, they converted this church to a mosque and added 4 minarets and Islamic features. Ayasofya is the oldest cathedral in the world. Now, it serves as a museum.

PEARL OF AEGEAN

İzmir is a city that is in West coast of Anatolia. It has a population of 3.500.000 people and it is the third biggest city in Turkey.

They call İzmir as the “Pearl of Aegean” because it has so many historical and touristical places.

Kemeraltı Bazaar

Kemeraltı Bazaar is one of historical places in İzmir. Kemeraltı is the oldest and the biggest bazaar in the world. Kemeraltı used to be at the end of Silkroad. It includes mosques, churches, synagogues, Turkish bathes, museums and has nineteen inns. In the beginning of 1900s, population of Kemeraltı was more than some capitals in Europe like Paris, London…

Ephesus

Ephesus was an ancient Greek city on the West coast of Anatolia. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League. Ephesus was famed for the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Temple of Artemis is the first temple in the world which was made of marble. It was built in 6BC by the Lydian King Croesus for the goddess Artemis. This temple was used as a bazaar, as well. Temple of Artemis was burned on 21th July, 326 BC by a Greek man named Herostratus who wanted to go down in history. This Greek man is known as the first terrorist in history.

Ancient Theatre

Ephesus Ancient Theatre was the first theatre in the world. It was the biggest theatre in Ancient times. This theater's capacity was 24 thousand

people.

Clock Tower

The Clock Tower was designed by the Levantine French architect Raymond Charles Pére and built in 1901 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Abdülhamit II‘s accession to the throne.

This was a gift of German Emperor Wilhelm II.

The tower, at a height of 25 m, features four fountains, which are placed around the base in a circular pattern, and the columns are inspired by North African themes.