What is the Capital of Turkey? - Capital-of.com Dates of religious and Civil holidays around the world. Capital of Turkey The Capital City of Turkey (officially named Republic of Turkey) is the city of Ankara. The population of Ankara in the year 2008 was 71,517,100 (12,573,836 in the metropolitan area). Turkey is a Turkish speaking country on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, Sea of Marmara and the Aegean Sea. Additional Information Capital of Turkey | Article about capital of Turkey by The Free Dictionary Capital of Turkey | Article about capital of Turkey by The Free Dictionary Related to capital of Turkey: capital of Switzerland , Constantinople , Ottoman Empire Ankara (ăng`kərə, Turk. äng`kärä), city (1990 pop. 2,533,209), capital of Turkey and Ankara prov., W central Turkey, at an elevation of c.3,000 ft (910 m). Turkey's largest city after İstanbul Ankara is primarily an administrative city, but it is also an important commercial, industrial, and cultural center.

Grains, vegetables, and fruit are grown nearby. Manufactures include food products, wine, farm machinery, iron and steel, textiles, and cement. Angoran goats bred there are famous for the mohair made from their coats. Tourism is increasingly important, and the service sector is expanding. Known in ancient times as Ancyra and later as Angora, the city was an important commercial center at least as early as Hittite times (18th cent. B.C.). in the 1st cent. A.D. it became the capital of a Roman province. It flourished under Augustus; in the ruins of a marble temple dating from his reign (31 B.C.–A.D. 14) was found the Monumentum Ancyranum, a set of inscribed tablets valuable as a record of Augustan history. The city was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in the mid-14th cent., and in 1402 Timur defeated and captured Sultan Beyazid I there. In the late 19th cent. Ankara declined and by the early 20th cent. was a small town known only for the production of mohair.

In 1920, Kemal Atatürk made the city the seat of his Turkish nationalist government with a commitment to modernization. In 1923 it replaced İstanbul as the capital of all Turkey, partly to break with tradition and partly to take advantage of its central location. The city grew rapidly from the 1920s; in the 1960s its population almost doubled. There are few historic remains. Ankara's leading modern monument is the Atatürk mausoleum, completed in 1953. The huge Kocatepe Mosque opened in 1987. The city has numerous museums, including the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, and is the seat of the Ankara, Hacettepe, and Middle East Technical universities. Ankara (formerly called Angora, ancient Ancyra), capital of Turkey, administrative center of Ankara wilaya. Located on the central Anatolian Plateau at an elevation of 891 m, at the confluence of the Cubuk and Ankara rivers (of the Sakarya River basin). The climate is continental.

Average temperatures range from -0.7°C in January to 23.2°C in July, and the annual precipitation is 340 mm. The population was 1,200,000 in 1970, second to Istanbul. From 30,000 in 1920, Ankara grew to 75,000 in 1927,157,000in 1940,650,000 in 1960, and 902,000 in 1965. Ankara is the political, economic, and cultural center of the country. Macadam roads connect Ankara with the provincial centers, and rail lines lead to the coasts of the Black Sea (at Zonguldak and at Samsun), the Bosporus (at Istanbul), the Sea of Marmara (at Izmit), the Aegean Sea (at Izmir), the Mediterranean Sea (at Mersin and Iskenderun), and the Soviet-Turkish border. The Esenboga airport is close to Ankara.

The municipal meclis (assembly, elected by the citizens for four years) is the governing body of Ankara. Its chairman is appointed by the minister of internal affairs and is approved by the president. Each city district of Ankara also has an elective municipal meclis. The town was founded in the seventh century B.C . by the Phrygian king Midas. In ancient times and in the Middle Ages it was an important center for caravan trade in Anatolia. In the 14th century Ankara was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. On July 28 (or July 20), 1402, the battle between Tamerlane and Bayazid I took place near Ankara. After the 1864 province reform Ankara became the center of the wilaya of Anatolia. From the end of 1919, Ankara was the center of the national liberation movement of 1918–22. It was the residence of the Committee of Representatives and, from Apr. 23, 1920, of the Great National Assembly of Turkey and the government established by it. On Oct. 13, 1923, Ankara was made the capital of Turkey, and on Oct.

29, 1923, the capital of the Turkish Republic. Ankara has aircraft, small arms, and other munitions factories; a tractor assembly plant; manufacturers of rubber products; small steel mills and machine shops; and cement, glass, woodworking, textile (wool), leather, and food and food-flavoring (such as flour, sugar, and meat) industries. Handicrafts are produced, particularly carpets. Ankara is a large trade center, chiefly for mohair (the wool of Angora goats), grain, and livestock. In the old section of Ankara, with its narrow, winding streets, are its architectural monuments: the Temple of Augustus and Rome (second century B.C . [?]); ruins of the public baths (end of the second century or beginning of the third century); a sepulcher with frescoes (fourth century); the Citadel; 12th- to 15th-century mosques of Alaeddin, Ars-lanhane, Ahi Elvan, and others; and the great covered bazaar (between 1464 and 1471), which now houses the Archaeological Museum.

Since 1920 (mainly in the 1950’s and 1960’s) a modern city, including multistory buildings, private dwellings, and an abundance of greenery, has been undergoing development through proper planning to the south of the old city. The presidential palace, the theater, and the Atatürk Mausoleum (finished in 1953, architects E. Onat and A. Arad) have been constructed. There are universities, a conservatory, six theaters (including operatic-dramatic, children’s, and chamber theaters), the Archaeological and Ethnographical Museums, and the National Library. REFERENCE Brief History of Constantinople- Istanbul, Turkey By Amanda Briney Updated July 25, 2016. Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and is among the 25 largest urban areas in the world. It is located on the Bosporus Strait and covers the entire area of the Golden Horn - a natural harbor. Because of its size, Istanbul extends into both Europe and Asia. The city is the world’s only metropolis to extend into more than one continent .

The city of Istanbul is important to geography because it has a long history that spans the rise and fall of the world's most famous empires. Due to its participation in these empires, Istanbul has also undergone various name changes throughout its lengthy history. History of Istanbul Byzantium Though Istanbul may have been inhabited as early as 3000 BCE, it was not a city until Greek colonists arrived in the area in the 7th Century BCE. These colonists were led by King Byzas and settled there because of the strategic location along the Bosporus Strait. King Byzas named the city Byzantium after himself. The Roman Empire (330-395 CE) Following its development by the Greeks, Byzantium became a part of the Roman Empire in the 300s. continue reading below our video Test Your General Science Knowledge During this time, the Roman emperor Constantine the Great undertook a construction project to rebuild the entire city. His goal was to make it stand out and give the city monuments similar to those found in Rome. In 330, Constantine declared the city as the capital of the entire Roman Empire and renamed it Constantinople.

The Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire (395-1204 and 1261-1453 CE) After Constantinople was named the capital of the Roman Empire the city grew and prospered. After the death of the emperor Theodosius I in 395, however, enormous upheaval took place in the empire as his sons permanently divided the empire. Following the division, Constantinople became the capital of the Byzantine Empire in the 400s. As part of the Byzantine Empire, the city became distinctly Greek as opposed to its former identity in the Roman Empire. Because Constantinople was at the center of two continents, it became a center of commerce, culture, diplomacy, and grew considerably. In 532, though, the anti-government Nika Revolt broke out among the city’s population and destroyed it. After the revolt, however, the Constantinople was rebuilt and many of its most outstanding monuments were constructed- one of which was the Hagia Sophia as Constantinople became the center of the Greek Orthodox Church.

The Latin Empire (1204-1261) Although Constantinople significantly prospered during decades following its becoming a part of the Byzantine Empire, the factors leading to its success also made it a target for conquering. For hundreds of years, troops from all over the Middle-East attacked the city. For a time it was even controlled by members of the Fourth Crusade after it was desecrated in 1204. Subsequently, Constantinople became the center of the Catholic Latin Empire. As competition persisted between the Catholic Latin Empire and the Greek Orthodox Byzantine Empire, Constantinople was caught in the middle and began to significantly decay. It went financially bankrupt, the population declined, and it became vulnerable to further attacks as defense posts around the city crumbled. In 1261, in the midst of this turmoil, the Empire of Nicaea recaptured Constantinople and it was returned to the Byzantine Empire. Around the same time, the Ottoman Turks began conquering the cities surrounding Constantinople, effectively cutting it off from many of its neighboring cities.

The Ottoman Empire (1453-1922) After being considerably weakened by constant invasions and being cut off from its neighbors by the Ottoman Turks, Constantinople was officially conquered by the Ottomans, led by Sultan Mehmed II on May 29, 1453 after a 53-day siege. During the siege, the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI, died while defending his city. Almost immediately, Constantinople was named as the capital of the Ottoman Empire and its name was changed to Istanbul. Upon taking control of the city, Sultan Mehmed sought to rejuvenate Istanbul. He created the Grand Bazaar (one of the largest covered marketplaces in the world), brought back fleeing Catholic and Greek Orthodox residents. In addition to these residents, he brought in Muslim, Christian, and Jewish families to establish a mixed populace. Sultan Mehmed also began the building of architectural monuments , schools, hospitals, public baths, and grand imperial mosques. From 1520 to 1566, Suleiman the Magnificent controlled the Ottoman Empire and there were many artistic and architectural achievements that made it a major cultural, political, and commercial center.

By the mid-1500s, the city’s population also grew to almost 1 million inhabitants. The Ottoman Empire ruled Istanbul until it was defeated and occupied by the allies in World War I. The Republic of Turkey (1923-today) Following its occupation by the allies in World War I, the Turkish War of Independence took place and Istanbul became a part of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Istanbul was not the capital city of the new republic and during the early years of its formation Istanbul was overlooked and investment went into the new centrally located capital Ankara. In the 1940s and 1950s though, Istanbul re-emerged new public squares, boulevards, and avenues were constructed. Because of the construction though, many of the city’s historic buildings were demolished. In the 1970s, Istanbul’s population rapidly increased, causing the city to expand into the nearby villages and forests, eventually creating a major world metropolis. Istanbul Today Istanbul's many historical areas were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1985.

In addition, because of its status as a world rising power , its history, importance to culture in both Europe and the world, Istanbul has been designated the European Capital of Culture for 2010 by the European Union . ANKARA - The Capital City of Turkey - SkyscraperCity ANKARA - The Capital City of Turkey User Name Cityscapes and Skyline Photos Photos and images from all around the world Page 1 of 35 ANKARA - The Capital City of Turkey Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after İstanbul. Centrally located in Anatolia, Ankara is an important commercial and industrial city. It has been the neural center of the Turkish Government, and houses all foreign embassies. It is an important crossroads of trade, strategically located at the center of Turkey's highway and rail network, and serves as the marketing center for the surrounding agricultural area. Modern ANKARA is really two cities, a double identity that is due to the breakneck pace at which it has developed since being declared capital of the Turkish Republic in 1923. Until then Ankara had been a small provincial city, famous chiefly for the production of soft goat's wool.

This city still exists, in and around the old citadel that was the site of the original settlement. The other Ankara is the modern metropolis that has grown up around a carefully planned attempt to create a seat of government worthy of a modern, Western-looking state. For a very quick, brief, touristic info about Ankara; you may check the video below. Dead links removed. I will try to post photos from Ankara in parts in this thread. This is an evolving thread, new photos are posted regularly with the lowest repeating rate as much as possible, check the latest pages to see the most fresh photos. LOOKING FORWARD FOR YOUR COMMENTS [/COLOR] Ankara, The Capital City Ankara, the Capital City Ankara, the heart of the National War of Independence, has been planned in a modern manner and developed in a short period of time. In the research made related to the history of Ankara, the remains of the Hittites and Phrygians were encountered in the surroundings of Ankara, however, no settlement place was revealed inside the city. Ankara, with its known history, was first founded by the Celts.

In the third century B.C., the Celts, who came from Europe via the Balkans and the Straits up to Central Anatolia, founded the Galatian State, with Ankara as their first known capital city. The city later experienced the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman Periods. The most interesting structure in Ankara is the Anitkabir (Mausoleum), constructed for Ataturk. The construction of the monument, on Rasattepe, started in 1944 and finished in 1953. In the same year, Ataturk was moved from his tem- porary grave at the Ethnographic Museum with great cere- mony to Anitkabir, his eternal place of rest. The Ankara Citadel, rising on top of a hill which dominates Ankara, was first constructed by the Celts in the third century B.C. The walls of the Citadel, which are composed of two sections, the inner citadel and the outer citadel, are made of Ankara stone. The citadel which was restored during various periods, acquired its present day appearance from the Seljuks.

The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, that is one of the richest museums in Turkey, is located next to the citadel. Artifacts from the various civilizations in Anatolia, starting from the Stone Age (50,000 B.C., Middle Paleolithic Period), and periods until the Roman Period (second century A.D.) are displayed at the museum. The Temple of Augustus, in the Ulus District, was constructed in the second century A.D. The written inventory of all the deeds accomplished by the Roman Emperor Augustus on the walls of this temple, is an important historical document. The baths, theater and Column of Julian are among the other remains of the Roman Period. Among the mosques in Ankara, the Aslanhane Mosque, constructed in the thirteenth century, is famous for its turquoise tiled mihrab (niche), the Haci Bayram Mosque, built in the fifteenth century, is decorated with Kutahya glazed tiles and the Kocatepe Mosque, which is the largest mosque in Ankara, constructed between 1967 and 1987, are worth seeing. The city is also famous for its monuments.

The most conspicuous of these monuments are the Republic Monument in the Ulus District, the Victory Monument in the Yenisehir District and the Hatti Monument at the Sihhiye Square. The Hatti Monument symbolizes the Hattis, the first known native society of Anatolia who lived between 3000 and 2000 B.C. Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, is also the capital of culture and art. Winter nights in Ankara are very lively with the theater, opera, ballet, modern dance, classical and pop music performances. International art, music, film and children's festivals enliven the city. The Cikrikcilar Street and the Bakircilar (Coppersmiths) Market are old and charming shopping areas where various copper and brass souvenirs are sold. Among the modern shopping centers in the city are the Kizilay District, Tunali Hilmi Avenue, Atakule Mall at Cankaya, Karum Mall at Kavaklidere, Ankuva Mall at Bilkent and Galleria Mall at Cayyolu.

A panoramic view of Ankara can be seen from Atakule, a tower 125 meters high, which has a revolving restaurant, a cafe and an observation terrace. Newly Added : The Rahmi M. Koc Museum, Rahmi M. Koï¿½ Mï¿½zesi, is an industrial museum opposite the entrance to the Citadel in the historic heart of Ankara, close to Anatolian Civilization Museum. Located in the historic ï¿½engelhan - a former Caravanserai, built in 1522 - the Museum displays huge variety of exhibits on such diverse themes as Engineering, Road Transport, Scientific Instruments, Maritime, Medicine, and many others. The beautiful and atmospheric courtyard has been glazed in, and now houses the newly restored shop where the founder of the Koï¿½ Group, Mr Vehbi Koï¿½ started his working life. And when you have finished your museum visit, you can relax in either the Divan Cafï¿½ or the sophisticated Divan Brasserie in the courtyard. Turkey in the Bible If You Know Your Bible, You Know More About Turkey Than You Thought! OLD TESTAMENT In 2002, we were privileged to spend two weeks in Turkey.

Although I knew that this country played a major role in the New Testament, I was surprised to learn how frequently the region of Turkey is mentioned in the Old Testament. Turkey is a Cradle of Civilization, as verified by early cave drawings and archeological artifacts which have been discovered in this region. Wedged between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, Turkey has always been an important center of civilization and trade. Camel caravans have crossed this region for thousands of years and you can find many impressive ruins of ancient ï¿½caravan hotelsï¿½, which provided accommodations and food for camel caravans. Some of these have been restored and are used for cultural functions today. The Tigrus and Euphrates River, often mentioned in the Bible, have their beginnings in Turkey and flow through Iraq. Noahï¿½s arc landed on Mt. Ararat (Genesis 8:1-5) and after leaving Ur, Abraham and his family lived for a while in Haran (Genesis 11:31). Many other ancient peoples named in the Bible were entirely or partly in Turkey. The Hittite Kingdoms (Gen.

10:15; 15:19ï¿½21), are especially worth mentioning. Until the twentieth century, the Hittites were known only from biblical accounts and skeptics pointed to these references as proof of the Bibleï¿½s unreliability. Secular Egyptian and Assyrian texts have been recently found and confirmed by archaeological discoveries. The Hittites are identified as the Kheta or Hatti. Their capital was at Hattusas (modern Boghazkoï¿½uy), east of Ankara in Turkey. Hittite history is divided into two basic periods: the Old Kingdom (to c. 1500 B.C.) and the Empire (beginning c. 1460 B.C.). The two great periods of power and influence were around 1650 until 1500 and about 1380 to 1200 B.C.. Assyrians, mentioned frequently in the biblical narrative, have vanished from the face of the earth, but in the same region lives a mysterious people without a national government or territory. These are called Kurds and the area in which they live is called Kurdistan.

Kurdistan covers the same area as ancient Assyria, partly in Iraq and Syria, but most Kurds live in Turkey. One of the most fascinating unfulfilled prophecies in the Bible is found in Isaiah 19:23 25. According to this prophecy, Assyria, Egypt and Israel will become friendly allies, enjoying the Lord's favor and worshiping together! NEW TESTAMENT Except for a brief stay in Egypt as an infant, Jesus lived, ministered and died within the borders of Israel, but much early church history following Pentecost took place in Turkey. The birthplace of the Christian Church may be Jerusalem, but Turkey is where the Church first thrived. In fact, many of the Jewish pilgrims who were on hand at Pentecost had traveled from Turkey (Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia and Pamhylia). The first recorded persecution of Christians was carried out by a radical Jewish Pharisee named Saul, who later converted to Christianity and became known as the Apostle Paul. Paul was born in Tarsus, ï¿½no mean cityï¿½ in what is now Turkey.

Timothy was from Lystra, not far from Tarsus. The disobedient prophet, Jonah, also set out for Tarsus instead of Nineveh (in modern Iraq). The Apostle Peter wrote his first epistle to Christians scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bythinia. All these places are found in Turkey. The region of Cappadocia is particularly interesting. Thousands of Christians fled bitter persecutions in Jerusalem and Rome under Nero, reaching a climax under Marcus Aurelius, and finally ending when Constantine decreed the Peace of Milan in 313. Many of them found refuge in Cappadocia, where they carved homes out of the unusually shaped lava-stone mountains. Or they built and occupied underground cities, 100 of which still exist. Paul was not only born and raised in Turkey, but most of his ministry took place in Turkey! With the exception of Salamis and Pathos (in Cyprus), all the places Paul visited on his first missionary journey were in Turkey (Perge, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe and Attalia).

Most of his second and third missionary journeys were also in Turkey. Paul wrote epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians and Colossians, churches in Turkey. Philemon, I & II Timothy were written to recipients in Turkey. Colossae is now buried beneath a large mound of dirt on which sheep graze. It has not yet been excavated and only a bullet riddled sign marks the site. After Paul visited Paphos on Cyprus (where a sorcerer named Elymas was blinded), he sailed to Perge in Pamphylia, which was an important port city. Today, Perge lies several miles from deep water, but you can still visit a large amphitheatre, a stadium used for chariot races, and the well-preserved agora (market place). Tourists may also inspect the spring of water and watering system which flowed through the main thoroughfare, providing drinking water, cool baths on hot days, and water for cleaning the streets. In addition to the ruins of an Artemis Temple, there are ruins of two Christian churches dating back to the fourth and fifth centuries in Perge. When Paul preached all night in Troas, a young man fell asleep and plunged from an open window to the ground below.

He was taken up dead, but Paul revived him and continued his sermon until daybreak. After all this stress, Paul insisted on walking 25 miles to Assos on the following day while his companions took a ship. Talk about physical fitness! Paul changed ships in the port of Patara on his voyage from Miletus to Tyre. Patara has magnificent city gates and a large theatre. Paul encouraged the elders of Ephesus in Miletus before sailing off to Jerusalem. Miletus boasts a theatre seating 25,000. Near Miletus, one can view the ruins of Xhanthos. Here, stands a mysterious stone monument covered with hieroglyphics, which have never been deciphered. There is also a large theatre where they had bull fights and other events. On the voyage to Rome, with Paul as prisoner, the Roman Centurion found a ship from Alexandria sailing to Italy in the port city of Myra. This city boasts a gigantic theatre and extensive cliff graves. Aspendosis, which means ï¿½Horse Place,ï¿½ is not far from Myra. It has a well-preserved theatre seating 20,000, which is still used for cultural events.

Another nearby city is Didyma, where there is a very large Apollo Temple. We were amazed at the immensity of the marble pillars and stones. One marble block was about 5 feet square and 30 feet long! Attalia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Cilicia, Cnidos and Cos (Islands), Derbe, Galatia (Galatians), Hierapolis, Iconium, Pamphylia, Lysia, Lycania, Phrygia, Pontus, Lydia, Mysia, Perga are just a few places in Turkey mentioned in the New Testament. Iconium (Acts 13-16 and II Tim. 3:11) is now called Konya. A large Muslim monastery is located here, where the famous Whirling Derwishes learn their dances. At least 16 places in ancient times were called Antioch, including Antioch of Pisidia (in Turkey) and Antioch in Syria near Damascus, which are mentioned in the Bible. According to reliable traditions, the Apostle John left Jerusalem to become the Bishop of Ephesus.

In obedience to Christï¿½s command, he took Mary, the mother of Jesus with him and cared for her until her death. John was later banned to exile on the Turkish Island of Patmos. It was here that he had a vision and wrote the book of Revelation. We can thus conclude that a major portion of the New Testament was either written to Christians in Turkey or written on Turkish soil. LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES (Revelation 2-3) One of the most extensive and well-preserved archeological sites is the ancient city of Ephesus, where Paul spent more than two years (Acts 19:1-10). The Apostle John was bishop of the Ephesian church before he was exiled to Patmos. The traditionally accepted tombs of John and Mary, the mother of Jesus, are located in Ephesus. The oldest church dedicated to Mary is located here, dating to around 350! There is a large 8-sided baptismal pool clearly intended for adult baptisms in this church!

Once an important seaport with 250,000 citizens and 50,000 slaves, the ruins of the city now lie 5 miles from water. It was in the theatre of Ephesus that Paul was accused by members of the silversmith gild of ruining their trade by his preaching. More than 24,000 people could be seated in this theatre, but the public toilet in Ephesus only seated 20 persons judging by the number of keyhole-shaped openings in the stone benches! Men of the city would sit here and talk politics or close business deals. The latrine even had running water and was pure luxury compared to a typical Turkish toilets today (holes in the floor that you squat over). Tourists can recognize the prevailing wickedness of ancient Ephesus in the ruins of a large brothel located across the street from the ornate and well preserved library. (now read Revelation 2:1-7) Smyrna, is now the thriving seaport city Izmir. It is located on the Aegean Sea and only a few marble columns, the remains of a heathen temple, are left from Bible times.

(read Revelation 2:8-11) According to Revelation 2:13, ï¿½Satanï¿½s throneï¿½ was located in Pergamum. Today, one can view a large theatre and several heathen temples in the extensive ruins of this city (read Revelation 2:12-17). Thyratira (now Akhisr) was the home of Lydia, the purple seller who helped the Apostle Paul. A small enclosed area in the center of the modern city contains what is left of the ancient city (read Revelation 2:18-29). Sardis had a reputation that it lived, but was dead. Today, one can view the well-preserved and partly restored ruins of this once magnificent city. It contains a large Apollo Temple, perhaps the largest synagogue in Asia Minor, a fantastic gymnasium, sports arena, bath house and theatre (read Revelation 3:1-6). Philadelphia, now called Alasehir, received the highest praise and no negative comment from the Lord. All that is left of the ï¿½City of Brotherly Loveï¿½ today, however, is the ruins of an early Christian church dedicated to St.

John (c. 600 AD - read Revelation 3:7-13) The acres of ruins in what was once Laodicea give an idea of the former size and importance of this city. Water was piped from the hot springs of Hierapolis to this city, but it was lukewarm and contaminated by the time it reached Laodicea. The poor water quality of the city was renowned and we can begin to realize why Christ said that Laodicea would be "spewed out" because it was neither cold nor hot (read Revelation 3:14-22). TURKEY IN CHURCH HISTORY Except for the Jerusalem Council recorded in Acts 15, the fist eight important church councils were all held in Turkey. Emperor Constantine made Byzantium capital of the Roman Empire in 330. It was then renamed Constantinople. Contrary to popular belief, it was not Constantine, but his successor to the throne, Emperor Theodosius, who made Christianity the official religion of the empire. Turkey became a bastion of Christianity and Constantinople the religious heart of the Holy Roman Empire until 1453.

During this period, a great part of Eastern Europe was evangelized by missionaries from Turkey. The famous Christian basilica Hagia Sophia was built in 537 by Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora. When the Muslims took control, it was converted into a mosque, but it has since been declared a museum in order to show it off to millions of Christian tourists. The nearby ï¿½Blue Mosqueï¿½ (the name foreigners use, but it is actually called the Sultan-Ahmet Mosque) was built 500 years later, but both are marvels of architecture. The famous limestone terraces of Pamukkale and thermal baths of Hierapolis (Colossians 4:13) have been popular tourist attractions and goals of pilgrimages for centuries. The cemetery of Hierapolis (called ï¿½city of the deadï¿½) was larger than the ï¿½city of the living!ï¿½ Although not mentioned in the Bible, Demra was the birthplace of St. Nicholas, patron saint of fishermen. He is better known in America as Santa Claus.

A Basilica named after him and built in the first half of the 4th century is located here, but his casket is empty. Italians stole his body and reburied it near the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. Alexander the Great conquered Turkey in 334 BC and controlled this land until his death in Babylon in 323 BC. Greek culture has had a great influence on Turkey, especially in its architecture. In 284, the Roman Emperor Diocletion, set up his throne in Nicomedia near Istanbul and the territory remained under Roman rule until Justinian. Constantine legalized Christianity in 313 and made Byzantium capitol of the Roman Empire in 330. By the middle of the fifth century, Mohammedï¿½s followers had conquered much of Turkey including the present day capital, Ankara. They also laid a four year siege on Constantinople 654-658, but were unable to take the city until 1453. The cityï¿½s name was then changed to Istanbul. MODERN TURKEY Istanbul, with its 7 million inhabitants, is the major city of modern Turkey.

A small part of Istanbul is located on the European continent, but the bulk of the country is in Asia (called Asia Minor in New Testament). Still, Turkey would like to join the European Union. With 67 million inhabitants and an area twice the size of unified Germany, it would become the EUï¿½s most populated member nation if admitted. The initial request for acceptance was turned down by the openly godless EU in 2002, which argued that Turkey was intolerant of other faiths and therefore did not fit. The present government is under tremendous pressure to change this situation without causing an uproar among influential Muslim clerics. These are opposed to membership, for the Islamic religion recognizes only one form of government and that is an absolute Islamic dictatorship. When one considers the fact that Turkey is 99% Islamic, one can not help but wonder why Turkey should want to belong to the EU. One answer of course is the desire for economical advantages, but that cannot completely explain this phenomenon. Most Turks, especially young people, want to be recognized as Europeans, and the main reason is a man called Atatï¿½rk. Atatï¿½rkï¿½s real name was Mustafa Kemal Pascha.

Although he died in his thirties, Atatï¿½rk (a title which means ï¿½Father of Turkeyï¿½) is the beloved founder of the modern Turkish Republic. He came to power in 1922 after the country had been reduced to great poverty under the rule of the last Sultans. He was convinced that there was no viable future for Turkey unless the nation could wrench itself from the death-grip of Muslim fanaticism and tradition. Soon after coming to power, Atatï¿½rk formed a Republic (1923) and although he ruled only 15 years (his early death in 1938 was at least partly due to heavy drinking), he succeeded in turning Turkey toward Europe. He did away with the Arabic alphabet and introduced Latin letters. For this reason, Turks now have computer skills that are unmatched in the rest of the Arab Muslim world. Wearing of the traditional Muslim ï¿½fesï¿½ headpiece was forbidden. He adopted the Gregorian calendar, forbade polygamy, closed Muslim religious training centers and ordered the people to take last names. Women were allowed to unveil their faces, to vote and even hold office.

These changes paved the way for a woman (Mrs. Ciller) to become President of Turkey in 1993, something that would be impossible in most Muslim nations today. Cillerï¿½s greed and alleged corruption, however, didnï¿½t make her very popular with the people. ï¿½Religion: Muslimï¿½ is still printed in every Turkish passport, but this will have to change when Turkey joins the EU. It is estimated that there are perhaps 3,000 true born-again Christians in Turkey. There are only 51 protestant ï¿½churchesï¿½ and many of their members are foreigners. Turkish Christians are allowed to assemble and have meetings, but they may not be called ï¿½churchesï¿½. The legal name of the Christian church in Antalia, for example, is ï¿½Cultural Club of St Paul.ï¿½ Although Turkey claims to grant religious freedom and earns much money from Christian tourists who follow the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul, missions is virtually impossible today. Three years ago, the ï¿½Cultural Club of St.

Paulï¿½ received permission to purchase and restore the ruins of an ancient Orthodox church, but they were forbidden to use it for worship! Officially, there are no Christian missionaries in Turkey, but around 1000 foreign Christians work as ï¿½tent-makersï¿½ in hopes of leading Turks to Christ. Christians are no longer being persecuted openly, however, and the government is gradually giving more freedoms in order to improve their standing with the European Union. Other Interesting Facts About Turkey The ruins of Troy (actually several cities built on the same site) date back at least 5,000 years and according to Homer, Troy was taken by the Greeks through trickery - sneaking the proverbial Trojan Horse through the gates of the city. Most of us have heard about King Midas and the ï¿½Midas touchï¿½, of flying carpets, Ala Baba and the thirty thieves and other tales. The ï¿½Whirling Dervishesï¿½ are male dancers that still perform their rituals today. They can spin for hours without getting dizzy. The learn how to do this in the large monastery of Konya (Iconium). Emperor Marc Anthony and Cleopatra were married in Turkey.

Turkeyï¿½s most famous industry is making Oriental carpets. They even raise silk worms, capture the silk thread and made it into carpets. Most carpets, however, are of wool and cotton. Angora wool is named after Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. One of the finest museums in the world is located here. The ï¿½Topkapi,ï¿½or Sultanï¿½s Palace of Istanbul, has many elaborate rooms, a harem, several museums and a park overlooking the Golden Horn and Bosphorus Strait. The museums contain among other things, a large collection of rare ceramics, the Kasikey Diamond and a hair from Mohammedï¿½s beard. FINAL THOUGHTS Turkey is proud to be a nation of stark contrasts which manage to co-exist and sometimes thrive side by side. In the cities, one can find old architecture and modern skyscrapers, women with head scarves and young girls in jeans and sweaters, ornate Mosques and modern businesses, all existing side by side in seeming tranquility. But there is still an underlying fear of the Muslim clerics. Islam came to power through violent means and the threat of violence is still its most effective weapon.

There have been violent attacks against Kurds and Armenians in the past, which brought much bloodshed and suffering. The tension between the government and Kurds in the East remains to some extent, but many Kurds have been assimilated into the Turkish culture and all aspects of life. Some of the highest ranking government officials are Kurdish. The government has recognized the error of neglecting to invest in the eastern part of the nation where many Kurds live. Large irrigation projects and hydroelectric plants are being built to encourage industrialization and agriculture. For photos of Turkey, click here: PHOTOS

Question: What is modern Turkey's capital city?
Answer: Ankara