There are many things to see in the heart of Anatolia: capitals of old civilizations, centers of mysticism, great museums, and the mingling of eastern and western styles. Hosting one of the oldest settlements in the world, the great collections of Anatolian ancient civilizations, its impressive monuments, the mingling of or just its stories—Central Anatolia will keep your soul enlightened.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ANATOLIA?
- The remains of Catalhoyuk, dated to the 7th millennium BCE, are counted as one of the oldest settlements in the world.
- The world’s first known landscape painting, found on the wall of a home in Catalhoyuk, shows the eruption of volcanic Mt. Hasan in the Neolithic period (6,500 BCE).
- Anatolia was the major site for the Mother Goddess cult that flourished for thousands of years before male gods showed up.
- The famous Ankara cats, identified with two different colored eyes and white fur, are mostly deaf.
- The Gordian knot that Alexander the Great encountered was in Anatolia.
- Angora wool comes from the rabbits of Anatolia.
- The silk carpet in the Mevlana Museum, Konya, is considered one of the world’s most precious.
- Hattusa of the Hittite Empire, Gordion of the Phrygian Empire, and Konya of the Seljuk Empire were the three capitals of ancient Anatolia.
HIGHLIGHTS OF CENTRAL ANATOLIA
SAFRANBOLU
More than 400 houses of Safranbolu are under UNESCO. You can visit and even stay in those old houses to really feel their history and hear their stories.
KONYA
Home of the beloved Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, Konya was an important city during the Byzantine period. It was known as Iconium in ancient times because it was an early home of the art of icon painting.
ANKARA ANATOLIAN CIVILIZATIONS MUSEUM
This is the richest archaeological museum in Turkey. Its impression exhibits cover remnants of Anatolian civilizations from Neolithic ages to today.
HATTUSA
Capital of the Hittites, Hattusa is a surprising city with its plan and decoration similar to its equal in the Egyptian Empire. Welcoming all the religions, Hattusas was the home of thousands of gods.
BURSA
Birthplace of the Ottoman Empire, Bursa has a special place in the hearts of Turkish people. One of the leading cities of silk production, it is also famous for its thermal waters.
SIVAS DIVRIGI GREAT MOSQUE &MEDICAL COMPLEX
Considered the best example of Selcuk art, Divrigi can describe with one word: breathtaking.
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