Turkey | The Best Travel Destinations

Cappadocia – TURKEY

Cappadocia – TURKEY

Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.

In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine (Black Sea). Cappadocia, in this sense, was bounded in the south by the chain of the Taurus Mountains that separate it from Cilicia, to the east by the upper Euphrates and the Armenian Highland, to the north by Pontus, and to the west by Lycaonia and eastern Galatia.

The name was traditionally used in Christian sources throughout history and is still widely used as an international tourism concept to define a region of exceptional natural wonders, in particular characterized by fairy chimneys and a unique historical and cultural heritage. The term, as used in tourism, roughly corresponds to present-day Nevşehir Province. In pre-Hellenistic times, Persians, Assyrians, Greeks and Hittites all lived in Cappodocia. All of these groups were Hellenised in the era of the Greek city-states. In the Middle Ages, Turkish tribes arrived. These Turks are the majority ethnic group in Cappadocia today.

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House of the Virgin Mary – Ephesus

House of the Virgin Mary – Ephesus

The House of the Virgin (Meryemana in Turkish), located in a nature park between Ephesus and Seljuk, is believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. The peaceful site is sacred to both Christians and Muslims, and is visited by many tourists and pilgrims.

History

According to predominant Christian tradition, Mary was brought to Ephesus by the Apostle John after the Resurrection of Christ and lived out her days there. This is based mainly on the traditional belief that John came to Ephesus (see St. John’s Basilica) combined with the biblical statement that Jesus consigned her to John’s care (John 19:26-27).

Archaeologists who have examined the building identified as the House of the Virgin believe most of the building dates from the 6th or 7th century. But its foundations are much older and may well date from the 1st century AD, the time of Mary. This site had long been a place of pilgrimage for local Orthodox Christians.

The modern history of the Virgin Mary’s House is unusual. It was “discovered” in 1812 by a German nun, Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich, who never traveled away from her home.

Sister Emmerich, an invalid confined to bed, awoke in a trance with the stigmata and visions that included the Virgin Mary and Apostle John traveling from Jerusalem to Ephesus. She described Mary’s house in detail, which was recorded at her bedside by a writer named Brentano.

Emmerich described a rectangular stone house, which John had built for Mary. It had a fireplace and an apse and a round back wall. The room next to the apse was Mary’s bedroom, which had a spring running into it.

The German nun went on to say that the Virgin Mary died at the age of 64 and was buried in a cave near her house. When her coffin was opened soon after, however, the coffin and burial shroud were empty. The house was then turned into a chapel.

Years after Emmerich’s visions, a French clergyman named Gouyet read Brentano’s account and traveled to Ephesus to find the House of the Virgin. He found a house matching the nun’s description and sent word to the bishops of Paris and Rome, but didn’t receive much of a response.

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Pamukkale - Turkey

Pamukkale, which means ‘Cotton Castle’ in Turkish, is known as 8th world wonder by Turkish people. Pamukkale is a natural site and a famous tourist attraction in south-western Turkey in the Denizli Province. Pamukkale is located in Turkey’s Inner Aegean region, in the River Menderes valley, which enjoys a temperate climate over the greater part of the year. The summers are hot and dry, and winters warm and rainy. Tourists travel from the coast of Antalya and the Aegean Sea to Pamukkale.

The water (35 degrees Celsius) which is flowing down the cliff of Pamukkale has turned the area into as white as cotton color, and carved this fantastic formation of stalactites and basins. Pamukkale is a very popular destination for a short visit, the stunning white calcium pools, which cling to the side of a ridge, have been long one of the most famous picture postal card views of Turkey. It is the largest and finest example of elaborate calcium formation in the world, which dominates the landscape miles around.

Pamukkale was formed when a spring with a high content of dissolved calcium bicarbonate cascaded over the edge of the cliff, which cooled and hardened leaving calcium deposits. This formed into great natural pools, shelves and ridges, which tourists could plunge and splash in the hot water. According to ancient tradition, the waters within the pools are said to be advantageous in treating maladies and attracting people from all over the world. The calceous waters rise from the ground at a temperature of 35 degrees Celsius. In this white wonderland is an abundance of hot warm springs which are recommended for the treatment of high blood pressure, heart diseases, rheumatism, circulatory problems, nervous disorders, digestive maladies, nervous and physical exhaustion, eye & skin diseases and nutritional disorders.

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