Ephesus, Turkey

With 1700 square meters of mosaics, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, Turkey, is the largest mosaic museum in the world. Public access began on September 9, 2011. With 2,448 m2 (26,350 sq ft) of mosaic, the 30,000 m2 (320,000 sq ft) museum surpasses the Bardo National Museum in Tunis as the largest mosaic museum in the world. Zeugma, the subject of the museum's Hellenistic Greek and Roman mosaics, is believed to have been established as Seleucia by Seleucus I Nicator, the founder of the Seleucid Kingdom, who had previously served as a hetairoi military officer in Alexander the Great's army.Before objects started to show up in museums and plans for additional dams on the Euphrates meant that much of Zeugma would be submerged in 2000, the riches, including the mosaics, were largely unknown.Many of the mosaics are still covered in 2011, and research teams are still working on the project.Address: Hacı Sani Konukoğlu Boulevard, Mithatpaşa, 27500 Şehitkamil/Gaziantep, Turkey.The museum is situated in the southeast Turkish city of Gaziantep. With frequent flights from major Turkish cities like Istanbul and Ankara, Gaziantep is conveniently accessible by air. The museum is conveniently located in the Şehitkamil area, which has excellent public transportation connections.

Located in the Kars district of Turkey, close to the closed border with Armenia, is the abandoned medieval Armenian city of Ani . It served as the capital of the Bagratid Armenian empire, which ruled over most of modern-day Armenia and eastern Turkey, from 961 to 1045. The famous city was frequently called the "City of 1,001 Churches," even though there were actually far fewer. Archaeologists and historians have so far excavated 20 chapels, 33 cave chapels, and 50 churches.Ani stood on several trade routes, and its numerous palaces, religious structures, and advanced fortifications set it apart from other modern Armenian kingdom cities. Its ribbed vaulting would not be seen in European cathedrals for at least another two centuries. One of its most notable structures was the Cathedral of Ani, which is linked to early examples of Gothic architecture and that academics contend influenced the great cathedrals of Europe in the early gothic and Romanesque styles. With a population of well over 100,000 at its peak, Ani was among the biggest cities in the world, however this sounds extremely optimistic considering its small size.Ani, which was famous for its beauty, was taken over by the Mongols in 1236. Ani was deserted by the 17th century after failing to recover from a major earthquake in 1319 and, more importantly, from the relocation of regional trade routes.For Armenians, ani is a well-known symbol of their national heritage, culture, and religion.Razmik Panossian claims that Ani is a source of pride because it is one of the most obvious and "tangible" reminders of Armenia's historical splendor.It was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016. The Ani Archaeological Site has changed from a site of violence and geopolitical instability to a hub for cultural tourism that might promote cross-cultural interaction and enhance historical comprehension after two decades of persistent international efforts.

The Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Turkish: Sultan Ahmet Camii), is a historic imperial mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, that dates back to the Ottoman era. Built during Ahmed I's reign between 1609 and 1617, it is still in use as a mosque today. It is one of the most recognizable and well-liked structures of Ottoman architecture and draws a lot of tourists.Four semi-domes round the central dome of the mosque, which features a traditional Ottoman design over the prayer hall. It has six minarets on either side and a sizable courtyard in front. The mosque's well-known moniker comes from the hundreds of Iznik tiles and painted flower designs in mostly blue that adorn its interior. The madrasa, Ahmed's tomb, and a number of additional structures in varying levels of preservation are all part of the mosque's külliye, or religious complex. The mosque is located across from the Hagia Sophia, another well-liked tourist destination, and was constructed next to the old Hippodrome. In 1985, the Blue Mosque was listed as one of the "Historic Areas of Istanbul" UNESCO World Heritage Sites.Sultan Ahmed I made the decision to construct a sizable mosque in Istanbul in the hopes of requesting God's favor following the Peace of Zsitvatorok, which was perceived as a setback to Ottoman prestige.Since Murad III and Mehmed III had failed to build their own imperial mosques, he was the first sultan to do so since Selim II (d. 1574).The mosque's design is modeled after the previous Şehzade Mosque, which was created in the early 16th century by Mimar Sinan. The prayer hall features a central dome that is 23.5 meters (77 feet) in diameter and is 64 by 72 meters (210 by 236 feet).Four semi-domes, each bordered by three smaller semi-domes or exedrae, round the dome. The prayer hall's corners are covered by four smaller domes. The mosque's external features include a spacious courtyard in front of the prayer hall, six minarets, and ablutions facilities.  

A wealthy and influential ancient Greek city in Aeolis, Pergamon or Pergamum is also known by its modern Greek version, Pergamos (Πέργαμoς). It is situated northwest of the present-day Turkish city of Bergama and on a point on the north side of the river Caicus (present-day Bakırçay), 26 kilometers (16 miles) from the Aegean Sea's contemporary coastline.From 281 until 133 BC, it served as the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic era. The Attalid dynasty turned it into one of the most important Greek cultural hubs. Numerous remnants of its monuments, particularly the Pergamon Altar's magnificence, are still visible.The New Testament Book of Revelation mentions seven churches in Asia, the northernmost of which was Pergamon.The city's acropolis is situated on a 335-meter (1,100-foot) high andesite mesa. Three naturally occurring terraces on the south side of this mesa offer a path to the summit, while the north, west, and east sides of the mesa drop off dramatically. The Cetius River (present-day Kestelçay) runs by to the east of the acropolis, and the Selinus River (present-day Bergamaçay) flows through the city to the west. As a traveler, you can visit Pergamon in September and October, a period when the weather is more moderate. In addition, April and May are also quite ideal for a visit. Acropolis means ‘city above.’ Locally, the Pergamon Acropolis is called ‘castle hill.’