Turkey

Turkey is the country where the eastern and the westerns civilisations meet in a great harmony. It is an open-air museum of rich and various civilisations, a cultural and artistic melting-pot, a fascinating country full of treasures of art and nature. Important civilisations flourished on this land since 9 000 B.C and Turkey as a modern state today is only the last picture in this marvellous album of civilisations.

Antalya

Set amid an amazing scenery of sharp contrasts, Antalya is an attractive city with shady palm-lined boulevards and a prize-winning marina. Inside the ancient city walls, narrow streets and old wooden houses characterised the old neighbourhood of Kaleici. Since its founding in the second century B.C by Atalles II, king of Pergamum, who gave his name to the city, Antalya has been continuously inhabited. The Romans, the Byzantines and the Seljuks successively occupied the city before it came under Ottoman rule. The elegant fluted minaret of the Yivli Minareli Mosque built in the 13th century in the center of the city has become Antalyas symbol. The theological college in the Kaleici district is a marvellous example of Seljuk stone carving. The two most important Ottoman mosques of the city are the 16th century Murat Pasa Mosque, remarkable for its tile decoration, and the 18th century Tekeli Mehmet Pasa Mosque. Neighbouring the marina, the late 19th century Iskele Mosque sets on four pillars over a natural spring. The archaeological museum, with remains of the Palaeolithic Age to Ottomans times, offers a glimpse of the rich past of the area. The Ataturk museum presents objects used by the founder of the Turkish Republic. Antalyas marina is considered today as one of the loveliest marinas in Turkey.

For more information : www.byegm.gov.org