Turkey has become one of the flourishing touristic destinations. During the past few years the number of tourists who spend their vacation in Turkey has tremendously increased. With attractions like the mosques, churches, and historical palaces of Istanbul, ancient sites like Ephesus, and marvelous natural sites like Pamukkale, many travelers are now organizing their trips to Turkey. Turkey is located in the Middle East with the Black Sea and Georgia situated at the North, Armenia and Iran to the East, Iraq, Syria, and the Mediterranean Sea to the South, and the Aegean Sea to the West. Turkey has a long rich history, as the islands of the country were inhabited more than 7500 BC when Turkey was known as Anatolia. This region is now located near the city of Konia in modern-day Turkey. The Persian Emperor conquered the region in the 5th century BC. However, the Persian control of the area ended with the emergence of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC when he took control of all the area of the Middle East. With the death of Alexander, his kingdom was divided on his army generals. The Celts afterwards occupied Turkey or Anatolia at the time. Afterwards, during the 2nd century BC, Turkey became part of the expanding Roman Empire. The Romans established Ephesusas the capital of the region in 129 BC. The ruins of Ephesusare still amiable until today. Many tours to Turkey includes visits to historical cities that were established in the country throughout history. The Great Roman Emperor, Decius, established a large impressive city to be the new Rome in Turkey that was known afterwards as Constantinople. However, it was Justinian I who really created the greatness of the Byzantine Empire when he conquered Italy, Egypt, and North Africa. He also established a large number of remarkable constructions in Constantinople including the famous Hagia Sophia that is visited by numerous tourists enjoying their vacations in Turkey until today. After a long period of time and during the 13th century in particular, a group of Turkish warriors started ruling the Aegean Sea and the coasts of Marmara. One of the first leaders of these groups were Othman I the founder of the Ottoman Empire. With years passing by, the power of the Ottoman Empire increased until they occupied a large area of Europe. In spite of the defeat of the Ottomans against the Mongols in 1402, the Ottomans were able to establish a huge kingdom when they conquered Constantinople by Mohamed II in 1453. The Ottomans were able afterwards to rule over an empire that included many regions around the world. The Establishment of the modern Republic of Turkey started in 1922 when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk made the last Ottoman Sultan, Mohamed XI step down from governing the country. He founded the republic in 1932 and became the first president of Turkey. With this long history of rulers and events, Turkey today enjoys a huge variety of historical sites and touristic attractions. The most important touristic destination in the country today, where almost all tours to Turkey begin, is Istanbul or the former Constantinople. Istanbul is one of the very few cities of the world that is located in two continents, Europe to the West and Asia to the East, with the Bosporus Strait dividing the city. A ride in the Bosporus is quite recommended for tourists who travel to Turkey. The ride is enjoyable and the guests get to view many of the historical sites of Istanbul during the ride. Among the most remarkable historical sites of Istanbul there is the Hagia Sophia Museum. This marvelous piece of architectural art was first established as a Byzantine Church during the 6th century. When the Ottomans took control of the city it was transformed into a mosque in the 15th century. Today it has become a museum that hosts a marvelous mixture of the Ottoman and Byzantine arts. Many tourists who travel to Turkey begin their trip with a visit to Hagia Sophia. Other historical attractions in Istanbul include the Blue Mosque or the Mosque of Sultan Ahmed that was built in the beginning of the 17th century as one of the most amazing examples of the Ottoman architecture of mosques. There is also the Topkapi Palace, the seat of the Sultan of the Ottomans for more than 4 centuries. Another example of magnificent royal palaces in Istanbul is the Dolmbahce Palace that was constructed overlooking the Bosporus Strait in the Middle of the 19th century. Away from Istanbul with its large number of monuments and interesting sites, there are literally numerous touristic attractions all over Turkey. The top attractions would surely include Ephesus one of the most elegant well-preserved Roman cities in the world. There is also the rocks' valley of Cappadocia famous for the wonderful hot balloon rides.
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