35 interesting facts about Turkey
Turkey is not only a popular beach destination. This country has an ancient history and can surprise any tourist.
1. About 95% of Turkey's territory is located in Asia, and 5% in Europe. The border runs right through the city of Istanbul, and this is the Bosphorus.
2. The original name of Istanbul is Byzantium. This word is of Greek origin - from the name "Visa". According to legend, it was a man with that name who founded this city. In 324 Byzantium was renamed "Constantinople", and in 1930 - in Istanbul.
3. Santa Claus was born in Turkey. In ancient times, Nikolai, the Greek bishop of Myra, lived in the Turkish city of Patara. After the death of his parents, he received a large inheritance, which he distributed to the poor and needy. Legend has it that he threw sacks of gold coins into the chimneys of houses and brought fruits to children. People called him a saint. The news of his good deeds spread throughout Europe and laid the foundation for the legend of Santa Claus. By the way, the name of Santa Claus comes from the Dutch "Sinter Klaas", an abbreviated version of "Sint Nikolaas", which means "St. Nicholas".
4. Turks love tea no less than the British. About 96% of the population drink at least one cup of tea a day. Turkish tea is strong and is served not in cups but in small tulip-shaped glass cups.
5. Turkey has the youngest population compared to the entire European Union. The average age in Turkey is 31 years, and only 9% of the population is over 60 years old.
6. Like Rome, Istanbul was built on seven hills. But this was not a coincidence: in the Byzantine Empire, the capital was specially built in such a way as to call it New Rome. All seven hills are of historical importance, with impressive mosques and magnificent palaces.
7. The word "turquoise" in translation means "Turkish stone". This beautiful mineral came to Europe from the East through Turkey and is one of the oldest gemstones in history. It was first used as amulets by Turkish soldiers.
8. The national sport of Turkey is oil wrestling. The fighters are pre-doused with oil, and then go to the ring.
9. Turkey is the largest producer of hazelnuts. It accounts for approximately 75% of the world's supply of these nuts. So Turkey can be called a "nut republic". It's all about a very favorable climate: walnut fields stretch along the entire Black Sea coast of Turkey.
10. Turkey has an impressively developed agriculture. Agriculture is the main occupation of the majority of the Turkish population, as almost half of the country consists of agricultural land. Historians believe that many agricultural systems originated in Turkey. With its fertile soil, favorable climate and abundant rainfall in terms of food production, Turkey is one of the few completely self-sufficient countries in the world.
11. By the way, historians believe that agriculture as such originated in Turkey, more than 11,000 years BC.
12. There are more than 30 ethnic languages in Turkey. Although Turkish is the official language, more than 30 other languages are regularly spoken in the country, including Arabic, Kurmanji and Zazaki, and others.
13. Evil Eye is the best-selling Turkish souvenir. The locals call him "Nazar boncuğu". The decoration is a stone made of molten glass, iron and copper. According to a 3000 year old tradition, it is worn to protect the wearer from evil forces. It is believed that the blue color of the stone has the ability to protect against bad energy.
14. Turks brought coffee to Europe. Although this plant is not widespread in Turkey, it was from here in the 16th century that coffee was brought to Europe, where it became one of the most popular drinks.
15. Turkish women could leave their husbands for coffee. Yes, you read that right. Several hundred years ago, Turkish women had legal grounds for divorce if their husbands could not provide them with the required amount of coffee. Hmm, it turns out that only unmarried Turks were the coffee traders?
16. Istanbul City Market (Kapalı arşı, or Grand Bazaar) is a maze of 64 streets with approximately 4000 shops. And it all began in the XIV century with several shopping malls ...
17. Noah was in Turkey. It is believed that Noah's Ark moored to Mount Ararat. Now it is one of the main attractions of the country and also a dormant volcano.
18. The first Christian church appeared in Turkey. It is believed that the grotto of St. Peter, located outside Antioch (now Antakya), was created by a disciple of Jesus - St. Peter. Thus, it is the oldest Christian church in the world.
19. Leonardo da Vinci designed a bridge in Turkey. In 1503, Leonardo da Vinci presented a plan for a bridge over the Golden Horn - the entrance to the Bosphorus that divides Istanbul (then the city was called Constantinople). The bridge was never built, although several years ago Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that a volunteer project was planned that would finally allow Da Vinci's plans to be implemented.
20. The Dutch should thank Turkey for tulomania. Tulips were first cultivated in the Ottoman Empire. The seeds of the now beloved Dutch flowers were sown there for the first time when the Dutch ambassador to Turkey returned to Amsterdam in the 16th century with a shipment of bulbs. And by the way, the tulip is the national flower of Turkey.
21. And the national animal of Turkey is the Gray Wolf. Suddenly.
22. Like the people of Wales, the Turks also have their longest word. It consists of 70 letters: Muvaffakiyetsizleştiricileştiriveremeyebileceklerimizdenmişsinizcesine, which in translation means something like: "As if you are one of those whom we cannot easily disarm." This is not a common word - it was invented specifically for the story.
23. In Turkey, you cannot wear fez - red hats with black tassels. This iconic felt hat originated in the city of Fez, Morocco, which is why it is called that. In the 1920s, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk banned the wearing of such hats in Turkey as they were considered a symbol of the Ottoman Empire. This law has not been canceled, although the Turks are unlikely to arrest a tourist for wearing a fez.
24. The Turkish funicular Tünel is the oldest operating underground railway in continental Europe. Opened in 1875, this tunnel connects the Karakoy and Beyoglu districts and is second only in age to the London Underground, which opened in 1863.
25. The Black Sea coast of Turkey stretches for 1175 km. About the same distance between London and Venice.
26. Every year the Turks eat bread three times their own weight. And they don't get fat.
27. Most of the inhabitants of Turkey did not have surnames until a law was passed in 1934 to assign them to all citizens.
28. Camel wrestling is a popular sport in the Aegean region of Turkey.
29. Legendary Troy was located on the territory of modern Turkey.
30. You can find chicken in your dessert. The signature Ottoman treat is tavuk göğsü, chicken breast pudding. It's a weird concoction of boiled chicken, milk and sugar, flavored with cinnamon. And it's delicious!
31. Don't be fooled by the mild coastal climate. Turkey is a land of impressive mountain ranges, and in winter tourists can ski on the slopes at nearly a dozen resorts. Mount Palandoken, located in the eastern province of Erzurum, is the highest in Turkey (3,125 meters) and is home to the longest natural ski run in Europe.
32. Even in the era of hunter-gatherers, temples were built in Turkey. Until the mid-1990s, it was believed that people did not build large-scale buildings until they mastered agriculture and founded permanent settlements. But then the archaeological site of Göbekli Tepe was discovered in southern Turkey, testifying to monumental construction that took place at least 2,000 years before the well-known date of the beginning of the agricultural revolution. Or maybe they just learned about agriculture earlier in Turkey?
33. Cherry was first introduced to Europe from Turkey.
34. Turkey is home to two of the seven Wonders of the World. These are the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.
35. The first Neolithic paintings found on the walls of man-made buildings are located in Catal Huyuk, in central Turkey.
36. Julius Caesar uttered his famous words: “Veni, Vidi, Vici” (“He came, saw, conquered”) in Turkey when he defeated Pontus, a formidable kingdom in the Black Sea region.
37. Turkey has Turtle Beach. This is İztuzu Beach, known as a breeding ground for endangered sea turtles. An endangered species of these amphibians swim here from May to October.
38. "Salting" is one of the strange Turkish customs, because ... children are salted. There is a belief that salt should be rubbed all over the body of a newborn child in order to increase the body's resistance to all kinds of harmful substances.
39. There are 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Turkey.
40. Halva is a sweet that the Turks eat, celebrating the birth of a child and seeing off a person on their last journey.
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