The lands where today`s Turkey
is, the Anatolian peninsula,
has played a central role in the birth and development of many religions. You can find
temples built for Apollo, Aphrodite, Zeus and other Greek gods, you can follow the evolution
of religions in history looking at the religious artifacts of the Anatolian civilizations, and
you can admire the statues of old Anatolian gods on Mount Nemrut.
Biblical sites are also plentiful in Turkey. The house of Virgin Mary, church of St. Nikolai,
birthplace of St. Paul, the great Hagia Sophia and
Ephesus are just a few to name.
Being the capital of the
Muslim world for centuries, Turkey also has many Islamic artifacts and the best examples of
mosque architecture.
Visitors go to Ephesus for pilgrimage, follow the footsteps of St. Paul in his holy journey
through Anatolia, or see the holy artifacts from prophet Muhammed in Topkapi Palace.
In Istanbul,
many old and new Muslim, Christian and Jewish temples stand together.
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