Although written history began almost four thousand years ago, there are evidences of civilizations in Anatolia over twice that old. The history of Anatolia, the large peninsula of Western Asia, shows Turkey's rich heritage of many, many civilizations-Assyrian, Hittite, Urartian, Hurrian, Phrygian, Aramaean, Lydian and many other early groups, then Byzantine, Seljuk Turk, and Ottoman.

Turkey enjoys a great wealth of historical ruins from the civilizations that flourished here. The cultural heritage is equally rich. Most of the historical ruins have been excavated, yielding exquisite jewelry, marble statues and other works of art. Ancient settlements have been partially reconstructed: Ephesus, Pergamum, Didyma, Priene, Miletus, Aphrodisias, Hierapolis, and Perge. The valuable finds are displayed in the museums established in the vicinity of excavation sites. Prime among these, the Museum of Aphrodisias, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara, the Archeological Museums and the Sadberk Hanim Museum in Istanbul, the Antalya Museum, the Hatay Museum in Antakya (the Ancient Antioch, famous with its collection of Roman mosaics), the Tarsus and Adana Archeological Museums south of Izmir should not be missed.

When Ottoman Sultan Mehmet conquered Constantinople (today's Istanbul), he ordered the restoration and protection of many of the existing Christian buildings and works of art rather than the sack and destruction of them.

He also accepted the Byzantine people as Ottoman citizens and permitted freedom of worship, a tolerance that became a tradition ever after. Ottoman Sultan Bayezit in 1492 extended a welcome to the persecuted Jews of Spain. Turks have continued to open their doors and arms to those who are oppressed or persecuted. Almost three hundred years before Sultan Bayezit, Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi (1207-1273), who was a mystic poet and humanist philosopher, exemplified compassion and love for all humanity. Gandhi used to Quote his couplet, '' To unite is why we came / To divide is not our aim. '' He settled in Konya, in the heartland of Anatolia, and preached forgiveness, enlightenment, and tolerance, qualities that shine in his poetic masterpiece, the Mesnevi. The heritage from so many civilizations in Anatolia, enriched over the centuries with the addition of the newcomers, has turned the residents into a well-blended mosaics of cultures.

People living in Anatolia who inherited this tolerance and love for all humanity are known for their hospitality, friendship, tolerance and sensitivity.

Christian, Jewish and Moslem shrines stand side by side as for instance in Ortaköy in Istanbul. While Islam has been the religion of the majority since the 11th century, Christianity flourished in Anatolia, and Jews have found refuge and freely practiced their religion here for five hundred years. Turkey values the biblical sites of the country, the ancient Roman synagogue in Sardis in Western Anatolia, and the important Byzantine churches in Istanbul such as St. Sophia, St. Irene, and St. Savior in Chora. Other similar places of interest are the sites of Seven Churches of Asia Minor (Ephesus-Efes, Smyrna-Izmir, Pergamum-Bergama, Thyatira-Akhisar, Sardis-Sart, Philadelphia-Alaþehir, and Laodicea-Laodikya), the Saint Nicholas Church in Myra where St. Nicholas (a.k.a. Santa Claus) was a 4th century bishop, Sumela, the monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary that perches on a cliff in the Black Sea mountains and the house of the Virgin Mary near Ephesus.

Capital of Empires from AD 330 to 1923, Istanbul, known as the Queen of the Cities, offers an exotic blend well preserved monuments from the time of Byzantines and the Ottomans, a great number of museums, among which the Ibrahim Pasha Museum of Islamic Arts should not be missed. The world's unique waterway uniting Europe and Asia accents the natural beauty of the city. With a lot of good restaurants, cafes and discos, Istanbul ranks among the world's greatest fun metropolis.

Istanbul is also famous for its Topkapi Palace Museum, the residence of the Ottoman sultans, their harem and retenues for four hundred years. It is a city in itself and commands a breathtaking view of the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara.

If you like visual arts you must be in Istanbul between June 15 and July 30 so you can attend the performances of opera, concerts, and ballet and see the arts exhibits during the prestigious International Istanbul Art Festival.

Istanbul's skyline is embellished with slender minarets and imposing domes of more than 450 mosques, the Symbol of the Moslem religion. Suleymaniye and Sultan Ahmet Mosques in Istanbul are the best examples of their kind. Foreigners can visit mosques if they take their shoes off. This is a mark of respect and courtesy considering that the floors of the mosques are carpeted with oriental rugs.