Turkish march among legends and myths

When the Russians got the opportunity to easily leave outside the Fatherland, watch the world and relax where I want and where the wallet allows, Turkey became one of the first of their discoveries. The first in our resort lexicon sounded the word "Antalya", And as the Turkish coast was mastered, the dictionary is enriched with new names: Kemer, Side, Belek, Alanya, Marmaris, Kusadasi – Star names of Turkish Riviera.

Having learned that I’m going to Turkey, friends sang me: "Be sure to go to Pamukkale". "Choose time and mahni in Cappadocya, – exhorted a friend, convinced that it is better for Turkey a place to relax on Earth. – Impressions for the whole life enough. Imagine, you go on a plateau, and suddenly – the lunar landscape. Well, as it is usually painted: some crater, unthinkable pillars with stone caps, pyramids, balls. Here, after the eruption of the volcano, the earth was covered with lava, and, cooling, it was in the rain, the wind and the sun took the most bizarre forms. Then people began to carve in these rocks of the cave, moves and even monasteries. There and now there are rocky churches – a mystical spectacle, I will tell you!".

"Do not forget about Ephesus! – warned antiquity connoisseurs. – Ruins of one of the seven wonders of the world – the temple of Artemis – you can not see. Of the very temple who burned herostrat to gain age-old glory. Did not lose – two and a half thousand years passed, and they remember him! In Ephesus, the theologian says, the earthly path of the Virgin Mary ended. In any case, the house of the Blessed Virgin Mary is here, and is open to all".

However, I decided to start my travel on Turkey not from beach joys, but from the land route. I went to Istanbul – he is Konstantinopol, he is the Tsargrad, he is Byzantia, the city, founded at the VII century to N.NS., At the prompt of the Delphic Oracle, on the Cape between the two seas. In the IV century, the Roman emperor Konstantin has already announced Byzantia by the capital of his empire, surrounding it with a new Rome. Fabulous wealth and luxury of the Byzantine palaces hit travelers. In the 9th century, the population of Constantinople was about a million people – this did not know such a city!

I decided to drink a cup of coffee in Europe, and for lunch to go to Asia through the handsome bridge, hung over the Bosphorus – "Cow Brodom". This title of the Strait is obliged to ancient of love triangles. Once Zeus loved the beauty of IO, and to protect the girl from anger of his jealous spouse of the gee, he did not come up with nothing better than turning Io to a cow! Contrary to the expectations of Gera, it was not confused at all, and she adds a huge fad to that cow, so that he would bite and Jalil the opponent, concluded in the nervous cow’s body. The exhausted Io rushed into the water of Bosphorus, swam him and ran to Egypt.

Inspection of sights, of course, from the Cathedral of Saint Sophia – Ayia Sofia. This temple suffered a lot: he burned more than once, collapsed and restored, survived several earthquakes. When Constantinople captured Turks, the chief Christian Cathedral was turned into a Muslim mosque. But wisdom, thank God, still enthusiastically: 60 years ago, the Multi-shared Ayia Sofia became one of the museums of world importance, in part, in such a way of reconding representatives of all religions. Entering the cool arches of the cathedral, I immediately saw "Center of Mira". So called the place where the emperor stood during prayer. Nearby – marble column with deep dent, "Saint Jam", Where the emperor Justinian rests on his forehead to go a headache. And now the fairies of those who want to push the forehead in the ancient marble.

Immediately at the Cathedral on the hill, the Sultansky Palace of Topkan. Look at him "One eye" It is impossible: try around 700 thousand square meters of square and many courtyards, pavilions, houses, mosques, fountains of the XV-XVI centuries. Once there were more than 50 thousand people. Only in the kitchen hired 800 cooks. Right opposite the entrance to the fuels, the Palace Fountain is hospitable, – it was risen to the gun after execution. Of the 400 rooms are now open 30, including harem, bedrooms for Padishakh and their mothers. Impressive journey in time and space.

Suleymania Mosque amazes Luxury and Beauty. There is a pair of historical beloved – Roksolana and Suleiman.

About the Slavyanka Roksolana, who became the wife of Sultan Suleiman’s magnificent, written novels and films shot. "Hurrem" – "Smiling" called his wife in love Sultan. And Hurrend was insidious and cruel, sons and grandchildren of Suleiman were killed by her gravity. Of course, in order for the throne to get her son.

Suleiman gorgeous reminded himself in Marmaris, a wonderful place when merging the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. It is called the pearl of the Mediterranean Sea, and at the entrance to the city, even there is a monument to this metaphor: a linked sink in the form of a globe with a pearl inside. Herodot – father of history – called Marmaris "splendor of nature". Agree immediately, barely inspiring thick pine air, seeing the landscapes of the unusual beauty and water of crystal purity.

And where is Sultan Suleiman?

During one of his conquesting campaigns, he took the storm in the town of Fskos, rapidly spread out on the shores of the two seas. An architect was left in the conquered town (Turkish "Mimar") with order to restore home and fortress walls. But returned Sultan work remained unhappy and exclained in anger: "Mimary Ace!" – "Hang architect!". What happened to the architect – it is unknown, but the city got a name.

Marmaris is one of the largest natural bays in the world. Here Admiral Nelson was able to hide his entire fleet on the eve of battle with the French. But the French were the first to appreciate Marmaris as a wonderful resort place. Following them, the Germans, the British, Scandinavians survived. Now, on the luxurious embankment under the fortress, along which snow-white yachts on the sea wave are swinging, in cozy hotels and Russian speech is heard on the old streets. I walked around the old town with two-story toy houses, looked at the balconies and arches on the flowers and easily imagined, like on these curves, looping up and down, once there were peeled scallers, how the male were frying kebabs in the courtyards, and women were baked big Thin lepts Gezlem, and over the city hung spicy perfume, mixed with fresh sea aroma.

Traveling in Turkey, I realized that, it was visible, I learned a story poorly in school, if all legends and myths have tied us exclusively with ancient Greece. It turned out that in Turkey, Ellensky heritage, perhaps, more than in Greece itself. Here is the Troy (inconspicuous village) and Hisarlyc Hill – the epicenter of the Trojan War, described by Homer in "Oriade". Homer "suggested" German merchant Heinrich Shlimanan, where to look for Trojan treasure, subsequently called "Gold Schlamana".

Another antique route brought me to Bergam (Pergam), to the ruins of the temple of Athens, destroyed in the Byzantine era. Here you can see the library building, with which only the famous Alexandrian Alexandria competed in size and beauty. When the Egyptians declared a monopoly on the production of papyrus, the inhabitants of Pergami found him a replacement – a sheep-treated skin. She was called Parchment. He was thicker and stronger than papyrus, he was cut into the sheets, fastened, and there were books similar to modern. Then this library Mark Anthony presented Cleopatre, but in the VII century it was burned by the Egyptians.

With the Egyptian queen Cleopter in Turkey, there are quite a few places in Turkey, – Loving Anthony generously laughed in her feet. Continuing the journey among legends and myths, I got to Alanya – the city, which the Emperor dusty gave together with the surroundings of the opposing beauty. Personal Beach Cleopatra, named "Golden", no different from other sandy Turkish beaches, but people consider themselves to be celebrated here. "Memorial" The place is open for everyone and brings the city, I must say good income. Nearby, in the depths of the hill castle, there is a healing cave Dalmatash. Thousands of pilgrims are treated in its depths of rheumatism and asthma – the air at a depth of some extraordinary, and most importantly – beauty in the cave fantastic.

With the name Cleopatra and the famous Pamukkale is connected. It is really a unique place, there is nothing like this anywhere in the world. Millennium healing water, as if dancing, flowed on limestone stalactitic rocks, forming the terraces, baths, bathing, laying tracks and trails, folding in an unearthly landscape, a decent brushes gave. In order not to damage the fragile calcium surface, walking here is prescribed by barefoot, which, by the way, is unusually pleasant. Water warm, gently hugs ankle and, as they say, takes off. Fragile nature does not withstand the influx of tourists, and now raising anywhere, as it was still recently, is not allowed – only by routes.

Next to Pamukkale preserved an antique city of Hieropolis, famous for thermal sources. On the local water Izstari went high to know, kings and emperors. And, of course, Cleopatra. Her favorite pool is well preserved, and billboards, squeezing everywhere, crying too much: "Do not pass by!", The letters are laughing: ". Pleasopatry pool". And people do not pass. The pool, where Queen holished its legendary beauty, classically strict, around – antique columns, partially collapsed into water or picturesquely scattered nearby. Now vintage marbles occupied tourists, carelessly chatting with tongue and legs. Wishing to plunge a lot, and I did not escape the temptation. Healing mineral water – plus 38 degrees Celsius, carbon dioxide bubbles and, "Blind" To the hands, legs, to the body, glitter with precious pearls. It seems that the secret of the youth of Egyptian beauty I solved. And for famous Turkish beaches of time almost left. so what? Beaches – they are beaches.