New book: The Secrets of Hattusa

Submitted by Jarek on Sun, 03/30/2025 - 15:29

Among the ancient civilizations of Europe and the Middle East, such as the Egyptians, the Mycenaeans, and the Assyrians, it is the Hittites that seem to hold to their reputation of the mysterious people with a largely unknown history. During the period of their greatest might, in the second half of the 2nd millennium BCE, they were perceived as equals by the Egyptian and the Mesopotamian superpowers. This guidebook, The Secrets of Hattusa, takes the readers on the tour of the Hittite capital city.

Flora and fauna of Miletus in springtime

Submitted by Iza on Sat, 03/29/2025 - 12:03

Text by our correspondent from Didim, Jay Jean Jackson.

Springtime in Miletus is a beautiful sight; the swallows have returned, displaying flashes of iridescent blue as they dart around with acrobatic agility. The asphodel is in full bloom, giving a wonderful array of colour in the foreground, where it grows amongst the fallen columns that lay strewn everywhere, creating a wonderful juxtaposition between ruins and nature. The backdrop of the ancient theatre which still stands proudly completes the picture, both the nature and the ruins have their roots and foundations anchored in many myths and legends.

Göreme Open Air Museum

Submitted by Iza on Thu, 03/27/2025 - 16:25

Göreme National Park is one of those astonishing places in Turkey that have earned a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was added to this prestigious list in 1985 as Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia. It is also one of the few such places in the world that have been included on the UNESCO list for both its cultural and natural heritage. The second such place in Turkey is the Pamukkale-Hierapolis complex.

A visit to Cappadocia cannot be considered complete without visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (tr. Göreme Açık Hava Müzesi), a one-of-a-kind museum with the most spectacular rock-cut Mediaeval churches. In a relatively small area, there are about 350 churches and chapels from the Byzantine era, carved in the soft rock characteristic of Cappadocia. Of this huge number, a dozen or so are located in the open-air museum, called the Göreme Open Air Museum.

Nysa on the Maeander

Submitted by Iza on Wed, 03/26/2025 - 10:24

Nysa was an ancient city in Asia Minor, located on the border between the lands known as Caria and Lydia. Today, it is a ruined ancient city, beautifully situated at the foot of a mountain called Messogis in antiquity and divided by a deep gorge that was carved by a stream flowing down from the mountains. Impressive in size and in a good state of preservation, the remains of Nysa are rarely visited by tourists, so it is very likely that you can wander here alone between the old buildings and the olive trees growing within the area.

Pirates of the Aegean - Julius Caesars capture

Submitted by Iza on Mon, 03/24/2025 - 10:35

Text by our correspondent from Didim, Jay Jean Jackson, with additional contributions from Chris Evans.

It is hard to imagine when you stare across the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coastline at the many islands dotted around that the area was once controlled by a ruthless bunch of pirates over 2,000 years ago.

According to Plutarch, the Greek philosopher, historian, biographer and essayist, the small Aegean Island of Pharmacusa (now modern-day Farmakonisi, Greece), south-west of Miletus, was where Julius Caesar, then a Roman nobleman, was held captive by these pirates for 38 days.