Welcome to Kusadasi, Turkey
A mecca for sun worshippers and historians alike, Kusadasi has long attracted visitors heading to the famed Ephesus. However, in past years, Kusadasi has developed into a tourist stop as well. Carpets and leather, two products for which Turkey is famous, attract both the locals and visitors. The Kale district is the oldest and most appealing part of the town. Surrounded by walls, it houses many traditional establishments, including the Kale Mosque. Connected to Kusadasi by a causeway stands the retreat of the infamous Barbarossa brothers, responsible for the pirating of many ships. Ephesus, located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) from Kusadasi, is by far one of the best-preserved ancient cities. Reportedly founded by the Amazons, its original site was near a harbor, which was the secret of its success in ancient times. Ephesus's archeological significance illustrates the advanced culture that once resided here. The Great Temple of Artemis, completed by the Ephesians, is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, discovered in the late 19th century. Presently, only a lone Ionian column remains. If you want to leave Ephesus feeling like a true Greek god, it is believed that if you stand between the Gates of Hercules and simultaneously touch both columns, you will have the strength of Hercules.
History of Turkey
Anatolia (Asia Minor), the landmass that is now Turkey, had been a cradle to a wide variety of civilizations and kingdoms in antiquity. The Seljuk Turks were the first Turkish power to arrive in the 11th century as conquerors, who proceeded to gradually conquer the existing Byzantine Empire. Their Turkish successors, the Ottoman Empire (named after its first leader Osman Gazi), began as a small tribe of nomadic Turks who would come to dominate the region for 600 years. Throughout the 19th and early 20th century the Ottoman empire began to lose a foothold on its territories, first with Algeria and Tunisia, then Greece, Egypt, Libya and the Balkans in the 1912 Balkans war. Faced with territorial losses on all sides Turkey forged an alliance with Germany who supported it with troops and equipment. In World War I Turkey entered the war on the side of the Central Powers and was defeated. On October 30, 1918, the Mondros Armistice was signed followed by the Treaty of Sèvres on August 10, 1920. These sought to break up the Ottoman empire and force large concessions on Turkey in favor of its rival Greece who had fought against the Germans. Greece, France and Italy were awarded parts of the coast of Asia Minor. The city of Izmir (Smyrna) was awarded to Greece. The Greek army took it over on May 15, 1919 and triggered the War of Independence. A nationalist movement led by Mustafa Kemal, rejected the Sèvres and organized an army that repelled Greece from Turkey. By September18, 1922 the country was liberated resulting in the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923, recognizing the new borders of Turkey. On October 29, 1923 The Republic of Turkey was proclaimed and Mustafa Kemal, later taking the last name Atatürk (meaning father of Turks), would be her first president.
posted by Hills @ 7:02 AM
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