Düden Waterfalls

Düden Waterfalls are a group of waterfalls in the province of Antalya, Turkey. The waterfall is located 12 km north-east of Antalya; which ends, where the limpid waters of the Lower Düden Falls drop off a rocky cliff directly into the Mediterranean Sea in a dazzling show.

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Issyk Kul

Issyk Kul is a lake in the mountains of Tian Shan endorheic, northeast of Kirgizia. Length 182 km, width up to 60 km, and the extent of 6332 km ². And this lake is the world's second largest lake located in the mountains after Lake Titicaca. Located at an altitude of 1607 meters (5272 feet), with a depth of 668 meters (2192 ft). The water is somewhat salty lake in the winter and keep it free from ice. About 118 rivers and streams flow into this lake, the largest and Tyup Djyrgalan. The lake where the water is sourced from the many springs is currently recorded has no outlet, but some hydrologists hypothesize that the underground water of this lake to the River terfiltrasi Chu.

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Cappadocia

Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province. In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine (Black Sea). Cappadocia, in this sense, was bounded in the south by the chain of the Taurus Mountains that separate it from Cilicia, to the east by the upper Euphrates and the Armenian Highland, to the north by Pontus, and to the west by Lycaonia and eastern Galatia.

The area is a famous and popular tourist destination, as it has many areas with unique geological, historic and cultural features.

The Cappadocia region is largely underlain by sedimentary rocks formed in lakes and streams, and ignimbrite deposits erupted from ancient volcanoes approximately 9 to 3 million years ago, during the late Miocene to Pliocene epochs. The rocks of Cappadocia near Göreme eroded into hundreds of spectacular pillars and minaret-like forms. The volcanic deposits are soft rocks that the people of the villages at the heart of the Cappadocia Region carved out to form houses, churches and monasteries. Göreme became a monastic center between 300—1200 AD.

The Göreme Open Air Museum is the most visited site of the monastic communities in Cappadocia (see Churches of Göreme, Turkey) and is one of the most famous sites in central Turkey. The complex contains more than 30 rock-carved churches and chapels, some of them have superb frescoes inside, dating from the 9th to the 11th centuries.

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Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is a former church building (basilica) and the mosque, now a museum in Istanbul. Because it has two functions, namely as mosques and churches, the museums can be found two symbols for Christians and Muslims.

Until 1453, the Hagia Sophia is the cathedral church (basilica) Byzantines built by Constantius, the son of Constantine the Great. The church is frequently hit by earthquakes and downs, although the dome-shaped building is made. On 7 May 558, at the time of Emperor Justinian, the eastern dome collapsed after an earthquake hit. On October 26 986, during the reign of Emperor Basil II (958-1025, again affected by the earthquake.

Finally, extensive renovations carried out so as not affected by the earthquake at the beginning of the 14th century. The specialty of this building is situated on a large dome shape and height. Tenghnya size 30 m. Fundamennya high and 54 m. The interior is decorated with mosaics and frescoes, its pillars are made of colored marble, and walls adorned with carvings.

When Sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople on Tuesday, May 27, 1453 and entered the city, Mehmed II dismounted and prostrated thanks to God, then go to the Church of Hagia Sophia into a mosque and ordered the change known as the Aya Sofia.

Various modifications to the building to be done to fit the pattern and style of mosque building. At the time of Mehmed II (1444-1446 and 1451-1481) built the tower in the south. Selim II (1566-1574) to build two towers and convert part of the building is characterized by the church. Including changing the sign of the cross on display at the top of the dome was decorated with a crescent moon.
So for nearly 500 years the Hagia Sophia serves as a mosque. The statue, cross, and his paintings had been removed or covered with paint.

In 1937, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk changed the status of Hagia Sophia into a museum. Begin the project "The demolition of Hagia Sophia". Some parts of the walls and ceilings scraped from paints calligraphy until rediscovered paintings of sacred Christian.
Since then, the Aya Sofya mosque as one of famous tourist attraction by the Turkish government in Istanbul. Historical value covered the Byzantine architectural style fascinating.

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