Facts about Turkey - Why So Special?
The many interesting facts about Turkey present an amazing introduction to this often misunderstood country. The historical timeline makes an entire library of storybooks because several empires have ruled the lands over time. Add to this the diverse culture, traditions, and heritage of communities within its cities, towns, and villages, and you have a melting pot of pure delight. Indeed, one would have to explore intensely from East to West to gain good insights into the country, but this would take a lifetime. So for newcomers or holidaymakers, here are some intriguing facts to get you started.
32 Interesting Facts about Turkey
1: Did Noah's Ark Land in Turkey?
Evangelical Christian explorers throughout history claimed they had found the remains of Noah's ark beneath the snow and volcanic debris on Turkey's Mount Ararat. They discovered the 4,800-year-old, radiocarbon-dated wood coincides with the time of Noah's flood, as the Bible tells. Of course, there are sceptics; however, although the Bible never specifies which peak the vessel supposedly landed on, the book mentions the ark landed somewhere in Urartu, an ancient kingdom in eastern Turkey.
2: The Famed City of Troy is in Turkey
The Trojan War, described in Homer's Greek Epic Cycle and Iliad poems, took place in northwest Anatolia, in Hisarlık. In Greek mythology, the Achaeans fought the Trojan War after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband, Menelaus, king of Sparta. The famous story tells of the Achaeans building a giant wooden horse to gift Troy, but soldiers hid inside and gained access to the city to find Helen. Troy became a world heritage site in 1998.
3: Santa Claus was a Turkish
Saint Nicholas, Nikolaos of Myra, was born in Patara on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. The modern city of Demre in Antalya, built near the ruins of the saint's home town of ancient Myra, attracts Russian tourists as St. Nicholas is a very popular Orthodox saint. Saint Nicholas is not the only saint with connections to Turkey. The Virgin Mary's resting place is near the ancient city of Ephesus, and Saint Paul was from southern Tarsus. Other biblical figures hail from Turkey, such as the Prophet Abraham, who was born in Şanlıurfa and as mentioned above, Noah may have run his ark aground at Mount Ararat.
4: Home to Ancient Wonders of the World
Two of the seven ancient wonders of the world are in Turkey. The 8th-century Temple of Artemis at the famous ruins of Ephesus near Izmir was first built during the Archaic period and again during Hellenistic times. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, called the Tomb of Mausolus in Bodrum, the second ancient wonder, was built between 353 and 350 BC for Mausolus, a satrap of the Persian Empire, and his sister-wife Artemisia II of Caria. Successive earthquakes destroyed the tomb from the 12th to 15th century.
5: Turkey Was one of the First Countries to Give Women Rights.
Turkey gave women the right to vote in 1935, before the United States and many European countries. On February 6th, 1935, women voted in national elections for the first time and stood for office. The reform was part of Atatürk's efforts to secularise and modernise the new Republic. A small percentage of parliamentary seats were set aside for women, and today, women represent a tenth of parliament.
6: The Ottomans Introduced Turkish Tulips to Holland
Most people associate Tulips with the Netherlands, or more specifically, Holland. However, Turkey initially introduced tulips to Europe. The colourful flowers, first cultivated as early as 1000AD, were sold in Western Europe in the 17th century. Although there are currently 14 variations of tulips, only four are of local origin; other types hail from Central Asia and arrived in Turkey during the Seljuk Period. Istanbul hosts the International Tulip Festival at the beginning of each spring.
7: The Bird's Name Came from Turkish Traders
The first European explorers to discover and eat wild turkeys were those in Hernan Crtez's expedition in Mexico in 1519. The delicacy was brought back to Europe by Spanish Conquistadors and, by 1524, reached England. Within a decade, the bird was domesticated, and the name entered the English language. However, the birds did not come directly from the New World to England; they originally came via merchant ships from the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Those merchants were called "Turkish merchants". Buyers in England thought the birds came from the Turkish Empire and named them "Turkey birds", soon shortened to "turkeys".
8: Turks Love Chicken Pudding!
Chicken Breast Pudding, or Tavuk Göğsü in Turkish, an unusual blend of boiled chicken, milk, and sugar dusted with cinnamon, became a popular delicacy served to Ottoman sultans at Topkapı Palace in Istanbul and is today a signature dish. Modern recipes pound the meat into a fine powder and add other ingredients, resulting in a thick pudding-like blancmange.
9: Turkish Ice Cream is a Performance Art
Turkish Ice cream, made with milk, sugar, salep, and mastic, originates from Maraş. The ingredients give the ice cream two qualities: a stretchy, chewy texture and resistance to melting. Commonly sold from street vendor's carts, where the mixture is churned regularly with long-handled paddles, sellers use the stretchy quality of the ice cream to perform circus-like acts. Traditional dondurma sellers, dressed in red Turkish costumes, are often loud and entertaining to attract people to buy their fun snacks.
10: Turkish Delight Was Invented for the Ottoman Sultans
Everybody knows about Turkish Delight. This candy, which comes in several varieties, features starch and sugar mixed with chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts, or walnuts—Bekir Efendi, known as Hacı Bekir, invented Turkish delight. After performing the Hajj, he moved to Istanbul from his hometown, Kastamonu. His store in Istanbul is the best place to buy famous Turkish confectionaries.
11: Turks Wrestle in Olive Oil
Turkey is home to over 80,000 olive trees, hence a staple aspect of Turkish food. Perhaps most interestingly, the Turks even created a sport using the extracted oil. Oil wrestling is a national sport. The sport is an art form; and for more spectator, like watching well-choreographed dances. Originating in Edirne, competitors smother olive oil over their bodies to make the competition more interesting.
12: Camels Wrestle Too
Men soaked in olive oil aren't the only ones to provide a spectacle of wrestling for Turkish citizens and visitors; camels get in on the action, too! Selçuk, near Izmir and very close to ancient Ephesus, holds a camel wrestling event on the beach each year. Similarly to oil wrestling, the camels have tactics to win. Previously, a female camel would be paraded around to entice the bull camels to fight for her. These days, however, they barely even wrestle.
13: Roman Connections in Antalya
Antalya, Turkey's second-most visited tourist destination, attracts many Russians, Brits, and Germans. Sitting on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, the most illustrious claim to fame is that lovers Marc Anthony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra met here, at the Temple of Apollo in Side. Urban legends say Marc gave the town of Alanya as a gift to his new queen, hence the name of the local beach, Cleopatra's.
14: 7000 kilometres of Coastline and 576 beach flag beaches
Beach lovers will adore Turkey because the north, West, and most of the south have beautiful coastlines and more than 500 Blue Flag beaches. The Mediterranean coast best beaches include Kaputas, Patara, Olu Deniz, and Lara. Antalya coastal town ranks as the best place to buy beachfront holiday property.
15: The Amazing Cultural Diversity
Turkish cultural diversity amazes everyone, with mannerisms, regional cuisines, traditions, and heritage changing from the East to the West. Laz and Hemsin communities live in the Northeast, while the East is traditionally Kurdish, with several Armenian landmarks. Of course, the strong historical connection with Greece stems from the history, ancient monuments, and even the cuisine. This overwhelming subject makes for interesting reading if culture and heritage interest you.
16: 5% of Turkey Belongs in Europe
Europe is not often associated with Turkey, apart from when talking about its disastrous EU application. However, 5% of Turkey belongs to Europe, while the rest is part of Western Asia. This area belongs to the Thrace region, southwestern Europe, including Greece and Bulgaria.
17: Turks Love Their Turkish Flag
Flags symbolise a nation's pride, and Turkey’s is a white star and a crescent half-moon on a red background. Turks use the flag only to display patriotic beliefs. This includes sitting on it, putting it on the ground, or wearing garments using the pattern. In Britain, we often wear the Union Jack on our shorts or bikinis, but this is a rare sight in Turkey.
18: The Geography Facts are Astounding
Turkey covers 783,000 square kilometres boasting of 7,200 kilometres of sparkling, sandy coastline. 52 lakes and over 20,000,000 hectares of forestland-designated natural parks, also make the country, a nature heaven. While the central Anatolian region consists of flat plains, there are also 27 mountain ranges, and the Taurus and Kackar are ideal for hiking and exploring. There are several official regions: the black sea, the western coast, the Aegean, Marmara, central Anatolian, eastern Anatolia, and southeastern Anatolian.
19: The Old-Fashioned Fez is Outlawed
Hats are still popular worldwide, but in 1925, as part of reforms for the modern-day Turkish Republic, the new government banned the traditional Turkish hat, called a Fez, which was Ottoman attire for men. These days, shops mainly sell the red felt hat with a black tassel as a souvenir.
20: The City of Istanbul is Turkey's Largest
With a population of roughly 19 million, Istanbul is the central hub for business, finance, transport, and education and the top tourist destination. Infact, it is more important than the capital; Ankara. Separating into the Asian continent and the European side, iconic landmarks like the Hagia Sophia and impressive mosques like the Blue Mosque attract many international tourists. The historical significance shines through because Istanbul, then Constantinople, was the former ruling capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Istanbul is also home to the world's second-oldest underground railway.
21: Turkey was Home to Rumi - The Famous Poet
Born in the Persian Empire in 1207, Rumi settled in Konya to dedicate his life to Sufism. Known for his wisdom and deep understanding of human emotions and feelings, his work is translated into hundreds of languages and sold worldwide. He is the best-selling USA poet of all time. His tomb, in Konya, in the Whirling Dervishes Museum, opens to the public at certain times of the year.
22: The Official Language is Phonetic
The phonetic language is pronounced exactly as it reads. The alphabet consists of 29 letters, seven of which do not appear in the English alphabet, and the letters Q, W, and X do not appear in the Turkish alphabet.
23: The Population is Massive
Turkey is the 19th most populated country, with a population of 85 million. This does not include the foreign expat communities that have settled mainly in coastal resorts of Turkey’s Aegean and Mediterranean areas, many of which are British, Russian, and German. Turkey also took in many refugees during the Syrian war.
24: Roots in Early Christianity
Turkey's religion is Islam, but first-time visitors are pleasantly surprised to learn that the beginnings of Christianity stemmed from this country; hence, faith tourism tours are popular. The Seven Churches of Revelation, as seen in the Bible’s New Testament, are all in Turkey’s Aegean region, while in Cappadocia, the top tourist attraction, UNESCO Goreme Open Air Museum features 14th-century ancient rock-cut cave churches.
25: Turkish surnames
Surnames became legal in 1934. Before that, Muslims often used titles depending on their social standing. These days, titles are still commonly used but in a different context. For example, "arbi" or "abli" refers to an older and highly respected male or female. Depending on their close friendship, two males may refer to each other as Kankar.
26: Underground cities
Underground cities are plentiful in Cappadocia. Used throughout history as defensive mechanisms against invading armies, some ancient excavated cities opened to the public. No one knows the exact amount, but to date, 37 have been uncovered, of which the most famous is Derinkuyu.
27: Van serves the Best Turkish Breakfast.
Van, on the border with Iran in eastern Turkey, boasts of three claims to fame. Turkey's largest lake is here, measuring 119 kilometres at its widest point. The rather beautiful white Van cat is renowned for its different-coloured eyes, which are blue and green. Turks also always say the best Turkish breakfast comes from this region.
28: Several Different Climate Zones
Turkey’s three climate zones have varying fertile soil types. That is why people visiting Mount Tahtali in winter smile at the slogan of morning skiing and afternoon swimming. Likewise, in June, hundreds of people sunbathe on Turkey’s Mediterranean and Aegean coasts while they wrap up warm in the Northeast. Skiing resorts are also raising their profile thanks to snowfall, creating ideal sports conditions.
29: Turks Don't Celebrate Christmas but Love New Year
Turks don’t celebrate Christmas, but Christians and expats hold private events. You may still see replicas of Father Christmas in shopping malls because he represents Noel Baba, the Turkish version of Santa Claus, which is widely seen at New Year and celebrated throughout, not for religious purposes but purely commercial.
30: The Ottomans Banned Coffee
During Ottoman times, coffee was such a beloved beverage that if a husband didn't supply his wife with the drink, she could divorce him. Naturally, this led to a nationwide ban on coffee, but the Ottoman sultan reintroduced it after much uproar. The Turks imported the beverage to Europe in the 16th century. These days, even though Starbucks has taken over the industry, Turkish coffee, brewed using different methods, is still a much-beloved drink.
31: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
The Turkish Republic was only formed in 1923, after the War of Independence, following the demise of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. Turkish soldiers followed Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who later became the first president. His body lies in the Anitkabir Museum in Ankara.
32: Home to Gobekli tepe - The World’s Oldest Temple
Ancient history proves this because the oldest temple in the world, near southeastern Sanliurfa, predates the agricultural age by 2000. Historians date the structure to around 960 BC, older than Stone henge or the Egyptian pyramids. While in Sanliurfa, see the castle and the famous Balikligol in the old part, where Muslims believe is where Nimrod threw Abraham into the fire because he refused to worship false idols.
Lastly…
Last on our list of interesting facts about Turkey, roughly 50 million people visit Turkey annually for business or leisure travel. In fact, it currently ranks as the sixth most visited country in the world. In 2024, Istanbul also ranked as the top most visited city in the world, with Antalya ranking it at never five. (Read more about why Turkey is popular for tourism.)
Additionally, every year, foreigners buy roughly 40,000 homes either for investment purposes, for holidays or to live in Turkey all year round. This certainly proves the popularity of this wonderful country.
Istanbul
