OUR TRAVELS
Photos of sightseeing enthusiasts
A TRIP ROUTE
INTERESTING FACTS
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, known as the Artemision, was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was built around 560 BCE on the orders of King Croesus of Lydia. Its impressive dimensions, measuring 130 meters long and 69 meters wide, were constructed using high-quality marble and Lebanese cedar. The temple was designed as a dipteros surrounded by a double colonnade composed of eight columns on the front and rear façades, and twenty columns along the sides of the temple. The columns were approximately 18 meters high and approximately 2.5 meters in diameter at the base. A cedar statue of Artemis, crafted from gold, silver, ivory, ebony, and black stone using a technique called chryselephantine, was placed within the temple's interior. In 356 BCE, The temple was burned by the shoemaker Herostratus in the hope that this act would immortalize his name. Alexander the Great intended to rebuild the sanctuary; according to tradition, he was born on the night Artemision burned. The inhabitants of Ephesus refused to meet the king's demands and rebuilt the temple themselves between 334 and 260 BC. The last temple was ultimately destroyed during the Goth invasion in 262 AD (www.wikipedia.pl)
IT IS WORTH SEEING
According to medieval accounts, Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, lived at the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries AD in Lycia and became renowned for his many miracles and his help to the poor and needy. For centuries, he was one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, and his largest sanctuary is located in Bari, Italy. The beginnings of the cult of St. Nicholas were very humble. He is said to have participated in the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, but there are no records confirming the existence of such a figure. Reliable information about St. Nicholas only appears in the 6th century, according to which he saved the lives of six soldiers of Emperor Constantine. In iconography, St. Nicholas is depicted with a beard, in the robes of a Latin or Greek rite bishop, with a mitre and crosier. He most often holds a book in one hand and makes a gesture of blessing with the other. Already in the Middle Ages, Nicholas was considered the patron saint of children. The fairy-tale figure of St. Nicholas, based on him, is modeled after him. Nicholas is widely used in popular culture on the occasion of Christmas (wikipedia.org)
Turkey - Turkish Riviera
July 2004
Holidays in Turkey were our first trip outside of Europe together. We took advantage of the tourist office's offer. It didn't all look like it was in the ad, but we didn't care too much about it. We used the beautiful weather, warm sea and the all inclusive offer in a modest little hotel in Beldibi on the Turkish Riviera.
As Beldibi does not have many attractions, we went on a couple of excursions arranged by the local travel agency. The quality of service was a lot to be desired, but it was cheaper than with us and the places visited were worth the trouble of the trip. I especially remember the boat trip to the sunken city of Kekova. During an offshore stopover to relax in crystal clear waters, I swam too far and couldn't find our ship. After an hour of sailing in the sea, a patrol boat from the Harbor Master's Office found me. Fortunately, it was scared, and as a punishment I had to dance solo to the rhythm of Turkish music on the ship.Beldibi
Beldibi is a typical tourist destination on the Turkish Riviera - one street along the beach and plenty of hotels and shops for tourists. The only things you could do there were sunbathing, swimming, eating and drinking. And this is how we spent our time using the all inclusive option. We managed to avoid the boredom of everyday activities, thanks to lovely friends who bravely keep us company during our rest.
Demre and Kekova
Ancient Myra is called Demre today. Picturesque rock tombs carved on the hillside made the greatest impression on us, but Myra's trademark is Saint Nicholas. Kekova, on the other hand, is a small island near Demre, famous for the ancient town of Dolchiste, which was sunken by an earthquake in the 2nd century AD. We could admire the ruins only from a boat, but we had to look closely to see all the ancient columns, sarcophagi, platforms and remnants of temples and houses under the sea surface, colorfully described in the guidebook.
Ephesus
The ruins of Ephesus are one of the most popular monuments on the tourist map of Turkey. Founded in the 6th century BC as a Greek colony, Ephesus fully deserved its fame. It was a wonderful experience to walk through the streets of this never-ending commercial city. The variety of facilities available is impressive - temples, gates, fountains, gymnasium, agora, odeeon, theater, library and even latrines. It was here that the famous temple of Artemis was located, of which, unfortunately, no trace has been left. The only thing that spoiled the pleasure of sightseeing was the fact that the batteries in the camera were empty.
Pamukkale
Pamukkale, or Cotton Castle, is famous for its limestone deposits formed on the slope of Cökelez Mountain. The water flowing out of the hot springs, cooling on the surface, precipitates calcium carbonate, the sediments of which create fanciful thresholds, terraces and pools. The view is amazing, and walking along the picturesque travertines we had the impression of treading on ice. The entire area has been included in the Unesco Natural Heritage List. Water also has healing properties, which were appreciated in antiquity when the spa of Hierapolis was built nearby.
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