History
Göbekli Tepe
Şanlıurfa, Turkey
Huge carved stone pillars arranged in circles, built by hunter-gatherers about 11,000 years ago, changed ideas about when people began building monuments.
Period: c. 9500 BCE
Turkey: leaders, famous people, culture and history
10 places on the atlas covering history, architecture, language, culture and crafts. Highlights include Göbekli Tepe, Hagia Sophia, Turkish and Turkish bath (hamam).
See Turkey on the map Etiquette guide
What is on the atlas
- History Göbekli Tepe, Çatalhöyük, Troy and Ephesus
- Architecture Hagia Sophia and Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque
- Language Turkish
- Culture Turkish bath (hamam) and Turkish coffee
- Crafts İznik tiles
Who leads Turkey?
| President (head of state and government) | Recep Tayyip Erdogan |
|---|
Office-holders as of July 2026. Governments change, so check Turkey’s official government website for the latest. Full list of heads of state and government.
Famous people from Turkey
- Mustafa Kemal Ataturk founder of the Republic
- Mimar Sinan Ottoman architect
- Suleiman the Magnificent Ottoman sultan
- Orhan Pamuk Nobel-winning novelist
- Nazim Hikmet poet
- Rumi (lived in Konya) mystic poet
- Yunus Emre folk poet
A short, well-known selection rather than a ranking. People pinned on the map appear in the cards below.
Etiquette tips for Turkey
- Greeting Handshakes are common; friends may kiss on both cheeks. Elders are greeted first.
- Home Remove your shoes when entering a home. Hosts are generous, and refusing tea more than once may seem rude.
- Dress Cover shoulders, knees and, for women, hair in mosques. Remove shoes before entering.
History in Turkey
History
Çatalhöyük
Konya Plain, Turkey
A Neolithic town where houses were packed together and entered through the roof, giving a rare look at early settled life.
Period: c. 7100–5700 BCE
History
Troy
Çanakkale, Turkey
The archaeological site often linked with the city of Homer's Iliad, with nine major layers of settlement built one atop another.
Period: Occupied for about 4,000 years
History
Ephesus
İzmir Province, Turkey
A great trading city of the ancient world with a restored library facade and a vast theatre. It was once home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders.
Period: Greek and Roman city
Architecture in Turkey
Architecture
Hagia Sophia
Istanbul, Turkey
Its enormous central dome, finished under Emperor Justinian, was a landmark of engineering. The building has served as a cathedral, a mosque and a museum.
Built: 537 CE · Style: Byzantine
Architecture
Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque
Istanbul, Turkey
Named for the blue İznik tiles that line its interior, it has six minarets and a cascade of domes and half-domes.
Built: 1609–1616 · Style: Ottoman
Language in Turkey
Language
Turkish
Ankara, Turkey
In 1928 Turkey replaced the Arabic script with a Latin alphabet designed to fit Turkish sounds. Turkish is agglutinative: words are built by adding endings.
Say hello: Merhaba · Script: Latin
Culture in Turkey
Culture
Turkish bath (hamam)
Istanbul, Turkey
A public bath with a warm marble platform, steam rooms and an attendant who scrubs and washes you. Historic hamams in Istanbul are still in use.
Tradition: Steam, scrub and rest
Culture
Turkish coffee
Istanbul, Turkey
Finely ground coffee is simmered in a small pot called a cezve and served with the grounds settled. Turkish coffee culture is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
Tradition: Coffee brewed in a small pot
Crafts in Turkey
Crafts
İznik tiles
İznik, Bursa, Turkey
Ottoman potters at İznik made tiles with vivid blue, turquoise and red tulips and carnations that decorate mosques such as the Blue Mosque.
Craft: Painted ceramic tiles
How to use this page
This page brings together the people who lead Turkey today, a short selection of well-known people from Turkey, and the 10 places pinned for Turkey on the atlas. Use the buttons at the top to see Turkey on the map, where you can filter by theme, read a short summary of each pin and follow the link to Wikipedia for the full article. To browse the same themes across the whole world, see the history page, architecture page, language page, culture page and crafts page.
Questions about Turkey
Who is the leader of Turkey?
As of July 2026: President (head of state and government): Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Office-holders change, so check the official government site for the latest.
Who are some famous people from Turkey?
Well-known people connected with Turkey include Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (founder of the Republic), Mimar Sinan (Ottoman architect), Suleiman the Magnificent (Ottoman sultan), Orhan Pamuk (Nobel-winning novelist) and Nazim Hikmet (poet).
What are famous landmarks and buildings in Turkey?
Notable buildings and sites in Turkey on the atlas include Hagia Sophia and Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque. Open the map for photos and links to read more.
What are important historical places in Turkey?
Historical places in Turkey on the atlas include Göbekli Tepe, Çatalhöyük, Troy and Ephesus. Open the map for photos and links to read more.
What languages and scripts is Turkey known for?
Language entries for Turkey on the atlas include Turkish. Open the map for photos and links to read more.
What traditional crafts is Turkey known for?
Traditional crafts from Turkey on the atlas include İznik tiles. Open the map for photos and links to read more.
What food and customs is Turkey known for?
Food and customs from Turkey on the atlas include Turkish bath (hamam) and Turkish coffee. Open the map for photos and links to read more.
How can I explore Turkey on the map?
Choose See Turkey on the map above, or search for Turkey on the atlas. You can filter by theme, drag the Time travel slider to see who was alive and what was standing in different centuries, and open any pin for a short summary and a link to the full Wikipedia article.
What etiquette should visitors know in Turkey?
Greeting: Handshakes are common; friends may kiss on both cheeks. Elders are greeted first. Home: Remove your shoes when entering a home. Hosts are generous, and refusing tea more than once may seem rude. These are general customs, not legal advice.