The document provides information about various historical and religious sites that Sean Myers visited during his study abroad trip to Turkey and Greece in 2011. It describes important mosques, churches, and archaeological sites in Istanbul, Ephesus, Hierapolis, Laodicea, Colossae, Pergamum, Troy, Philippi, Thessaloniki, Delphi, Eleusis, Corinth, Mycenae, Athens, and Cape Sounion. Key details are provided about the origins, architecture, and significance of each location.

1. Turkey and Greece Study
Abroad 2011
Sean Myers

2. Sultan Ahmed Mosque

3.  Built between 1609and 1616
 Popular name “Blue Mosque” due
to the blue tiles on the inside
 It is one of two Mosques in
Turkey with six minarets
 The Mosque is oriented 39
degrees East of South, orienting
it towards Meca
 Incorporates both Byzantine and
Ottoman architecture
 The courtyard is about the same
size as the Mosque

4. Hagia Sophia

5. Islamic
Influence
 Mosque from 1453 -
1931
 Covered faces of
angels plastered over
mosaics and added
geometric designs
 Added minarets and
washing station on the
exterior
 Added Mihrab and
Minbar to the interior

6. Christian Beginnings
 Christian church from 360
– 1453
 Originally dedicated to the
logos, which was
celebrated on the 25 of
December
 Contained a large collection
of Holy Relics

7. Topkapi Palace
 The home of the
Ottoman Sultans from
1465-1856
 Houses some of the
Ottoman treasures and
jewelry
 Also on display are Holy
relics including
Muhammad’s robe,
sword and lots of beard
hair

8. Sardis
 Capital of ancient
Kingdom of Lydia
 One of the Seven
churches of Asia
 So far excavations
have uncovered a
gymnasium, a
large synagogue,
and a Temple to
Artemis

9. Hierapolis
 Founded as a thermal spa in
the 2nd century BCE,
minerals were used to heal
all sorts of aliments including
blindness
 Christian church founded
while Paul was in Ephesus
 Philip spent the last years of
his life and was crucified
here
 4th century CE Christians
filled the Plutonium with
stones suggesting that
Christianity had become the
prominent religion
 Roman baths were converted
into Christian Basilica

10. Laodicea
 Originally called Diospolis (City
of Zeus)
 Located on a major trade route
 One of the seven Asian
Churches, also mentioned in
the book of Colossians
 On site are some very well
preserved/excavated ruins
including a central road and a
couple theaters

11. Colossae
 Located near the great road
that ran from Ephesus to
the Euphrates, has never
been excavated
 Paul wrote a letter to the
city but never visited
 Epaphras was the founder
of the Colossian church

12. Ephesus
 One of twelve cities in the Ionian
League, second larges city in the
Roman Empire
 Famed for the Temple of Artemis
(one of the seven Ancient
Wonders of the World)
 Also one of the seven churches of
Asia
 Ruins include a massive theater, a
gorgeous library, and a hospital

13. Pergamum
 One of the seven
Churches of Asia
 The upper city was built
between the 4th and 3rd
cent. BCE this contained
a temple to Athena and
palace quarters
 A 10 thousand person
theater, a library, and a
temple to Zeus were
added the 2nd cent.

14. Aesclepion
 Healing center
located not far from
Pergamum (to the
West)
 Had a shrine built to
Asklepios (god of
healing)

15. Alexandria Troas
 About 1,000 acres in size
and largely unexcavated
 Visited by Paul during his
2nd journey where he
received a vision to go the
Europe
 Also during Paul’s 3rd
journey, Eutychus fell
from a window while Paul
was preaching and Paul
revived him

16. Troy
 Well known for it’s role
in the Trojan War and
the epic poems of the
Iliad and the Odyssey
 There were nine
reconstructions all on
top of the previous
 Was inhabited for
3,000+ years and is
still under excavation
today, lead by a
German team

17. Philippi
 Site of Lydia’s baptism
 first visited by Paul in 50 CE,
then later in 57 and 62
 First church 343 CE,
described as a small prayer
house
 Seven churches were
constructed between mid-4th
and 6th century after Paul’s
letter to the Philippians

18. Thessaloniki
 Second largest city in Greece
 Hagios Demetrious is the largest
basilica in Greece built in the 4th
century
 Has the most UNESCO World
Heritage sites in all of Greece
including the Hagios Demetrious,
Hagia Sophia of Thessaloniki,
Rotunda of Saint George, Church
of the Acheiropoietos, and the
Church of Panagia Chalkeon

19. Delphi
 Home to the Delphic Oracle,
the most important oracle of
the Greek world
 Also a major worship site of
Apollo
 Home of the Pythian Games
 The Greek city-states built
treasuries to commemorate
victories
 Regarded as the center of the
world, also the navel of earth

20. Eleusis
 Place of the Eleusinian
Mysteries, not much is
known about the cult
activity that took place
 The central myth is about
Demeter who is looking
for her daughter who was
stolen by Hades
 The birth place of
Aeschylusa great
tragedian of antiquity

21. Corinth
 Visited by Paul in 52
 Here Paul met Priscilla
and Aquila
 Capital of Achaia
province
 Largest and most
influential city in
southern Greece
 Considered a wicked
city by Paul

22. Mycenae
 Home of the “Lion’s Gate”
 Agamemnon’s tomb is
located near by
 Religion was probably
polytheistic, actively
syncretistic, being able to
add deities with ease

23. Athens

24.  Capital of Greece and the
largest city in Greece
 One of the world’s oldest
cities
 Home to Plato’s Academy
and Aristotle’s Lyceum
 Main archeological world
center hosting 17 Foreign
Archeological Institutions
and numerous National
Institutions

25. Cape Sounion
 Site of a Temple of
Poseidon
 The ruins are signed
by Lord Byron
 After beating Xerxes
in the navel Battle at
Salamis the Athenians
placed a ship at
Sounion to honor
Poseidon