Judaism was widespread in Anatolia. Recent archaeological excavations conducted in the Aegean region indicate Judaism's existence since the early 4th century B.C. Especially Sardis city there exists the biggest and oldest synagogue outside of Jerusalem from 3rd century. The city is the one assumed to be mentioned in the old testament Obadiah 20 as Sepharad. Sephardic Jews had lived for centuries among the Turks in peace and comfort and followed their beliefs under the auspices of Turkish tolerance (secularism).
Turks preserved and protected the synagogues and churches which belonged to the Jewish and Christian faith.

 about Jewish Heritage

Anatolia is also as significant area for Christians and is considered holy and sacred for many reasons which include:

• People of the Faith were first called Christians in Turkey(Acts 11:26)
• St. Paul, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, devoted himself to the dissemination and expansion of Christianity, was born in Tarsus.
• The Seven Churches of the Apocalypse which were mentioned in Revelations and are located in Anatolia; Ephesus (Efes), Smyrna (Izmir), Pergamum (Bergama), Thyatria (Akhisar), Sardis (Sart), Philadelphia (Alasehir), Laodicea (Denizli).
• Saint John lived and died in Ephesus. His grave and the church is in Selcuk, Izmir, nearby Ephesus.
• The first eight of the Counsil meetings which have been held 19 times until now, were held in Turkey. Especially, holding of the first and seventh meetings in Iznik established the tradition of holding these meetings regularly.
• Virgin Mary spent the last days of her life in Ephesus. The first church dedicated to her is also in Ephesus.
• Saint Nicholas was born in Patara and became bishop in Myra.
• The Apostole St. Philip lived in Hierapolis and was martyred there.

  about Holy Lands

The Turks who settled in Anatolia after 1071 constructed many important religious symbols related the to Islamic faith. These examples which reflect the architectural style of the Islamic periods may be classified as follows:

• Mosques (Cami)
• Theological Schools of the time (Medrese)
• Building Complexes adjacent to a Mosque (Külliye)
• Shrines (Türbe)
• Tombs with conical roofs (Kümbet)

During their entire history, the Islamic Turks, as a result of humanitarian attitude toward the beliefs of the followers of other monotheistic religions that they were exposed to, in a vast tolerance in obedience with the rules and beliefs of the Islamic religion, had lived together with numerous ethnic groups in Anatolian areas in peace and content. Besides there were thousands of Sufi dervishes of Islam, who played an outstanding role in Turkish culture, literature and philosophy based on love of true mystic helped to create this tolerant recognition of other religions. Yunus Emre accepted man as the criterion of creation or of mere existence indicates;

Yunus Emre says to you, Pharisee,
Make the holy pilgrimage if need be
A thousand times- but if you ask me,
The visit to a heart is best of all…
YUNUS EMRE'S HUMANISM

we mean it ‘s even time to
follow the Footsteps of St John !
Visit TURKEY!