trivia of Turkey
What is the capital of Turkey?
Ankara
hat famous city, located in the province of the same name, is the only city in the world that spans both the continents of Europe and Asia?
Istanbul
According to Thales of Miletus, what single substance is the fundamental "stuff" or originating principle of all things in the universe?
water
This famous Turkish dessert is made of many thin layers of phyllo pastry, chopped nuts, and soaked in syrup.
Baklava
Istanbul is a unique city because it lies on two different continents. What is the name of the strait that separates the European and Asian sides of the city?
The Bosphorus Strait.
In 1928, as part of Atatürk's reforms, the Turkish language switched its writing system from the Arabic script to which script?
The Latin alphabet
What is the smallest province in Turkey?
Yalova
Heraclitus is famous for using a river to explain his idea that everything in the world is constantly changing. What is his most famous saying about this?
No man ever steps in the same river twice" (or simply, "You cannot step into the same river twice")
This popular street food consists of seasoned meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie and often served in a flatbread.
Döner kebab
Turkey is surrounded by three major seas. The Mediterranean Sea is to the south, the Aegean Sea is to the west. What sea borders the entire northern coastline of Turkey?
The Black Sea.
What was the name of the Turkish empire that ruled over vast areas of the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and North Africa for over 600 years, until its dissolution after WWI?
The Ottoman Empire
Which Central Anatolian province is famous for being home to Mount Erciyes, a major stratovolcano with a popular winter sports center, and is also historically known for its Seljuk architecture and distinctive cuisine, including pastırma and sucuk?
Kayseri
What specific food were Pythagoras and his followers famously forbidden from eating, according to historical accounts?
Beans (specifically, fava beans)
Often enjoyed for breakfast, this savory Turkish pastry is typically ring-shaped, covered in molasses syrup and sesame seeds, and sold by street vendors all over Istanbul.
Simit
In the central Anatolia region, Turkey is famous for a historical area known for its unique "fairy chimney" rock formations and ancient underground cities. What is this famous region called?
Cappadocia.
The Treaty of Kadesh, considered the oldest surviving peace treaty in history (from 1259 BCE), was signed between the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II and the king of what Anatolian empire?
The Hittite Empire
Which of Turkey's 81 provinces, bordered by the provinces of Tunceli, Elazığ, and Bingöl, was the site of a series of military campaigns and conflicts during the late Ottoman and early Republican periods, and is now primarily known for its unique culture, hydroelectric dam projects, and mountainous landscapes?
Dersim or Tunceli
Hipparchus synthesized Greek geometric methods with extensive data from another culture to achieve his breakthroughs, particularly in predicting eclipses and calculating the length of the year. Which ancient culture provided this essential observational data?
The Babylonians (or Chaldeans).
This specific variety of highly prized pistachio nut, essential for quality baklava, is primarily grown in the southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep.
Antep fıstığı (or simply Antep pistachios).
What material was invented in the ancient city of Pergamon, allowing its famous library to rival Alexandria's?
Parchment.
The legend of the Gordian Knot is associated with the ancient Phrygian capital of Gordion. Which American university has been leading the archaeological excavations at the site since the 1950s?
The University of Pennsylvania
Which Eastern Anatolian province, known for its strategic importance during the Ottoman-Safavid Wars and later for hosting the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 (a pivotal event for the Turkification of Anatolia), shares its name with the town near which the battle took place and is distinguished by its geographical position bordering Lake Van to the south and encompassing a significant portion of the historical region of Western Armenia?
Muş
Heraclitus is famous for using a river to explain his idea that everything in the world is constantly changing. What is his most famous saying about this?
"No man ever steps in the same river twice" (or simply, "You cannot step into the same river twice").
This famous Ottoman-era dessert, a pudding made from chicken breast, is also known by its translated name, "the sultan's delight.
Tavuk göğsü.
In 1923, what Norwegian diplomat oversaw the controversial, compulsory population exchange between Turkey and Greece?
Fridtjof Nansen.