VERY INTERESTING: TURKEY

 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about

Facts about Turkey

1. The first ever Christian church was located in Antioch, Turkey

The Grotto of St Peter outside Antioch (now known as Antakya) is believed to have been created by Jesus' disciple Simon Peter. This makes it the oldest place of Christian worship in the world. You can still visit the church and see the traces of ancient decoration today.

If you're looking for more churches in Turkey, head to the southeast of the country. Diyarbakır and its surrounding area are peppered with fine religious monuments, such as St. Mary Church.

2. Santa Claus was born in Patara, Turkey

St Nicholas – the historical figure behind the man we know as Santa Claus – was born in Patara, Turkey in around 300 AD. A holy man, people believe he performed many miracles in his lifetime, including saving sailors from sinking ships.

Not only did tales of his generosity become the basis for Santa Claus, but St Nicholas also became one of the patron saints of sailors. The name Santa Claus comes from the dutch 'Sinter Klaas', a shortened version of Sint Nikolaas.

Think about taking a local guide with you to learn more about the history of the ruins here. Funnily enough, even though Santa Claus isn't linked to beaches, Patara is a coastal beach town with 16 kilometres of sand. You can visit Patara Beach from Antalya. Oh, and if it's beaches you're after, be inspired by the best beaches in Turkey.

Even with Santa Claus's origins in Turkey, the country doesn't traditionally celebrate Christmas as it's a predominantly Muslim country. Turkey enjoys a wealth of its own religious festivals, the most important one being Ramadan.

3. The country's official name is actually the Republic of Turkey.

The country now known as the Republic of Turkey was part of the Ottoman Empire until the empire broke up in the aftermath of the First World War. The Turkish War of Independence followed, and then in 1923 came the Republic with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as the first President.

If you want to learn more about Turkey's fascinating history, head to the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. It stands as a great symbol of the Ottoman Empire. The palace complex is open everyday apart from Tuesday.

4. Leonardo da Vinci once designed a bridge across the Golden Horn

In 1503, Leonardo da Vinci submitted plans for a bridge across the Golden Horn – the inlet of the Bosphorus that divides the city of Istanbul (then known as Constantinople). The bridge was never built, although Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced several years ago that a volunteer project was underway to finally realise Da Vinci's plans.

5. Turkey is the birthplace of important historical figures including Aesop, Herodotus and St. Paul the Apostle

Paul the Apostle (originally known as Saul) was born in Tarsus in southern Turkey. Many people believe Aesop, the famed Greek storyteller grew up in Thrace along the Black Sea (now Nesebar). The Greek historian Herodotus was born in what is now Bodrum, a city on the coast.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking