The Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island is a ruined Armenian cathedral dating from 921 AD. Beautifully situated on Lake Van, the church is famed for its fascinating medieval sculptures.

In ancient times it was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but today the Temple of Artemis is represented by a single column standing in a swamp.

Discovered in a vision by a bedridden German nun in 1812, this stone building is believed by many Catholics and Muslims to be where the Virgin Mary lived her last years. There is also a healing fountain.

Aphrodisias is one of the oldest sacred sites in Turkey, dedicated first to the ancient Mother Goddess and then the Greek goddess Aphrodite.

The Church of the Pantocrator, now a mosque named Zeyrek Camii, is one of the most important landmarks of the Byzantine period. Today it is in a state of neglect.

A rather humble exterior in Istanbul shelters the worldwide headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Church and the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George (Aya Yorgi).

The Theotokos Pammakaristos Church was built in 1292 and served as the headquarters of the Orthodox Patriarchate from 1456 to 1528. It is now a mosque.

The cascading domes and six slender minarets of the Blue Mosque dominate the skyline of Istanbul. The 17th-century mosque was built by Sultan Ahmet I to rival the Hagia Sophia.