1 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:10,480 I'm in Anatolia 2 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:13,440 exploring the stories and histories 3 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:15,280 of this otherworldly place. 4 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,440 The first seasonal snows have just arrived, 5 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,480 so I pull off the road to warm up - 6 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:24,400 Turkish style. 7 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,000 One of the things I love so much about travelling 8 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,520 is being introduced to local treats. 9 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,440 And in this region, in the winter, they drink something called salep. 10 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,040 Oh, I wish you could smell it. 11 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:37,400 It's so good. 12 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:42,200 So, this is made of powdered orchid roots 13 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,920 and hot milk, and sugar and cinnamon. 14 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:47,720 Mm. 15 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,080 Oh, and it was meant to be good for all kinds of things. 16 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:53,360 People said it was really good for your digestion, 17 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,000 and boosted your immune system, 18 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,600 and gave you a spring in your step. 19 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,640 And it's certainly making me really, really happy. 20 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,000 I mean, look... 21 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,880 I can't actually imagine anything more beautiful than this. 22 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,840 A landscape full of clues to how our lives 23 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,080 were shaped from the ideas of antiquity and the medieval world. 24 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:22,240 Across the globe... 25 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:25,960 ..archaeologists are uncovering secrets... 26 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,840 It's remarkable! 27 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,320 ..in the most stunning places... 28 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:36,160 We have a very, very lively history here. 29 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,880 ..revealing fascinating connections between past and present. 30 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:41,760 So these are fresh out of the earth? 31 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,120 Yeah, they are fresh out of the earth. 32 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:48,680 I'm crossing between continents and travelling through time 33 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:54,600 on an epic adventure to unearth our ancient origins... 34 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:55,920 Hello. 35 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,200 Well, that's a pretty timeless experience. 36 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:05,080 ..and rediscover long lost stories that still impact our lives today. 37 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,920 I've got access to the very latest discoveries 38 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,920 to piece together the truth of lost worlds. 39 00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:14,520 You just stepped back to the time of King Midas. 40 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:15,680 It's just so beautiful. 41 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,160 Anatolia - 42 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,120 ancient Asia Minor - 43 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,720 has left its mark on every era of human history, 44 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,320 from antiquity to the modern world. 45 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:47,080 I'm setting out to investigate how cultures connected here, 46 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,960 changing history and laying the foundations of today. 47 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:56,640 Now I'm heading west to one of the greatest sites in Turkiye. 48 00:02:56,640 --> 00:02:59,280 It's the ancient city of Ephesus. 49 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:09,800 Ephesus is just inland from Turkiye's western coast, 50 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,000 with roots 6,000 years deep... 51 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,680 ..a magnet for travellers of all kinds 52 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:18,960 and a creative hub for millennia. 53 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,720 Ancient authors heaped their praise on this place. 54 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,000 They described it as the greatest market 55 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,480 this side of the Taurus Mountains, 56 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:33,240 and somebody said this place was the light of Asia. 57 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,600 But I'm on a mission to discover 58 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,800 what that meant to the people who actually lived here. 59 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,200 A multicultural metropolis. 60 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,040 To understand how Ephesus became such a major city, 61 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,400 I'm exploring right at the edge of the site. 62 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:54,200 When you come up here, 63 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:58,920 you get a sense of how massive this city was. 64 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:03,280 At its height, between 200,000 and 300,000 people lived here. 65 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,440 But the big surprise about this place 66 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,480 is that main street down there is called Harbour Street. 67 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,080 And that really is the secret to Ephesus' success, 68 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:20,960 because that led down to a massive commercial port here. 69 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:22,840 And you can't see it now, 70 00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:25,120 because back in antiquity, 71 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:26,960 the sea came right up here. 72 00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:34,600 Archaeologists have found evidence of warehouses 73 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,000 lining this commercial port 74 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:38,880 and the shoreline, 75 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,840 gradually moving over three miles west 76 00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:44,040 as the ancient estuary silted up. 77 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:51,920 In its glory days, at the time of the Roman Empire, 78 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,080 money flooded into Ephesus. 79 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:59,400 Wealth that helped spark an awe-inspiring cultural flourishing. 80 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:07,080 If you know where to look, 81 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,680 there's evidence of the arts not just for public 82 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:11,400 but private enjoyment... 83 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:16,680 ..in Ephesus' incredibly preserved homes. 84 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:24,600 These are the houses that belonged to people 85 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:26,640 who were doing really, really well in life. 86 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,840 And what's fascinating is that they cover their walls 87 00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:32,960 with images of arts, and music and culture. 88 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,560 And I just had...I had to show you this. 89 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:39,520 I just think it's completely adorable. 90 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:43,080 So, this is a hugely magnified image 91 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,680 that was found on a tiny, tiny ring right here. 92 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:51,960 And it shows a little mouse playing a flute. 93 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:52,920 Just divine. 94 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,440 Frescoes of the muses in this house 95 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:01,760 are a clue to one of Ephesus' passions, 96 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:02,480 music. 97 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,240 Here, rare evidence is emerging 98 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,640 about what the people of antiquity actually listened to. 99 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:14,360 There's been an astonishing discovery close to here as well, 100 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:15,920 about 30 miles away. 101 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:17,760 It's inscribed on marble, 102 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,160 and it's the world's oldest 103 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:23,080 complete musical composition, 104 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:27,680 with notation, and melody and lyrics. 105 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,320 The musical fragment has been reconstructed 106 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,560 by archaeologists of sound, 107 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,760 giving us a rare opportunity to travel through time 108 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:41,280 to experience the same sounds in the same places as the ancients. 109 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,800 So we know what the people who were living here 110 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:50,000 would've been listening as they went about their daily lives. 111 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:51,520 And I've got it on here, 112 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:53,920 so I'm just going to have a listen as I walk around. 113 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:55,520 STRINGED INSTRUMENT PLUCKS 114 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:00,960 SINGING IN OTHER LANGUAGE 115 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,680 I should just explain what the lyrics are. 116 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,520 So, they're really poignant. 117 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:31,080 So, the words are saying, 118 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:35,000 "While you're in this world, shine brightly. 119 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:38,000 "Make your mark. Don't be full of sorrow. 120 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,040 "Because our time is limited, 121 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,320 "and death will take its due." 122 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:44,960 SINGING CONTINUES 123 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:03,640 And on my travels here, 124 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,960 I'm lucky enough to stay with a very musical family. 125 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,240 I've just found out that the son of the house 126 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,440 where I'm staying is actually inspired 127 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:16,480 by that music and the musical instruments 128 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:18,760 that were used thousands of years ago 129 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,120 to compose his own music. 130 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:22,920 And that's what you're listening to now. 131 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:24,120 WOODWIND PLAYS 132 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:30,840 A son of Ephesus, who grew up right by this enchanting city, 133 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,400 inspired by the ancients before him. 134 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:48,320 Next morning, 135 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,760 it's time to hit the road again, 136 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:54,240 heading due east to the magical region of Cappadocia. 137 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:05,640 I want to find how the incredible landscape 138 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,480 fostered connections between different cultures, 139 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:10,680 even in extreme environments. 140 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:16,080 This region's always been a borderland, 141 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,760 and although this incredible, unique, 142 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,200 beautiful, otherworldly landscape 143 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,480 can seem a little austere... 144 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:27,920 ..in fact, for centuries, 145 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,600 it's provided people with refuge and abundance. 146 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:39,960 Humans arrived here back in prehistoric times. 147 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,760 For the last 3,000 years, 148 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:49,160 locals have literally carved out an existence. 149 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:51,600 Citadels high in the rock 150 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:53,800 and subterranean cities. 151 00:09:55,680 --> 00:09:58,520 There's really fascinating recent research 152 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,000 that suggests that the name Cappadocia 153 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,000 actually comes from that really ancient Hittite language, 154 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,600 and the word "Katapeda", 155 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:09,160 which literally means, "the place below". 156 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:10,920 Which makes total sense 157 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,720 when you see there are just caves everywhere here. 158 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:19,600 And my exploration is taking me underground 159 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:23,400 to find buried secrets that lie hidden in these rocks. 160 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:37,320 Throughout history, 161 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:40,200 travellers have come to Cappadocia to take refuge 162 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:43,120 from the temptations of the worldly realm, 163 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:47,520 like hermits living isolated in their hermitages. 164 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:54,560 Today, these amazing rock formations 165 00:10:54,560 --> 00:10:57,920 are often called fairy chimneys. 166 00:10:57,920 --> 00:10:59,640 And you can just imagine, can't you, 167 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:04,120 how over the centuries, they gave a kind of mystical, 168 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:08,560 spiritual inspiration to all those hermits and ascetics here. 169 00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:14,960 Hi. Hi. 170 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:16,160 SHE SPEAKS TURKISH 171 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:17,800 Is it OK to...? 172 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:19,000 SHE SPEAKS TURKISH 173 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,880 SHE SPEAKS TURKISH 174 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:26,080 This rock, 175 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:28,800 which sits in an ancient vineyard, 176 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:30,520 hides a secret. 177 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:32,800 Nicknamed, fittingly, 178 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:34,480 the Grape Church. 179 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,840 The colours here are just astonishing, aren't they? 180 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:42,080 Look here. 181 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,800 Those are the grapes up there on the top... 182 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,200 ..as well as these kind of official figures. 183 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:52,680 Because some of these are a bit time worn 184 00:11:52,680 --> 00:11:54,280 you've got to scan. 185 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:56,040 It will make it much easier to read. 186 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:04,000 The scans reveal secrets of the Grape Church. 187 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:08,960 Like these carvings. 188 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,240 It's very, very naughty, obviously, 189 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:13,680 because this is graffiti. 190 00:12:13,680 --> 00:12:16,920 But these little images and the names have been left 191 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:20,360 by all the pilgrims who've come here over the centuries. 192 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,600 The carvings are a clue to the many generations of pilgrims 193 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,120 who came here to pay their respects 194 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,000 to one man who worshipped in this tiny church... 195 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:38,520 ..Saint Niketas, 196 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:42,760 who lived somewhere slightly unexpected. 197 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:49,560 So, the church is carved out of this single rock. 198 00:12:49,560 --> 00:12:53,400 And Saint Niketas actually lived in a cell 199 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,200 that was hollowed out right at the top there 200 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:56,720 for all of his life. 201 00:12:56,720 --> 00:13:00,000 So he was one of the very first hermits in his hermitage. 202 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:04,760 I noticed the outside steps have been badly eroded 203 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:06,120 over the centuries, 204 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,800 so now it's almost impossible to access. 205 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:13,080 However, we have a drone team, and they are going to help us out. 206 00:13:15,680 --> 00:13:18,560 Our research drone has special permission 207 00:13:18,560 --> 00:13:22,480 to become the first visitor to the hermit's house in a very long time. 208 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:27,200 Anyway you can tilt up? 209 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,680 Because you see the cross on the roof. 210 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:37,760 It was a transcendent but tough existence 211 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:39,160 for the 10th century hermit. 212 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,120 There's a light dusting of snow today, 213 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:48,000 but it can get really cold here in the winter. 214 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,080 Imagine living inside there. 215 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:52,920 That shows endurance. SHE CHUCKLES 216 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:56,920 And then my team and I spot a flash of evidence 217 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:00,040 connecting us directly to Niketas. 218 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,880 I think I saw a bit of painting. 219 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:04,440 It's more of a drawing than a painting, 220 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:06,400 but if you just pan left. 221 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:08,000 Pan left. Pan left. 222 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,920 You see it now? Oh, yeah. Yeah. There, there, there. 223 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:17,800 The red drawing is mysterious. 224 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,120 Maybe we're the first to witness it in centuries. 225 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:26,360 Perhaps the remains of a religious symbol 226 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:30,600 inspired by the spiritual experience of living on this rock. 227 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:44,120 But it wasn't just lone monks in Cappadocia's unique landscape. 228 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:48,800 I'm heading 30 miles south to the remote village of Gumusluk, 229 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:53,520 where the ascetic life could have been a communal experience. 230 00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:00,040 In 1962, an even more impressive hidden gem 231 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,600 was rediscovered deep in the bedrock. 232 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:08,120 Originally built in the 10th century, 233 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:12,360 this remarkable place has long been believed to be a monastery. 234 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,720 It's honeycombed with caves, 235 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:21,560 presumably cells for a whole congregation of monks. 236 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:29,560 Incredibly, this square courtyard 237 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:33,240 was carved 15m deep 238 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:35,440 in a volcanic, rocky outcrop. 239 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:50,960 Hidden inside the complex is a chapel, 240 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,160 covered in sacred imagery. 241 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:58,480 It's just astonishing, isn't it? 242 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:02,800 This was all created sometime in the 11th century. 243 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:05,320 So it's almost all 1,000 years old. 244 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:11,400 Up until the 1960s, 245 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:13,760 this was covered in soot black 246 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:17,040 because of all the lamps that had been burnt here down the centuries. 247 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:18,800 And bit by bit, 248 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,080 these beautiful paintings are being restored. 249 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:26,440 So you can see up at the top, that's Mary, 250 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:29,480 the Virgin Mary in the middle. 251 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:31,840 And then that's Saint Basil. 252 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:35,880 And Saint Basil was really crucial in promoting the idea of monasticism 253 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,320 as something that lots of people could do together. 254 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:42,680 Many of these paintings are of locals 255 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:48,000 who had a big impact on the wider medieval world... 256 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:51,680 ..including one much beloved saint. 257 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:56,360 I've just got to show you the man on my right, 258 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:58,000 with this lovely red cloak, 259 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:00,280 with a white trim and a long white beard. 260 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:02,040 He's Saint Nicholas, 261 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:06,280 who, of course, is also known as Santa Claus or Father Christmas. 262 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:15,400 I discover the complex is covered in art. 263 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,280 There's something really surprising up here. 264 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:23,560 I've been told there's evidence that points 265 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:28,000 to a very different interpretation of this rock cut building. 266 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,440 This could change everything, 267 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,680 because what you're looking at here aren't religious paintings. 268 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,720 They're actually an illustration of Aesop's fables. 269 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,120 Aesop was that very famous ancient author, 270 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:52,000 who lived around 2,600 years ago, 271 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:55,920 whose morality tales are still really popular today. 272 00:17:55,920 --> 00:18:00,960 So, for instance, you've got a lion who goes hunting with an ass. 273 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:04,760 And the moral of that story is, never go hunting with a lion, 274 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:08,640 because the lion will always get the lion's share. 275 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:11,120 There's a goat up here just 276 00:18:11,120 --> 00:18:14,240 starting to nibble at vine leaves, 277 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:16,960 grapes again, featuring, obviously. 278 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:18,720 And the vine speaks and says, 279 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,120 "I will get my revenge when you are sacrificed 280 00:18:21,120 --> 00:18:25,040 "and wine is drunk at the time that you are eaten!" 281 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:27,400 And then just over here, it's very eroded, 282 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:31,920 but it could be that it's telling the story of the fox and the grapes. 283 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:36,440 So, a fox was reaching up to eat a lovely plump bunch of grapes 284 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:38,760 and couldn't quite get it and goes, 285 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,120 "I don't want to have those anyway." 286 00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:43,440 And that is where we get the phrase "sour grapes" from. 287 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,120 I love the fact that grapes appear again. 288 00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:54,840 They seem to play such an important role in the Cappadocian imagination. 289 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:57,840 What are they - 290 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,640 and these secular story frescoes - 291 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,000 doing here in a monastery? 292 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:09,320 Some have begun to wonder if this may not be a home for monks at all. 293 00:19:13,120 --> 00:19:17,600 So there's a chance that this is actually one massive, 294 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:19,960 wealthy merchant's house, 295 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:22,640 and he stood here at his balcony checking out on his business 296 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:23,800 going on down below. 297 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,640 Archaeology often teaches us 298 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:31,120 that the most obvious conclusion may not be right. 299 00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:35,360 A little more digging can reveal a whole new story. 300 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:50,840 To fully immerse in Cappadocia, 301 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:53,400 I'm staying in a cave myself, 302 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,000 but this one, a charming hotel. 303 00:20:00,120 --> 00:20:03,040 Meeting up with local friends to explore 304 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:06,160 how this region has evolved hand in hand with nature 305 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:09,280 and impacted the wider world. 306 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:10,400 Lovely. 307 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:15,240 That is a welcoming. That is really delicious. 308 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,800 Cos they've been producing and 309 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,080 trading wine from here for centuries. 310 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:24,000 Probably more than 3,000 years. 311 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,440 Even our word, "wine", 312 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,120 can be traced back to "wiyana", 313 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:33,040 a word used by the Bronze Age rulers of Anatolia, the Hittites. 314 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,400 They record wine in their tablets, 315 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:36,920 and there are lovely pictures of them, 316 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,720 of the kings and the queens drinking wine, aren't there? 317 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,080 Common saying among locals is that 318 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:46,640 the harder that the vine roots try to reach for water 319 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:49,280 under the poorest volcanic soil, 320 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,080 the tastier the grapes get. 321 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:52,600 Ah-ha! 322 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:56,480 We have the grape, which doesn't require that much water, 323 00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:01,440 and we have people who don't really need more than what they have. 324 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,800 That's a lesson we've got to remember. 325 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,720 Jan here told me that I'd like you and your place. 326 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,600 It's so beautiful. Thank you. Thank you. 327 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:21,120 It's time to leave Cappadocia 328 00:21:21,120 --> 00:21:25,000 and travel 500 miles across this vast country. 329 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,640 Now we're heading out to the very eastern edge of Anatolia, 330 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:36,120 right across the country, to Kars province, 331 00:21:36,120 --> 00:21:39,000 which has some astonishing revelations. 332 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,560 Here, geography has shaped history, 333 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:51,800 where the mountains of the Caucasus meet the high plateau of Anatolia. 334 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:58,480 In winter, the temperature can plunge to -40. 335 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:05,640 Lake Cildir sits almost 2,000m above sea level. 336 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:08,720 One of the great high altitude lakes of Anatolia. 337 00:22:13,120 --> 00:22:17,160 This lake's completely frozen in the winter, 338 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:20,040 and these guys are going to help me get across it. 339 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:22,960 It's the safest and fastest way. 340 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,800 Its local people, and their treasured horses, 341 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,760 have thrived for centuries on the icy shores of Cildir... 342 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:36,000 ..making a living helping traders and travellers cross each year. 343 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:41,160 I've never been on a frozen lake before. 344 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,440 It's so exciting to do it with these guys, 345 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:44,800 with their horses, 346 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:48,120 cos this is how it's been happening for not just centuries, 347 00:22:48,120 --> 00:22:49,520 but thousands of years here. 348 00:22:52,120 --> 00:22:54,840 It's thrilling to find they're still at it, 349 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:56,760 running visitors to the far shore. 350 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:01,840 SHE SPEAKS TURKISH 351 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:04,800 I'm Bettany. Bettany. How are you? My name is Barratt. Barratt! 352 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:07,280 Lovely to meet you. What's the name of your horse? 353 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:09,000 Niko. Niko. Beautiful. 354 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:10,320 Is it OK to get in? 355 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:12,720 OK. OK. 356 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:15,040 For me? Yes. 357 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,080 He's right as well. 358 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,120 Beautiful. Not warm today. 359 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:21,280 OK. 360 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:22,560 SHE SPEAKS TURKISH 361 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:24,280 OK, here? Thank you. 362 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,680 Horses have always been a part of Anatolian culture, 363 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:47,600 and Turkic tribes came here by horse from the steppes, 364 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:51,120 and then used the horses to trade goods, and actually, to sell them. 365 00:23:51,120 --> 00:23:55,000 Using them both as transport and as highly prized trade goods... 366 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:58,600 ..they've been long loved. 367 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,640 Travellers from Central Asia were some of the very first 368 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:06,680 to domesticate the ancestors of all modern horses in around 2000 BCE. 369 00:24:08,120 --> 00:24:10,560 They believed these glorious creatures 370 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:13,280 were descended from the sky. 371 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:15,560 They could be buried with the highest honours, 372 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:17,760 sometimes alongside their owners. 373 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:26,720 Lake Cildir is about 12 miles at its widest... 374 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:31,120 ..a chilling 42m deep, 375 00:24:31,120 --> 00:24:34,360 and in winter, the ice is half a metre thick. 376 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:39,440 When it's frozen, it takes a quarter of the time to cross 377 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:40,720 than it does in the summer. 378 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:44,920 A vital passage for the technology, 379 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,440 knowledge, raw materials and luxuries 380 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:50,600 transported on the Silk Roads. 381 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:52,880 People have been trading across here 382 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,160 for at least 1,000 years, 383 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:57,960 just like this. 384 00:24:57,960 --> 00:24:59,320 And you know what? 385 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:02,720 Travelling in conditions like this gives me massive respect for them. 386 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:11,240 My destination is a very special city on those ancient silk roads. 387 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,160 A place packed with hidden secrets. 388 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:27,760 About 50 miles south of Lake Cildir, 389 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:32,600 on a volcanic plateau is the beautiful, 390 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:38,920 desolate city of Ani, a rich tapestry of cultures. 391 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:46,640 It's just incredible to think of all the people 392 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:48,720 who've been here since prehistory. 393 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:53,120 So, Alexander the Great's soldiers came here, 394 00:25:53,120 --> 00:25:56,880 and invaders from the Far East, including the Mongols. 395 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:03,400 This ancient city, first mentioned in the fifth century, 396 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:07,080 flowered under the Bagratuni Kingdom of Armenia. 397 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,200 150 years later, 398 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:13,960 an influx of new people would change the course of Anatolian history. 399 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:17,560 The Seljuks, the first Turkic populations 400 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:20,440 to arrive here from Central Asia. 401 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:23,920 They brought their art and culture. 402 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:25,440 At its height, 403 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:29,840 there could have been as many as 100,000 people in this city. 404 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:33,720 And where I'm walking right now is just one of the many bazaars. 405 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:36,480 This is the Seljuk Bazaar. 406 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:41,440 Isn't it a buzz imagining them coming here on their camels, 407 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:45,360 bringing goods from all points of the compass, 408 00:26:45,360 --> 00:26:48,600 trading beautiful things and beautiful ideas? 409 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:54,760 A thousand years ago, 410 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:59,480 Ani had a privileged position on the world's trading superhighway. 411 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,040 We're in Anatolia now. 412 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:08,600 This is where the Caucasus and Central Asia met Anatolia. 413 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:15,200 Ancient trade in silk from China and ceramics 414 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:19,160 and gemstones from Central Asia pass through here 415 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:22,920 bound for the markets of Persia and the Mediterranean. 416 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,800 Because of that, this was one of the richest cities at the time. 417 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,240 And it's this ghost town now, but it's seen so much history, 418 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:33,320 so much wealth and so much interchange 419 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:36,280 of people and ideas. 420 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:38,160 So it's lovely coming here 421 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:40,960 and listening to the voices of the past talking to us here. 422 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:51,880 The merchants of Ani grew rich from the Silk Roads trade, 423 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:54,640 and the evidence still litters the landscape. 424 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:07,680 You can just imagine the wealth that originally built this place. 425 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,920 It would have been like a jewel box of colours. 426 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:17,080 Tigran Honents was a 13th century Georgian merchant 427 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:21,320 who spent part of his fortune on this incredible building. 428 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:26,080 And I love the fact that the man who's given his name 429 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:29,400 to this is actually here. He's in the church up at the top. 430 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:32,440 He's giving a little miniature of the building 431 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:34,280 that he sponsored to the bishop. 432 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:39,960 Nobody lives here now, 433 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:43,360 but you've got all these people who had these flourishing lives 434 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:46,640 and were incredibly proud of what they've achieved. 435 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:49,680 I love it when they leave us these little clues to their lives, 436 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:52,960 like dropping breadcrumbs from the past for us to follow. 437 00:28:55,760 --> 00:29:00,320 There's not just churches in Ani, but many mosques. 438 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:03,160 Even the remains of a Zoroastrian fire temple 439 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:05,480 have recently been found. 440 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:07,920 At its very best, this was a place 441 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:11,360 where cultures came together and collaborated. 442 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,240 Traders and travellers. 443 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:17,000 Art and architecture. 444 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:20,520 Literature and ideas met and mingled here. 445 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:24,800 Ani thrived despite many challenges. 446 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:30,240 This exposed plateau of ancient pumice and ash 447 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:33,400 offered little respite from baking summers, 448 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:36,600 freezing winters and invading armies. 449 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:40,920 But one local is keen to show me secrets of the site... 450 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:42,520 Hello! 451 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:47,640 ..revealing ways the people here survived over the centuries. 452 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:50,160 Thank you. 453 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:52,520 It's OK. Yes. Yeah, I'd love it. I'll follow you. 454 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:54,960 I'll follow you. You know the way. Yes, yes. 455 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:01,400 I've just been told to hari, hari, go, go, 456 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,280 with my new friend, Kinan, who's taking us 457 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:06,680 to some new archaeological discoveries. 458 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:14,320 Oh, it's so unspoilt here. So stunning. 459 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:18,720 And then a reminder that he's not the only one who knows these wilds. 460 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:20,920 What are these tracks here? Big tracks. 461 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:29,880 A wolf? Big wolf? Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes. 462 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:33,800 Delighted I'm with someone who's been living here all his life. 463 00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:35,160 That's cool though, wolf. 464 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:43,240 Eventually we see signs of what Kinan wants to show me. 465 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:48,680 These ones with the little holes? Pigeons? 466 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:52,160 You keep on seeing these little kind of rock dovecots. 467 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:53,680 Well, I think they kept pigeons. 468 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:58,920 Kinan was actually born in one of these caves. 469 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:02,280 His family lived here for over 500 years 470 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:04,560 until as recently as 1957. 471 00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:09,640 Sharing the knowledge of secret locations 472 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:11,400 one generation to another. 473 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:15,240 He even shows me the tomb 474 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:17,640 of our church building friend, Tigran Honents. 475 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:25,720 But the place Kinan's most excited about is something unexpected. 476 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:28,320 I've never seen anything quite like it. 477 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:44,960 Aha! So there were camels in there? 478 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:53,840 You can see all these caves there. 479 00:32:03,760 --> 00:32:05,880 So what you've got up there 480 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:08,720 is places where the merchants would come and stay. 481 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:11,080 They'd bring their huge, huge, huge camel trains 482 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,440 with all their goods, all their merchandise, 483 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:16,160 and the camels would be kept in the middle in the courtyard, 484 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:19,040 and the merchants would sleep on top. 485 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:20,320 So awesome! 486 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:29,040 So below the monumental city of Ani 487 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:33,720 is a whole other huge metropolis deep underground, 488 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,960 a shadow city where the people of Ani 489 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:41,240 and visiting merchants and their animals could take refuge. 490 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:45,640 Because it's all volcanic around here, 491 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:48,000 you've got this pumice falling away. 492 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:51,120 So that's why we keep on finding these new, 493 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:54,000 astonishing archaeological discoveries. 494 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:56,560 They're literally revealing themselves in the rock. 495 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:05,040 The ruins at Ani, 496 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:09,920 once the richest city in the region, speak to its turbulent history. 497 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:13,280 Devastated by a Mongol invasion in 1236, 498 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:16,880 rocked by a series of earthquakes. 499 00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:21,640 But despite the challenges, it remained a beacon of the value 500 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:26,080 of cultural coexistence right up until the 18th century. 501 00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:28,440 Now a ghost town 502 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:32,200 that holds rich clues to the lost worlds of the past. 503 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:43,600 I'm on the move again, leaving the wonders of Ani behind. 504 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:47,920 Following the Silk Road trail, 505 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:51,520 in the footsteps of generations of merchants. 506 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:59,800 And a chance to take one of the most stunning train journeys 507 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:00,920 in the world. 508 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:07,440 It's just so beautiful. 509 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:18,800 The Dogu Express takes me across the epic snowy steppe. 510 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:25,400 This journey's really making me imagine all those travellers 511 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:29,800 and traders who did this exact route thousands of years ago 512 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:33,280 on the ancient silk roads, on horseback and camel. 513 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:39,760 It passes through some of the most historic towns, 514 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:42,400 cities and landscapes of central Anatolia. 515 00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:49,440 Eight hours into our journey 516 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:54,120 and we enter Sivas province in central eastern Turkiye, 517 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:57,680 famous for its high sided cliffs and deep valleys. 518 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:02,520 Bearing witness to the magnificence of the Seljuk Turks. 519 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:05,920 What a way to explore the rich past of this amazing land. 520 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:11,240 The other thing I love about long rail journeys 521 00:35:11,240 --> 00:35:13,840 is making friends with fellow passengers 522 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:15,240 and rail staff. 523 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:19,160 The most beautiful thing has just happened. 524 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:22,200 I was sitting here and talking about how I love Turkish cheese 525 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:23,960 and Turkish honey, 526 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:26,600 and the guards heard and they've ordered ahead. 527 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:29,080 Is this it? 528 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:31,480 That is beautiful. 529 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:36,400 That is service. 530 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:40,720 So they've just brought this in from one of the local stations. 531 00:35:40,720 --> 00:35:43,160 Honey's called bal in Turkish. 532 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:45,720 And if somebody's bali, it means that they're lucky. 533 00:35:45,720 --> 00:35:48,200 They're kind of literally with honey. 534 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:51,320 So it's a really beautiful gift to give. 535 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:54,680 Isn't that amazing hospitality on this extraordinary journey? 536 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:03,400 There's nothing quite like the spontaneous sense of community 537 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:04,680 as the miles roll by. 538 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:10,480 Even a surprise boogie in the buffet. 539 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:26,840 Nestled in the mountains of Sivas province 540 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:30,840 is the historic town of Divrigi. 541 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:34,920 The remains of a 13th century castle dominate the skyline, 542 00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:40,680 overlooked by a craggy ridge packed with hidden caves. 543 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:43,240 This area is known for iron ore deposits, 544 00:36:43,240 --> 00:36:45,240 first mined by the Hittites, 545 00:36:45,240 --> 00:36:49,120 who ruled a mighty Anatolian empire over three millennia ago. 546 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:58,040 Hello, beauty. Hello, beautiful. 547 00:36:58,040 --> 00:36:59,680 You're lovely! 548 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:03,160 Round here, there's this special breed of dog called Kangal, 549 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:05,520 named after the village they come from. 550 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:08,520 Oh, is that nice? Is that nice, lady? 551 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:12,080 Adult Kangals can reach well over 60kg. 552 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:16,080 They're bred to protect flocks from wolves and can be scary, 553 00:37:16,080 --> 00:37:19,280 but this girl is super friendly. 554 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:21,640 Kangals have actually become incredibly popular 555 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:24,480 all around the world now, but this is where they come from. 556 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:26,920 Yeah, darling. 557 00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:29,480 My new young friend is most likely a mixed breed. 558 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:33,000 Thankfully a more manageable size than a full Kangal. 559 00:37:35,720 --> 00:37:38,320 At the town's heart is the Great Mosque. 560 00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:43,920 The first building in Turkiye to attain 561 00:37:43,920 --> 00:37:47,200 Unesco World Heritage status in 1985. 562 00:37:48,960 --> 00:37:52,320 Built back in the 13th century to celebrate 563 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:55,960 the pivotal Seljuk victory at the Battle of Manzikert 564 00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:58,000 150 years before, 565 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,760 securing their presence in Anatolia. 566 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:05,840 Constructed from local sandstone, tinged pink 567 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:08,360 by traces of iron ore, 568 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:13,280 its four monumental doorways covered in exquisite carvings, 569 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:16,640 incredibly featuring no repeating motifs 570 00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:19,000 or direct symmetry. 571 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:21,400 One of the guardians of the mosque has invited me 572 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:22,520 to take a look around. 573 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:29,200 Mustafa. Mustafa Bey. Bettany. Thank you. 574 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:31,440 It's so beautiful in here. 575 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:37,520 The interior is adorned with this stunning, 576 00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:39,960 delicately carved stone, mihrab, 577 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:41,640 indicating the direction of Mecca. 578 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:50,280 And the dome, decorated with vibrant red paint. 579 00:38:53,880 --> 00:38:56,240 From the mountains all around here. 580 00:38:56,240 --> 00:38:59,360 This is a unique architectural achievement, 581 00:38:59,360 --> 00:39:03,760 considered by some, the greatest masterpiece of Seljuk art, 582 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,440 a synthesis of styles from across Asia 583 00:39:06,440 --> 00:39:10,240 that would go on to influence later Islamic and Ottoman culture. 584 00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:17,960 The Great Mosque of Divrigi is spectacular, 585 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:21,560 and I'm so glad of the chance finally to visit. 586 00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:24,880 But there's more than meets the eye. 587 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:27,720 I must admit, there's a secret reason 588 00:39:27,720 --> 00:39:30,120 that I wanted to come here. 589 00:39:30,120 --> 00:39:34,520 It's a hidden gem, and the clue to the story 590 00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:37,560 is up there in this writing, this inscription. 591 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:40,160 It tells us that this was built 592 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:46,680 as a house of healing by a woman called Turan Malik. 593 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:50,400 And what's inside here is really, really, really special. 594 00:40:02,720 --> 00:40:05,640 I'm exploring a medieval jewel 595 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:08,040 nestled in the mountains of central Anatolia. 596 00:40:21,200 --> 00:40:24,480 I'm listening to this music because this is a hospital 597 00:40:24,480 --> 00:40:28,880 from the 13th century that records reveal treated both physical 598 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:31,840 and mental illness with music therapy. 599 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:41,080 That was so beautiful. Thank you. 600 00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:44,760 That was so beautiful. Amazing. 601 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:47,320 It's transported me. 602 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:50,440 It's absolutely spiritual and haunting 603 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:53,280 and I've never heard anything like that before. 604 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:55,480 It's just extraordinary. 605 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:03,560 The reason that was so exquisitely beautiful 606 00:41:03,560 --> 00:41:05,680 is because where I'm standing 607 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:11,000 is basically a massive acoustic sound stage, 608 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:13,920 brilliantly engineered, so that the bass 609 00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:17,920 and the treble are modulated and kind of bounce off one another. 610 00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:20,360 The asymmetric carved patterns 611 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:23,560 on the vaulted ceiling reflect different 612 00:41:23,560 --> 00:41:26,600 sound frequencies at different rates, 613 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:30,320 creating these incredible reverberations. 614 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:40,120 Turan Malik was one of a number of leading women 615 00:41:40,120 --> 00:41:44,120 who founded astounding homes of healing like this, 616 00:41:44,120 --> 00:41:46,920 where each room had a different acoustic 617 00:41:46,920 --> 00:41:50,320 depending on the needs of your condition. 618 00:41:50,320 --> 00:41:53,160 The idea was that the music, the singing, 619 00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:56,720 and the sound from a fountain that ran through the middle 620 00:41:56,720 --> 00:41:59,720 of the building would heal people in different ways. 621 00:41:59,720 --> 00:42:02,600 And that is just so brilliantly progressive, 622 00:42:02,600 --> 00:42:05,720 because it's only now that we're realising 623 00:42:05,720 --> 00:42:08,280 that art does heal us, 624 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:11,000 that harmony physically helps us. 625 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:18,160 And that was happening here 800 years ago. 626 00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:28,040 It's amazing to find such a priceless treasure 627 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:29,840 hidden in these hills. 628 00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:31,240 I'll be sad to leave it. 629 00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:41,440 I'm taking with me the sense that these wonders, 630 00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:43,560 far from being on the fringes, 631 00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:46,760 pulse with the lifeblood of our shared heritage. 632 00:42:50,480 --> 00:42:53,920 It's been the most incredible journey so far, 633 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:57,120 but now it's time for me to leave central 634 00:42:57,120 --> 00:43:00,680 and eastern Anatolia and head all the way west 635 00:43:00,680 --> 00:43:04,000 here to Istanbul, to the city that was once 636 00:43:04,000 --> 00:43:07,040 the imperial capital of the Ottoman Empire. 637 00:43:14,720 --> 00:43:17,000 It seems I've brought the snow with me. 638 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:19,200 A rare sight in this part of Turkey. 639 00:43:21,280 --> 00:43:22,960 Istanbul became the capital of 640 00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:25,400 the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. 641 00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:29,400 At the heart of the city, 642 00:43:29,400 --> 00:43:32,920 geographically and psychologically, are the waterways. 643 00:43:35,120 --> 00:43:37,960 One ancient author described the city 644 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:40,400 as being garlanded by waters, 645 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:43,840 and the very best way #to discover its historic secrets 646 00:43:43,840 --> 00:43:46,560 is to travel by boat. 647 00:43:46,560 --> 00:43:49,480 Around 50% of these buildings 648 00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:53,880 were actually funded by Ottoman women, 649 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:56,280 and like the House of Healing in Divrigi, 650 00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:59,800 many were focused on serving the public good, 651 00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:02,760 mosques, baths, schools and hospitals. 652 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:06,920 Throughout history, 653 00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:10,360 the Bosphorus has been one of the world's busiest waterways, 654 00:44:10,360 --> 00:44:13,600 ferries crisscrossing between Asia and Europe, 655 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:17,480 and commercial shipping coming and going between the Black Sea, 656 00:44:17,480 --> 00:44:19,000 the Mediterranean and beyond. 657 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:24,840 The waterfront of the Bosphorus is home to 658 00:44:24,840 --> 00:44:28,160 some of the prime real estate in Istanbul, 659 00:44:28,160 --> 00:44:30,520 and I'm lucky enough to get access to 660 00:44:30,520 --> 00:44:33,680 one of the greatest imperial palaces of Istanbul. 661 00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:42,440 Ciragan Palace was built in the 1860s for the Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz, 662 00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:46,800 serving as a waterside royal residence 663 00:44:46,800 --> 00:44:48,680 into the early 20th century. 664 00:44:51,160 --> 00:44:54,320 It was transformed in 1991 into a historic 665 00:44:54,320 --> 00:44:58,840 hotel with unforgettable views of 666 00:44:58,840 --> 00:45:02,680 the Bosphorus, which once inspired a famous author. 667 00:45:05,440 --> 00:45:07,040 I love the fact that Byron talked about it 668 00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:11,440 as being a thwarted kiss between two continents. 669 00:45:11,440 --> 00:45:14,760 Because I'm here in Europe and over there is Asia, 670 00:45:14,760 --> 00:45:17,680 and the only thing that connects us is this gorgeous, gorgeous waterway. 671 00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:24,200 From these grand palaces of the Bosphorus, 672 00:45:24,200 --> 00:45:25,880 the Ottoman elite administered their 673 00:45:25,880 --> 00:45:30,280 vast imperial territories in comfort and splendour. 674 00:45:32,440 --> 00:45:35,560 But pleasure wasn't the preserve of the elite. 675 00:45:40,720 --> 00:45:43,600 There's a lovely concept of Kaif, 676 00:45:43,600 --> 00:45:49,360 which means savouring life slowly, whatever the weather. 677 00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:55,760 Perfect for a warming cup of the local favourite... 678 00:45:55,760 --> 00:45:59,680 Thank you. ..hot, sweet salep. 679 00:46:09,200 --> 00:46:14,240 What an astonishing voyage of discovery this has been. 680 00:46:14,240 --> 00:46:17,440 And I think that's because this beautiful place 681 00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:20,640 doesn't just offer us a gateway through time. 682 00:46:20,640 --> 00:46:25,440 It directly connects the past to our present.