Iznik is a small town in northwestern Turkey, on the eastern shore of Lake Iznik. It is the modern successor of the important Byzantine city of Nicea (orNicaea), where the famous Council of Nicea was held in 325 AD.
History
Founded in the 4th century BC by the Macedonian king Antigonus I Monophthalmus, Nicea was an important centre in late Roman and Byzantine times.
In 325 AD, the great Council of Nicea was called by Constantine the Great, who had converted to Christianity a decade earlier and replaced official persecution of Christianity with official support. The Council of Nicea was the first ecumenical (worldwide) council of the church and the first of Seven Ecumenical Councils recognized by most Christian denominations as having doctrinal authority. Around 300 bishops from across the Christian world attended.
The main reason for the council was the dispute over Arianism, the doctrine that Christ was not equal with God but a lesser divine being, but the assembled bishops also dealt with the date of Easter and various matters of church administration. The Council was originally planned to be held in another city, but Constantine moved the location to Nicea because of its favorable weather and, most importantly, proximity to his palace in Nicomedia (modern Izmit).
Another important council was held at Nicea in 787 to deal with the iconoclastic controversy (the dispute over whether the use of icons was appropriate or constituted idolatry). This is known as the Second Council of Nicea and the Seventh Ecumenical Council. It concluded that icons were worthy of veneration but not worship, and restored their use in the Byzantine Empire.
The Seljuk Turks captured Nicea in 1081 and renamed it Iznik. It was recaptured by the Byzantines in 1097 during the First Crusade, under Emperor Alexius I Comnenus. After the Crusaders captured Constantinople in 1204, the "Empire of Nicea" was founded. It served as a political and cultural center for 50 years, from which a restored Byzantium arose under Michael VIII Palaeologus.
Nicea was besieged and conquered in 1331 by the Ottoman Turks, who built the Green Mosque (1378–91). Iznik's prosperity was damaged by the competing growth of nearbyIstanbul as an Ottoman centre after 1453, but revived in the 16th century with the introduction of faience pottery making. Iznik subsequently became famous for its magnificently beautiful "Iznik tiles," which decorate mosques and palaces throughout Turkey (see photos of the Blue Mosque as an example).
After the tile workshops were transferred to Istanbul c. 1700, Iznik began to decline. Its economy suffered a further blow with the construction of a major railway bypassing the town. Today, Iznik is a small market town and administrative centre for the surrounding district, with a population of about 15,000.
The Second Vatican Council in 1962 described Iznik as a third 'holy city' after Jerusalem and the Vatican for Christians.
In my opinion I understand friendships are more important than money. Therefore I have been prepearing these guest book since 1985. I know I could earn money whenever I want and I spend it quickly. But written on the guest books pages living with me when they will be lost. Until this time aproximately 3000 my guests who wrote their opinions in 22 guest books. All of them valuable treasure for me. Actually last in 5 and 6 years I have been using digital camera. This condition is being so easy my business. My guest don't merely write on book, also we take pictures so much and we immortalize these tours. Since I had come from Ankara to İstanbul I 'm always in debt. Because life is so heartless. Whenever you decide change your mind, expenses catch you somewhere. Because you're keeping stay in a life. Therefore I say money is necessary to life but not more important than friendships. Especially in my business as I met more 3000 people. But really honestly people. Therefore I want to feel so good during my tours, I enjoy and I share these beauties with my guests. Because it's so difficult be dependable as soon as you've just met someone. In addition I'm a cab driver. Everyone knows my business is not be intoduced every country. Beacuse my colleagues have so badly opinions. All of them don't speak any foreing language and earn much money. This condition still going on. But in 1990s, tourists had confined in us much more than this time. They showed me their wallets before got off a cab to take taximeter price. But now even you are working in hotel taxi stand, everyone looks taximeter. This situation understand and agree is making me so deject. What can I do something much more? This is our destiny. I want to try keep off me from those badly thoughts. Anyway, now I'm reading much more books history of Istanbul very deeply to sharing with you. It's more enjoyable. Because I'm in love İstanbul. Always I miss İstanbul whereever I go. Really magic and amazing city. According to me it's most beautiful city. I feel so proud of to telling beauties of İstanbul to my guests. See you soon... 
