22nd International Symposium on Computer and Information Sciences	November 7-9, 2007
Middle East Technical University, Cultural and Convention Center, Ankara, Turkey

The Twenty Second International Symposium on Computer and Information Sciences (ISCIS) will be held on November 7-9, 2007 at the Cultural and Convention Center of Middle East Technical University. Ankara The city of Ankara located in the center of Anatolia on the eastern edge of the great, high Anatolian Plateau, at an altitude of 850 meters. It is the center of the province of the same name, which is a predominantly fertile wheat steppe-land with forested areas in its northeast region. Ankara's history goes back to the Bronze Age; Ankara first achieved prominance as a crossroads. Akuwash, the Hittite name for the city, was established over 3000 years ago at the intersection of 2 trade routes. The Phrygians moved in after the decline of the Hittite empire and then Alexander the Great arrived. Subsequently occupied by the Seleucids and the Galatians Ankyra became part of the Roman Empire in 25 BC. The Byzantines hung on to the city until 1071 AD when the Seljuk Turks rolled into town (renaming it Enguriye). The city's importance declined throughout the Ottoman period . The collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the birth of the Turkish Republic shook things up a little.Ataturk founded his provisional government here in 1920 .Ataturk chose it as the base from which to direct the War of Liberation. In consequence of its role in the war and its strategic position, it was declared the capital of the new Turkish Republic on the13th October,1923. We will be most glad to welcome you here in Ankara. Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Ä°stanbul. The city has a population (as of 2005) of 4,319,167 (Province 5,153,000), and a mean elevation of 850 m (2800 ft) Centrally located in Anatolia, Ankara is an important commercial and industrial city. It is the center of the Turkish Government, and houses all foreign embassies. It is an important crossroads of trade, strategically located at the center of Turkey's highway and rail network, and serves as the marketing center for the surrounding agricultural area. The city was famous for its long-haired goat and its prized wool (mohair), a unique breed of cat (Angora cat), white rabbits and their prized wool (Angora wool), pears, honey, and the region's muscat grapes. Ankara is about as European as Turkey gets. There are touches of the mystical east if you know where to look but the vast majority of the city is 20th century through and through. Ankara is a huge university town and you'll find the streets of Kizilay and the bars of Sakarya thronged with students for most of the year. Capital city status and the presence of language schools and the above mentioned universities has brought a sizeable ex pat community to Ankara and all this adds to the western feel of the place. All the wings of the military are based here and Saturday afternoon finds Genclik Park (fountains, funfair, boat rides) full of strolling conscripts in their various uniforms. A lot of foreigners are here on business but tourism is beginning to have an impact on various aspects of the city. Ankara is a reasonably convenient place to base yourself if you want to travel Anatolia, Cappadocia or the Black Sea coast and a growing number of tour operators and related service industries are catering to tourists. There is accommodation here at all levels, with prices pegged below those of Istanbul or the south coast, and the new bus station (ASTI) is probably the most useful transport hub in Turkey with services to just about anywhere that's feasible (The Lebanon is only 16 hours away if you're feeling adventurous). General Attractions Anitkabir is located on an imposing hill in the Anittepe quarter of the city stands the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of urkey. The Ankara Ethnography Museum (Etnografya Muzesi): There is a fine collection of folkloric as well as Seljuk- and Ottoman-era artifacts. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi): It is an old "bedesten" (covered bazaar) that has been beautifully restored and now houses a unique collection of Paleolithic, Neolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, and Roman works and showpiece Lydian treasures. The Cengelhan Rahmi M. Koc Museum (Cengelhan Rahmi M. Koc Muzesi): the Museum displays huge variety of exhibits on such diverse themes as Engineering, Road Transport, Scientific Instruments, Maritime, Medicine, and many others. The State Art and Sculpture Museum (The Painting and Sculpture Museum) (Resim-Heykel Müzesi): houses a rich collection of Turkish art from the late 19th century to the present day. The War of Independence Museum (Kurtulus Savasi Muzesi): It is what was originally the first parliament building of the Republic of Turkey. The TCDD Locomotive Museum: It is an open-air museum that traces the history of steam locomotion through the locomotives and artifacts on display. Archeological sites Ankara Citadel: The area around and inside the citadel, being the oldest part of Ankara, contains many fine examples of traditional architecture. Many restored traditional Turkish houses inside the citadel area have found new life as restaurants, serving local cuisine, music and of course, Raki. Roman Theatre: Roman statues that were found here are exhibited in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (see above). Temple of Augustus: It is important for the Monument Ancyranum, the sole surviving political testament of Augustus, detailing his achievements inscribed on its walls in Latin and Greek. In the fifth century the temple was converted into a church by the Byzantines. Roman Bath:This bath has all the typical features of a classical Roman bath: a frigidarium (cold room), tepidarium (cool room) and caldarium (hot room). The bath was built in the reign of Emperor Caracalla in 3rd century AD to honour the Asclepios, the God of Medicine. Today only the basement and first floors remain. Column of Julian: This column, in Ulus, was erected in 362, to commemorate a visit by the Roman Emperor Julian. It stands fifteen meters high and has a typical leaf decoration on the capital. Modern monuments Monument to a Secure, Confident Future: This monument, in Güvenpark, Bakanlıklar quarter, was erected in 1935 and bears Atatürk's advice to his people: "Turk! Be proud, work hard, and believe in yourself." Victory Monument (Zafer Anıtı): Erected in 1927 in Zafer Square in the Sıhhiye quarter, it depicts Atatürk in uniform. Hatti Monument: Built in the 1970's in Sıhhiye Square, this impressive monument symbolizes the Hatti gods and commemorates Anatolia's earliest known civilization. Mosque Kocatepe Mosque: This mosque was constructed in the late 20th century in accordance with classical Ottoman models, which emphasize the placement of four minarets. Its size and prominent location make it a landmark that can be seen from almost anywhere in central Ankara. Haci Bayram Mosque: This mosque, in Ulus quarter next to the Temple of Augustus, was built in the early 15th century in Seljuk style by an unknown architect. It was subsequently restored by architect Sinan in the 16th century, with Kütahya tiles being added in the 18th century. Parks Ankara has many parks and open spaces mainly established in the early years of the Republic and well maintained and expanded thereafter. The most important of these parks are: Gençlik Park (houses an amusement park with a large pond for rowing), the Botanical Garden, Seğmenler Park, Anayasa Park, Kuğulu Park (famous for the swans received as a gift from the Chinese government), Abdi Ipekci Park, Güven Park (see above for the monument), Kurtuluş Park (has an ice-skating rink), Altınpark (also a prominent exposition/fair area), Harikalar Diyari (claimed to be Biggest Park of Europe inside city borders), Göksu Park, Atatürk Farm and Zoo (Atatürk Orman Çiftliği, AOÇ). Shopping Foreign visitors to Ankara usually like to visit the old shops in Çıkrıkçılar Yokuşu (Weavers' road) near Ulus, where a myriad of things ranging from traditional fabrics, hand-woven carpets and leather products can be found for bargain prices. Bakırcılar Çarşısı (Bazaar of coppersmiths) is particularly popular, and many interesting items, not just of copper, can be found here like jewelry, carpets, costumes, antiques and embroidery. Up the hill to the castle gate, there are many shops selling a huge and fresh collection of spices, dried fruits, nuts, and other produce. Modern shopping areas are mostly found in Kızılay, or on Tunalı Hilmi Avenue, including the modern mall of Karum which is located to the end of the Avenue; and in the Atakule Tower in Çankaya. As Ankara started expanding westward in the 1970s, there are several modern, suburbia-style developments and mini-cities along the western highway, also known as Eskişehir road. The Armada mall on the highway, the Galleria in Ümitköy, and a huge mall in Bilkent Center offering North American and European style mall-shopping opportunities (These can be reached following the Eskişehir highway). There is also the newly expanded Ankamall on the outskirts following the Istanbul highway which houses most well-known European brands. This mall is the largest in the Ankara region. Cappadocia Turkey is a country rich in volcanic phenomena spread over wide areas. Whereas the volcanic arch of the Eolian islands is caused by subduction of the African below the Thyrrenean plate, in Turkey, the Arabian subducts below the Anatolian plate. As a result, a thousand-km long chain of andesitic volcanoes is strung through Anatolia plateau. In some places erosion has modelled volcanic deposits into phantastic sceneries. [1] The area is a famous and popular tourist destination, as it has several cone-shaped geological formations. It is southwest of the major city Kayseri, which has airline and railroad service to Ankara and Istanbul. After the eruption of Mt. Erciyes about 2000 years ago, the lava formed soft rocks in the Cappadocia Region. People of Goreme, at the heart of the Cappadocia Region, realized that these soft rocks could be easily carved out to form houses, churches, monasteries. Goreme became a monastic center between 300-1200 AD. First period settlement in Goreme reaches to the Roman period from Christianity. Yusuf Koc, Ortahane, Durmus Kadir and Bezirhane churches in Goreme, houses and churches carved into rocks till to Uzundere, Bagildere and Zemi Valley carries the mystical side of history today. The Goreme Open Air Museum is the most visited site of the monastic communities in Cappadocia and is one of the most famous sites in central Turkey. It is a complex comprising more than 30 rock-carved churches and chapels containing some superb frescoes, dating from the 9th to the 11th centuries. [2] References: [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappadocia [2] http://www.swisseduc.ch/stromboli/perm/turkey/index-en.html