Archaeological Site of Ani
Known as the city of 1,001 churches, Ani tells the story of the evolution of medieval…
The sunken cities, ancient ruins, and megalithic structures of Türkiye
Home to 12,000-year-old Neolithic pillars, colossal Hellenistic statues, and rock-cut portraits of Hittite gods and goddesses, Türkiye is a melting pot of different cultures. Evocative places of power and wealth, myth and legend make it one of the most intriguing destinations for curious travelers hoping to embark on a journey through time.
A window to the past
Sitting within the Anatolian peninsula between two continents, a geography that was the source of Mesopotamia or “the birthplace of civilization”, Türkiye is grounded in millennia of rich and unique history. From the Hittites (1650-1200 BCE) to the Lycians (1250-546 BCE), Eastern Romans (Byzantium) (330-1453 AD) to the Ottomans (1299-1922 AD), it has witnessed the rise and fall of great empires, each one leaving behind clues to what life was like in ancient times.
Today, unearthed cities, grand amphitheaters, and rock-cut tombs are scattered across the country, reminding people of the story of their ancestors. So far, 19 of these historic landmarks have been recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and 84 remain to be reviewed.
Explore the historical heritage of Türkiye, and the sites that make it one of the best archaeological wonders in the world.
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Aphrodisias Archaeological Site and Museum
A marble city dedicated to the goddes…
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Archaeological Site of Troia
Immortalized by Homer in ‘The Iliad’, Troia is considered one of the most famous…
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Arslantepe Mound
In the Malatya plain stands the 30-metre-tall Arslantepe Mound, dating…
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Bursa and Cumalıkızık
Bursa and the nearby village of Cumalıkızık represent the creation of a…
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City of Safranbolu
A typical Ottoman city, Safranbolu served as a trading center between…
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Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape
The Diyarbakır Fortress has stood the…
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Ephesus
Situated in the coastal city of Izmir, Ephesus is the best-preserved and most-renowned…
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Göbeklitepe
The megalithic structures of Göbeklitepe are a nod to the Neolithic…
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Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği
The Great Mosque, Ulu Cami, and adjoining…
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Hattusha: The Hittite Capital
Some of the best-preserved ruins of this 4,000-year-old capital include the Great…
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Historic Areas of İstanbul
With over 2,000 years of political, religious, and art history, İstanbul has a rightful place…
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Nemrut Dağ
Crowning Mount Nemrut at 7,001 feet is the mausoleum (burial building) of…
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Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük
Dating back 9,000 years, the prehistoric site of Çatalhöyük is a testimony to societal…
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Pergamum
As the capital of the Attalid kingdom in the 4th century BCE, Pergamum was a major…
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Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex
With its single dome and four minarets, the…
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Xanthos-Letoon
Xanthos-Letoon is a remarkable archaeological complex, which served as…
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Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia
The Göreme National Park is a volcanic landscape, sculpted entirely by…
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Hierapolis-Pamukkale
The mineral-rich waters and terraced basins of Pamukkale have resulted in a white…
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Archaeological Site of Ani
Known as the city of 1,001 churches, Ani tells the story of the evolution of medieval architecture. As the capital of the Bagratuni kingdom during the 10th century, it was the first trading point of Silk Road in Anatolia.
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Aphrodisias Archaeological Site and Museum
A marble city dedicated to the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodisias is a part of the TurkAegean, dating back to about 7,000 years ago. Among the ancient ruins stands one of the best-preserved stadiums of this region.
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Archaeological Site of Troia
Immortalized by Homer in ‘The Iliad’, Troia is considered one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. Its extensive remains are the most significant evidence of the first contact between Anatolian and Mediterranean civilizations.
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Arslantepe Mound
In the Malatya plain stands the 30-metre-tall Arslantepe Mound, dating back to the 6th millennium BCE. Evidence of a State society has been unearthed, including a bureaucratic system that predates writing and the world’s oldest sword.
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Bursa and Cumalıkızık
Bursa and the nearby village of Cumalıkızık represent the creation of an urban and rural system, which was established to bring prosperity to the first capital city of the Ottoman Empire during the early 14th century.
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City of Safranbolu
A typical Ottoman city, Safranbolu served as a trading center between the East and Europe from the 11th century. As a result of this prosperity, the city underwent significant architectural development and social reform.
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Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape
The Diyarbakır Fortress has stood the test of time, from the Roman Empire through to the Ottoman Period. The site includes the İçkale (castle) within a 5.8 km-long wall, and the Hevsel Gardens, which linked the city to water from the Tigris River.
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Ephesus
Situated in the coastal city of İzmir, Ephesus is the best-preserved and most-renowned historical landmark in Türkiye. As the Roman capital of Anatolia in the 20s BCE, the site is home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – The Artemis Temple.
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Göbeklitepe
The megalithic structures of Göbeklitepe are a nod to the Neolithic age in which they were first erected – an incredible 12,000 years ago. As the earliest example of human ritual sites, they stand to disrupt everything we know about societal development.
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Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği
The Great Mosque, Ulu Cami, and adjoining hospital were built in 1228-1229, bearing the most exquisite stone carvings of the Anatolian Seljuk period. Inside, over 10,000 unique motifs decorate this otherwise unassuming building.
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Hattusha: The Hittite Capital
Some of the best-preserved ruins of this 4,000-year-old capital include the Great Temple, fortification system, and clay-cut cuneiform texts. Using a language deciphered around 100 years ago, these texts have been linked to state and spiritual practices.
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Historic Areas of İstanbul
With over 2,000 years of political, religious, and art history, İstanbul has a rightful place as Türkiye’s cultural capital. Today, visitors can take in the sights of imperial architecture through the centuries, including The Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque.
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Nemrut Dağı
Crowning Mount Nemrut at 7,001 feet is the mausoleum (burial building) of Antiochus I (69-34 BCE). Considered one of the most ambitious constructions of the Hellenistic period, the tomb sanctuary reflects the cult beliefs of its mixed origins.
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Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük
Dating back 9,000 years, the prehistoric site of Çatalhöyük is a testimony to societal development as humans transitioned from village to urban living. It features a unique layout of back-to-back houses within a streetless neighborhood.
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Pergamum
As the capital of the Attalid kingdom in the 4th century BCE, Pergamum was a major center of culture and education. Ruins of the second largest library in the ancient world and the legacy of Pergamene parchment paper still exist today.
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Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex
With its single dome and four minarets, the Selimiye Mosque dominates the skyline of Edirne, the former Ottoman capital. Inside, the İznik tiles and marble courtyard bear the legacy of Mimar Sinan, the most renowned architect of the 16th century.
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Xanthos-Letoon
Xanthos-Letoon is a remarkable archaeological complex, which served as the capital of Lycian civilization. Through epigraphic inscriptions, visitors are provided with an insight into the lives of ancient settlers and Lycian languages.
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Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia
The Göreme National Park is a volcanic landscape, sculpted entirely by erosion and famed for its pinnacle “fairy chimneys”. Visitors can tour the rock-hewn sanctuaries, cave dwellings, and troglodyte villages to get a feel of what 4th-century living was like.
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Hierapolis-Pamukkale
The mineral-rich waters and terraced basins of Pamukkale have resulted in a white-covered hillside, known as the ‘Cotton Palace’. Nearby, Pluto’s Gate, ancient Roman baths, and a large necropolis are among the remains of the thermal spa of Hierapolis.
With its towering pillars and blue-topped domes, Ulu Cami is Bursa’s most prominent landmark and an example of typical early Ottoman architecture. A popular tourist destination, it is not only recognized as a place of worship but as an unofficial “calligraphy museum” due to the 192 calligraphy works that adorn its walls.
Bursa: The birth of an empire
Start your journey in the north-western city of Bursa, a 2-hour drive from Türkiye’s main international airport in İstanbul. Comprised of eight components, this UNESCO site is considered the birth of the Ottoman Empire and the Sultan’s seat in the 14th century. It is also associated with the creation of the urban and rural system that would go on to inspire future Ottoman cities.
As the capital of the Ottoman Empire between 1335-1363, the city is still home to several public kulliyes (institutions), which include madrasas (schools), hammams (Turkish baths), imarets (public kitchens), and mosques – the most renowned of which is the Grand Mosque of Bursa, Ulu Cami.
With its towering pillars and blue-topped domes, Ulu Cami is Bursa’s most prominent landmark and an example of typical early Ottoman architecture. A popular tourist destination, it is not only recognized as a place of worship but as an unofficial “calligraphy museum” due to the 192 calligraphy works that adorn its walls.
In Xanthos, take in the remains of the central Acropolis before retracing the steps of Lycians in the old theater. While, in Letoon, follow the ancient path around three temples dedicated to Leto, Artemis, and Apollo to find your way to the ruins of a nymphaeum (shrine to the nymphs) and sacred spring.
Xanthos-Letoon: Remains of an ancient way of life
A domestic flight from İstanbul Airport will have you in Dalaman in just over an hour. From there, you can take a scenic 90-minute coastal drive to the archaeological complex of Xanthos-Letoon, soaking in the dramatic mountain views and electric blue waters as you go.
Made up of two neighboring settlements, Xanthos-Letoon bears testimony to ancient Lycian civilization, which was one of the most important cultures of the Iron Age in Anatolia. Through the longest Lycian inscription and the various examples of Lycian monumental funerary art, you can gain an insight into the lifestyle and language of people who roamed the land over 3,000 years ago.
In Xanthos, take in the remains of the central Acropolis before retracing the steps of Lycians in the old theater. While, in Letoon, follow the ancient path around three temples dedicated to Leto, Artemis, and Apollo to find your way to the ruins of a nymphaeum (shrine to the nymphs) and sacred spring.
And they are continuing to tell a new story almost every day. Newly found inscriptions are painting a clearer picture of what life was like for these early settlers, from the rituals they practiced to the land they cultivated. Visit from 10 am until 6 pm in the summer months (April-October) and until 4 pm in the winter (October-April)
GÖBEKLİTEPE: Human history rewritten
Fly 90 minutes direct from İstanbul to GAP Şanlıurfa Airport in south-eastern Türkiye and head to the upper Harran plateau, where you will find the earliest example of human settlement. Named Göbeklitepe, archaeologists have traced this site back to some 12,000 years ago, making it older than Stonehenge by 6,000 years, and predating the Pyramids of Giza by 7,000 years.
At first sight, Göbeklitepe may look like a series of T-shaped pillars carved into the mountainside, but these megalithic structures represent a paradigm shift in our understanding of human history and societal development. Thought to have been erected by hunter-gatherers in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic Age (10000-7000 BCE), they are a telltale sign of the most ancient farming communities in the world.
And they are continuing to tell a new story almost every day. Newly found inscriptions are painting a clearer picture of what life was like for these early settlers, from the rituals they practiced to the land they cultivated. Visit from 10 am until 6 pm in the summer months (April-October) and until 4 pm in the winter (October-April).
Türkiye has earned its reputation as the “cradle of civilizations”. With its prehistoric ruins and ancient cities, every corner of this land is a reminder of the great empires that once ruled. Recognized for their outstanding value to humanity by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, these landmarks will continue to be explored, and their legacies celebrated, for years to come.