Although most of the Büyük Kale site has been excavated, many of the older layers of development have been re-covered to protect them, so what you see today can be hard to decipher. This fortress held the royal palace and the Hittite state archives.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.92 MILES
Excellent information boards provide a thorough grounding in both Hittite history and culture while the pieces on display – all unearthed at Hattuşa –…
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0.61 MILES
Hattuşa's star attraction is this postern gate complex with an artificial mound pierced by a 70m-long tunnel. The Hittites built the tunnel using a…
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0.33 MILES
In the Bronze Age, the Hittite kingdom encompassed an area that stretched west to the Aegean Sea and south into Syria with its command centre here in the…
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1.01 MILES
Yazılıkaya means 'Inscribed Rock', and that's exactly what you'll find in these outdoor rock galleries, around 2km from Hattuşa. There are two galleries:…
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15.62 MILES
One of Turkey's most important Bronze Age sites (though settlement here actually stretches from the Chalcolithic through to the Iron Age), Alacahöyük's…
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0.33 MILES
This vast complex, dating from the 14th century BC and destroyed around 1200 BC, is the closest archaeological site to the entrance gate and the best…
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0.57 MILES
At Aslanlı Kapı, two stone lions (one rather poorly reconstructed) protect the city from evil spirits. This is one of at least six gates in Hattuşa's 4000…
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15.61 MILES
This little museum does a good job of explaining Alacahöyük's history and significance despite comprising only two rooms. One room is dedicated to small…
Nearby Central Anatolia attractions
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Immediately opposite Nişantaş, a path leads up to the excavated Güney Kale with a fine (fenced-off) hieroglyphics chamber with human figure reliefs.
0.17 MILES
At Nişantaş a rock with a faintly visible Hittite inscription cut into it narrates the deeds of Suppiluliuma II (1215–1200 BC), the final Hittite king.
0.25 MILES
About 250m south of the lower city and temple ruins the road forks; take the right fork and follow the winding road up the hillside. On your left in the…
0.33 MILES
This vast complex, dating from the 14th century BC and destroyed around 1200 BC, is the closest archaeological site to the entrance gate and the best…
0.33 MILES
In the Bronze Age, the Hittite kingdom encompassed an area that stretched west to the Aegean Sea and south into Syria with its command centre here in the…
0.44 MILES
Upon the top of this rock outcrop are the remains of the Yenıce Kale, which may have been a royal residence or small temple. You can climb to the summit…
0.45 MILES
Best viewed from atop the mound of Yer Kapı, Hattuşa's upper city temple district was once a grand centre of 24 temples dedicated to the Hittites' many…
0.46 MILES
As you climb out of Boğazkale to the site, an evocative reconstruction of a section of city wall comes into view allowing you a sense of what the…