Hattusa (Hattuşaş)

Central Anatolia, Turkey 1 tours visit here

Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite Empire, which dominated Anatolia and the Near East during the Late Bronze Age (roughly 1600-1200 BC). The ruined city stands beside the village of Boğazkale in Çorum province, on the high plateau of Central Anatolia, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The remains are spread across hills rather than compact, and a circuit takes in the Lower City with its Great Temple, the royal citadel of Büyükkale, and the Upper City, where many temple foundations lie among rock outcrops. The best-known monuments are the fortifications and their carved entrances, the Lion Gate, the King's Gate and the Sphinx Gate, along with the earthen rampart at Yerkapı, pierced by a stone tunnel that can still be walked. The cuneiform archives found here recorded Hittite law, ritual and diplomacy, including the treaty made with Egypt after the battle of Kadesh. Visits usually pair Hattusa with Yazılıkaya, the open-air rock sanctuary just outside the city, where processions of Hittite gods are carved into limestone. The site is normally toured by vehicle along a signposted loop, with short walks at each stop. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons at this altitude; winters are cold.