Hattusha: the Hittite Capital

Hattusha was the capital city of the Hittite empire in central Anatolia during the late Bronze Age, notable for its fortified citadel, monumental gates and rock-cut ritual sites. The site preserves palace foundations, temple precincts and defensive architecture dating to the 2nd millennium BCE.

Visitors see remains of large public and religious buildings, stone fortifications including the Lion Gate, and nearby rock sanctuaries with carved reliefs. Yazılıkaya, adjacent to Hattusha, contains open-air rock reliefs used in Hittite religious ceremonies.

Hattusha rose to prominence as the Hittite political and ritual centre roughly between 1600 and 1200 BCE and was a seat of kings and administrative activity during the late Bronze Age. The city was abandoned following the collapse of Hittite political structures at the end of the Bronze Age and has been excavated and studied since the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The archaeological site lies on a rocky plateau near the modern village of Boğazkale in Çorum Province, Turkey, inland from the Black Sea region and reachable by road from regional centres such as Çorum and Yozgat.

• Yazılıkaya viewing: Yazılıkaya's open-air reliefs are exposed to the elements - visit in good weather to view the carved procession scenes without obstruction.
• Site logistics: The main archaeological remains are spread across an elevated plateau above the modern village of Boğazkale, so allow time for walking between sectors.

What to See #

• Great Temple and temple precinct: The Great Temple precinct - a series of monumental religious structures and temples within the fortified capital area of the Hittite state.
• Lion Gate and fortifications: The Lion Gate and city fortifications - carved stone gateways and defensive walls that mark the city's main approaches.
• Yazılıkaya rock sanctuary: The Yazılıkaya rock sanctuary adjacent to the city - an open-air carved rock sanctuary with procession reliefs important to Hittite ritual practice.