Göbeklitepe, world's oldest temple, increasingly draws more attention

The inclusion of Göbeklitepe, the 'world's oldest temple' in southeastern Şanlıurfa province on UNESCO's World Heritage List has helped to attract more visitors. Göbeklitepe was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in June 2018. Mayor Zeynel Abidin Beyazgül said the third anniversary of the inclusion on the list coincides with the date when coronavirus restrictions will be lifted, Wednesday, and the number of domestic and foreign visitors will continue to increase. Şanlıurfa, which recently attracted the attention of the whole world with its deep-rooted history, tourism diversity and potential, is a city of history, archeology, and tourism, said Beyazgül. Expressing his satisfaction with rising interest in the region, Müslüm Çoban, the head of a regional chamber of tourist guides, said Göbeklitepe has become a hub for attraction. Now, many tourism agencies have started to come to Şanlıurfa just for Göbeklitepe. The famed ancient site was discovered in 1963 when researchers from Istanbul and Chicago universities were working at the site. In joint work at the site since 1995, the German Archaeological Institute and Şanlıurfa Museum found T-shaped obelisks from the Neolithic era towering three to six meters (10-20 feet) high and weighing 40-60 tons. During excavations, diverse 12,000-year-old artifacts such as human statuettes 65 centimeters (26 inches) high were also unearthed.

Göbeklitepe, world's oldest temple, increasingly draws more attention

The inclusion of Göbeklitepe, the "world's oldest temple" in southeastern Şanlıurfa province on UNESCO's World Heritage List has helped to attract more visitors.