Göbeklitepe or Göbekli Tepe (translates to “Potbelly Hill” in Turkish) is an archaeological site in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. Göbekli Tepe was initially identified as a prehistoric site in 1963 during a Turkish-American archaeological survey project, but Klaus Schmidt, a German archeologist, recognized its significance in 1994 and began excavations in 1995.
Göbekli Tepe was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018 and is considered one of the earliest human-made megaliths. Şanlıurfa is the nearest city with an airport (GNY) located within 30 miles from Göbekli Tepe with daily nonstop flights from Istanbul.
Göbekli Tepe’s unexplained facts
- Before the discovery of Göbekli Tepe, the Great Pyramids and Stonehenge were considered the earliest known structures in the ancient world that were built 6,500-7500 years ago.
- Göbekli Tepe is estimated to have been built around 12,000 years ago with 20 circles of tall rock pillars weighing up to 20 tons.
- Some of the T-shaped pillars are nearly 16 feet high and boast carved reliefs of foxes, bulls, boars, reptiles, scorpions, vultures and other creatures.
- 12,000 years ago, humans were not known to have developed pottery or domesticated any plants/animals for food.
- The tools that were available 12,000 years ago to carve the massive monoliths remains a mystery since the animal carvings display artistry and skill.
- As of 2024, only 10% of Göbekli Tepe has been excavated.
Award booking flights to Istanbul & Şanlıurfa Airport (GNY)
Aeroplan points can be used to book Turkish Airlines business class with a connection in Istanbul (see image below) and the option to pay 5K miles for a stopover.
Göbekli Tepe Accommodation
IHG
HILTON
Booking.com and other travel websites also offer a few accommodations near Göbekli Tepe (link).
Göbekli Tepe Tour
It is easy to organize a day tour (link) (link) with an English speaking tour guide with a private car from your Sanliurfa City hotel to explore Göbekli Tepe and other historic sites.
Conclusion
Göbekli Tepe is commonly explored by history lovers and archeologists. It is intriguing to see one of the oldest man-made structures in the world and can’t help but wonder how they moved these megaliths and what tools were used to carve the figures.