6 magical UNESCO sites of Turkey

Turkey has a rich cultural history; it can be felt throughout the country. With so many sites, it can be hard to choose which ones to visit. We’ve put together a list of the top 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites to visit.

Göreme National Park

Hot air balloon over rock formations in Cappadocia, Turkey

Göreme National Park is home to a troglodyte city that has stood since the fourth century. The honeycomb network of caves in the volcanic rock was carved by hand, but mother-nature lent a hand as well, eroding the rock with wind and water to form natural towers and chimneys. It became a popular escape for Christians from Rome, who carved entire monasteries underground, decorated with intricate frescoes, which visitors can now tour. The underground town has been astonishingly well preserved, and some of the cave dwellings still serve as homes and hotels today.

Hierapolis-Pamukkale

Hierapolis is known as the ‘Sacred City’. Built on a system of hot springs which were believed to have healing powers, it attracted people in vast numbers to bathe in the mineral water. Much of the city, which was built in the third century, is still intact. An enormous stone theatre, Roman baths, churches, a necropolis and the sacred pool, which allows visitors to swim in the warm spring water amongst marble columns attract thousands of visitors.

Even more impressive though, are the Pamukkale terraces outside the city. Known as the ‘Cotton Palace’, the terraces are a vast expanse of snow-white petrified waterfalls, mineral forests and pools filled with the warm spring water, which were formed over centuries of minerals from the spring being deposited.

Hattusha: The Hittite Capital

Hattusha is one of the most astonishing archaeological finds in recent history. The city, which was built over 3000 years ago, was home to the Hittites, a civilisation that built one of the most impressive cities of the ancient world. Characterised by a series of impenetrable walls, secret tunnels and colossal temples, the city was built to be the impenetrable residence of the Hittites and their immense, ruthless army, which rivalled that of Egypt.

The city however, mysteriously vanished when it was at the height of its power. Today, the city is an open air archaeological museum, allowing visitors to explore the vast tunnels and temples which are decorated with well-preserved examples of extraordinary Hittite art depicting the gods and kings.

Archaeological Park including: the Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace

Istanbul is home to an Archaeological Park, which includes some of the most beautiful ancient buildings in the world. Topkapi Palace, now a museum, must be the most impressive of them all. Once the centre of the Ottoman Empire, monarchs called this elaborate palace home for almost 400 years.

The palace also famously homed the monarchs’ hundreds of concubines and children in the elaborate harem. The treasury at Topkapi holds an incredible collection of jewels, including the Spoonmaker’s Diamond, the fifth largest in the world.

The Blue Mosque is another example of Istanbul’s amazing architecture. Its name is derived from the blue tiles which line the walls of the interior. Although it was built in 1609, it remains an active mosque. Visitors are welcome to explore its overwhelming domes, with elaborate decoration and the mihrab; a pulpit carved entirely from marble.

Nemrut Dağ

Nemrut Dağ, a manmade mountain peak built by a megalomaniac king in 50 BC as a monument to himself. The mountain top shrine consists of two temple compounds and a number of statues of the king and various deities, each about 10 metres tall.

The heads of the statues have been toppled by earthquakes and now lie at the foot of the hill, where the Hellenistic King Antiochos’ tomb is reputed to be buried under hundreds of tonnes of rock. This complex and colossal structure is the most ambitious of the Hellenistic period by far, and has remained surprisingly well intact.

Archaeological Site of Troy

Troy is undoubtedly the most famous ancient city in the world. Its archaeological site is home to over 4000 years of history and is the most significant evidence of first contact between the Mediterranean and Anatolian civilizations. It was here in Troy, that the siege by Spartan warriors inspired Homer’s Iliad, which has gone on to inspire artists for centuries. Visitors to the site can see the wealth of excavated ruins, including the Temple of Athena, the remains of the great walls which still stand, and even climb into the reconstructed Trojan Horse.