Göbeklitepe

Standing in front of 12,000 years of human marvel at Göbekli Tepe is an absolutely amazing experience. It’s humbling to think of our common ancestors who built this monumental site with such precision and purpose, long before modern tools or civilizations. The mystery of its purpose leaves you both puzzled and in awe—what drove them to create something so grand? Was it spiritual? Social? The questions linger, adding to the magic of the place. The breathtaking scenery surrounding this ancient wonder only enhances the mix of feelings—connection, curiosity and sheer wonder. A must-visit for anyone seeking to connect with the roots of humanity and marvel at its ancient ingenuity!

My visit to Göbekli Tepe was an unforgettable journey into the depths of human history. The atmosphere is both mysterious and serene, making it a unique place for anyone interested in archaeology and history. Highly recommend visiting if you’re looking to explore one of the oldest and most significant archaeological sites in the world

This was an amazing experience! This is a phenomenal place to visit! We were blown away! Everyone is so nice getting here and the whole trip was really easy to sort. We rented a car in Sanliurfa and drove it one way to Cappadocia. We are mid trip right now and this was definitely the highlight!!! The whole staff at the site was amazing! The audio tour is the way to go.

Probably the highlight of our trip to Turkey. We were lucky to visit on a relatively uncrowded day. We were able to see the dig itself very leisurely. It was magical and humbling to be able to come so close to something so ancient and impactful. But what we loved almost as much as the dig, was the location itself. For us two city girls, the rolling hills, that lovely winding road up from the ticketing stand and the sight of the horizon was just so wonderful and restful to experience. If you can walk, highly highly recommend that you skip the shuttle and walk to and from the dig.

Great place to visit if you have interest in all things old .. this place is the oldest known to man .. the carvings and art are amazing .. when coming out you can see other formations of more of the same structures

THE ENGINEERS OF 12,000 YEARS AGO. ... The rock blocks you see in the photo, weighing several tons and up to nearly 7 meters high, are at least 11,000 years old, according to C14 radiocarbon analysis. They are just a few of the countless pillars that made up the settlement of Göbekli Tepe, on the border between Turkey and Syria. The civilization that built this and similar settlements still has no name. In fact, until recently their existence was completely unknown. ... We do know a few things about them, however. They did not practice agriculture, since all the seeds found within Göbekli Tepe are wild, and not cultivated. Nor did they practice animal husbandry, since the very large number of meat remains found (it seems that they had huge feasts) are all from game, and not from farm animals. Moreover, the stylized statues in the center of the stone circles wear loincloths. This means that it must not have been cold at the time of Göbekli Tepe's construction. All these elements suggest that the original settlement may probably be much older than it appears. Perhaps even thousands of years older. ... It is not a burial site, since not a single corpse has been found inside. It is not a shrine, since the depiction of even one god or deity does not appear. It does not appear to have been a town or village, since it seems to lack an appropriate water source to quench the thirst of a substantial group of people. What is it then? All over the walls of Göbekli Tepe are engraved hundreds of “snakes” descending from 'above, from the sky. Heavenly beings appear from which these “snakes” emerge. According to astronomers, about 12,000 years ago a swarm of asteroids or comets heavily bombarded the Earth, destroying entire territories on 4 continents. It was a momentous devastation. Most likely, Göbekli Tepe is a “memorial” to the time when “fiery serpents,” or comet fragments raining down from above, destroyed the world. ... But if Göbekli Tepe is a memorial to the cataclysm that struck us some 12,800 years ago, where are the cities of the builders? What customs did they have? More importantly, where did they come from?

1# Historically the most important place to visit and see in Turkey. Turkey's oldest case and one of humanities most important places. Before you enter the Tepe itself you will go through an exhibition building that explains the story behind it all. It is quite interesting and well set up. Use the Audio Guide from the Museum App or read the plaques that are all around. You might need to park your car a fair distance from the Ticket Place and take the Shuttle Bus. I was with a motorcycle so I could get closer to the Ticket and Souvenir Building area. Bare in mind that you will need to take yet another Shuttle Bus as the Göbekli Tepe is situated quite higher than where the Ticket and Exhibitin Building are. You will return with the Shuttle Bus as well. It wasn't too busy the first weekend of November. I did not wait long to enter. Stay for 2 to 3 hours. Enjoy!

An incredibly fascinating place. I love the atmosphere there. I’d recommend visiting the place in September and suggest skipping the bus on the way back, as the surroundings are absolutely captivating.

I've been to this incredible historical site twice. This is the oldest known temple in the world. It proceeds the earliest known evidence of agriculture. How would a hunter gatherer society have the resources for creating this temple? Incredible. The first time I went was in late Spring 2016. I most recently went again in late April 2017 and found that some reservations were going on in the visitors center. The guard at the entrance informed me that the area would be closed for two months, via a smart phone translation app. I will return! Totally worth it!

The oldest man-made thing on Yelp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, worth it just to experience Urfa. Urfa is a small city with very few tourists. It has a great bazaar and most things are very inexpensive. Very few English speakers, even at the Hilton. Going to Urfa - it's sign posted but can be a bit tricky. The views and scenery are breathtaking though. Göbekli Tepe itself is really neat, and there are a few signs giving the history / neat facts. They are in the process of building an information center, which is much needed, because they could use more signs. Additionally, there isn't that much exposed, but the stuff that is, is amazing.... it's 5 thousand years older than Stonehenge. Oddly, or not, it's structure looks oddly similar, and has far more impressive carvings.