Don’t Miss Out on Central anatolia region (Turkey) ‘s Best: 25 archaeological sites to Experience
Welcome to Central anatolia region (Turkey) . Whether you’re a local or a visitor, we have a carefully curated list of 25 must-see archaeological sites that will inspire your sense of adventure. If you’re looking to experience Central anatolia region (Turkey) like a local, we’ve got you covered with 25 hidden archaeological sites gems waiting to be discovered. And for those who crave excitement, we’ve compiled 25 thrilling archaeological sites that will get your heart racing.
Information about Central anatolia region (Turkey)
Central Anatolia occupies the part located between the two regions of the folded mountains in the heart of Turkey, and is characterized by a plateau geological nature surrounded by parallel mountain ranges, and it is home to the city of Ankara; The capital of the country and the second largest city, it covers a wide area of land in the center of Turkey, and most of its land consists of endless steppes, and being home to many different civilizations throughout the ages, the region is filled with an amazing collection of historical monuments and archaeological sites.
A list of the best Archaeological sites in Central anatolia region
Don’t waste your time sifting through endless reviews and recommendations – let our team do the work for you. Our list of the best archaeological sites in Central anatolia region (Turkey) is carefully crafted to include only the most highly-rated and well-regarded options based on visitor feedback.
1- Catalhoyuk
Catalhoyuk – Catalhoyuk is one of the most important excavation sites in the world, where archaeologists have unearthed the largest Neolithic site ever, with artifacts dating back nearly 9,000 years ago, and at the entrance there is a small open museum that explains the history of the excavations and the importance of the site. It highlights the dawn of human settlement with unique examples of early domestic architecture and landscape paintings as well as sacred objects of the cult of the Mother Goddess.
Place address: Küçükköy, Çatalhöyük, Çatalhöyük Yolu, 42500 Çumra/Konya, Turkey
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2- Safran Han
Safran Han – Khan Al-Zafaran is one of the distinctive accessories of the Rahmi Koc Museum. It is an inn built by Haj Ibrahim Bin Mehmet (İbrahim Bin Mehmet) with the characteristics of an Ottoman inn, and it is believed that it was built in 1512 AD to include 20 shops, and the building served as a warehouse for one period and a prison for another. The inner courtyard and its old shops may catch your eye with a completely different concept than the rest of the country’s shops and inns.
Place address: Atpazarı Mah. Salman Cad., Altındağ Merkez, Altındağ, Ankara, Kale, 06250 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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3- Divrigi Great Mosque and Hospital
Divrigi Great Mosque and Hospital – The Divrigi Grand Mosque and Hospital is the first of the Turkish buildings inscribed on the World Heritage List. The construction of this complex was commissioned in the 13th century by Ahmed Shah and his wife Meleki Turan from the Principality of Mengoskele. This masterpiece is famous for its double-domed mosque, hospital and cemetery with its monumental architecture and carving decorations. Traditional and typical stone in Anatolia.
Place address: Kemenkeş, Ulu Cami Cd., 58300 Divriği/Sivas, Turkey
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4- Twin Fairy Chimneys
Twin Fairy Chimneys – The Twin Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia is a surreal landscape of towering rock formations carved out of two massive chimneys, changing color with each sunset. Ancient volcanic eruptions covered the area with thick ash, which later solidified into a soft rock called “tuff”, when the natural forces of wind and water (erosion) did their work. These chimneys extend up to 130 feet into the sky.
Place address: Esbelli, Nevşehir Ürgüp Yolu, 50400 Ürgüp/Nevşehir, Turkey
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5- Three Beauties
Three Beauties – The Three Beautiful Chimneys Monument is one of the most beautiful and important tourist places in Cappadocia, which annually attracts more than two million visitors. Here, two large chimneys and small fairy chimneys are arranged, like a nuclear family consisting of parents and children, which was also able to be among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These chimneys were formed by natural erosion factors as a puzzle, which man is still trying to understand to this day.
Place address: Esbelli, Nevşehir Ürgüp Yolu, 50400 Ürgüp/Nevşehir, Turkey
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6- Column of Julianus
Column of Julianus – The Julianus Column is located in the Ulus region of the Altındağ region. It is also called the Bilqis Minaret. It was built in its current location in honor of the Roman Emperor’s visit to Ankara. It is estimated that it was built in 362 AD. There are no inscriptions on this 15-meter-high building. In 2001 AD, the office of the Governor of Ankara restored and protected this work to keep it fresh in the minds.
Place address: Hacı Bayram Mh, 06030 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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7- Avgunl Madrasa
Avgunl Madrasa – It is estimated that the Avgunlu School was built in the thirteenth century. It is a rectangular building located in the city center of Kayseri. It is entered through the door facing west. In the middle of it is a large courtyard. On its sides are school rooms with arcades on square columns. There are four Opposite rooms in the north and south directions. The Avgunlu School has started functioning as a library after its restoration.
Place address: Gevhernesibe, Mİmarsinan Park İçi Küme Evleri No:2, 38010 Kocasinan/Kayseri, Turkey
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8- Cavusin church
Cavusin church – Cavusin Church or Cave Church is one of the oldest, largest and most ancient cave churches in Cappadocia. The church dates back to the early 15th century, when the church expanded into the Byzantine Empire, when the large church was the central place of worship for the local community. According to the inscription on the front arch, the church was dedicated to John the Baptist. The church was distinguished by its stone carving, which made it a distinctive marvel that still stands tall to this day.
Place address: 50500 Çavuşin/Avanos/Nevşehir, Turkey
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9- Ottoman House
Ottoman House – The Ottoman House is a historical and tourist building that forms part of the Odunpazari Palaces. Its historical importance stems from its architectural style, which is a typical example of wooden civil architecture in the nineteenth century, and from the fact that it hosted Ataturk during his visit to Eskisehir. This house was built by Khalil Ibrahim Sabahi Oglu ( Halil İbrahim Sipahioğlu) with a classic Ottoman style with two floors and a garden in the back, and today it is used for tourism purposes, and parts of it have been converted into a restaurant.
Place address: Dede, Yeşil Efendi Sk. No:22, 26030 Odunpazarı/Eskişehir, Turkey
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10- Germir Bezirhanesi
Germir Bezirhanesi – Germer Bezyrkhan has 118 years of history. It was used as a flaxseed oil production center in Germer district of Kayseri. Today, it sheds light on the past. It has been restored and provided with a variety of carvings of human and animal figures. The raw materials of 4 plants are displayed. They are pressed and their oils are extracted, and how to produce these oils, which are important in cooking, lighting, soap making, and animal wound healing, are presented.
Place address: Germir, 431. Sk. No:5, 38030 Melikgazi/Kayseri, Turkey
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11- Temple of Augustus
Temple of Augustus – The Temple of Augustus and Rome was established in Ankara after the Roman Emperor’s conquest of central Anatolia in 25 BC. It is characterized by a different architectural design based on a scheme called false. Instead of the double column system in the temples, it was decided to create a single row in order to increase the internal space. Distinctive drawings and motifs were engraved. On its internal walls and external facades, in a majestic and distinctive view. And due to the factors of time, wars and conflicts, nothing remains of this architectural masterpiece but remnants, indicating the greatness of history.
Place address: Hacı Bayram, 06030 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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12- Karatay Caravanserai
Karatay Caravanserai – Khan Karatay has a wonderful and impressive appearance. It was built by the Seljuk minister Jalal al-Din Karatay in 1240 AD in the style of classic Seljuk buildings. It looks like a fortress with high and strong towers. It is characterized by a large courtyard, geometric and plant decorations, as well as human and animal images that carry symbolic meanings that extend to Shamanistic traditions of Central Asia, this khan made a great contribution to the development of trade in the region, as it includes many houses and inhabited shops.
Place address: Karatay Mah. Karatay Kervansarayı No:1, Karatay, 38600 Bünyan/Kayseri, Turkey
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13- Kultepe
Kultepe – Koltepe is an archaeological site about 20 km southwest of the city of Kayseri. It consists of a hill, an ancient city, and a lower city where an Assyrian settlement called “Koltepe” was found. In 2014, the archaeological site was included in the list of World Heritage Sites in Turkey, as well. It is an important site for the discovery of the earliest traces of the Hittite language, the earliest attestation of any Indo-European language dated to the 20th century BC.
Place address: Kaniş-kültepe yolu karahöyük mah kocasinan, Karahöyük, 38100 Kocasinan/Kayseri, Turkey
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14- Sultan Han
Sultan Han – Khan al-Sultan offers a sneak peek into the way of life that has shaped modern Turkey in a big way. It is an ancient “hotel” that used to house traveling merchants while they sold their wares along the Silk Roads, and where merchants from east and west rested from their long journeys and exchanged news and ideas. And languages, which makes it a real melting pot of cultures, and Khan Al-Sultan is one of the most beautiful examples of ancient caravanserais to be found in central Turkey.
Place address: İstikamet, Atatürk Cd., 68000 Sultanhanı Belediyesi/Aksaray Merkez/Aksaray, Turkey
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15- Roman Baths
Roman Baths – Another great archaeological value among the historical places in Ankara is the Roman baths. This place was officially revealed during the excavations conducted over the years, and today it is spread over an area of 65 thousand square meters. Stone and brick were used in the construction of the archaeological area. This Roman edifice was built during the period of Emperor Caracalla, with a complex design consisting of three different areas, the cold and hot room, and the relaxation room.
Place address: Anafartalar, Roman Baths, Çankırı Cd. No:43, 06050 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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16- Roman Tomb
Roman Tomb – It is believed that the Roman tomb located behind the Al-Sahabiyyah school belongs to the early Roman period of the second or third century. It was built with black stone in the form of a rectangle. It forms the lower floor of a Seljuk mausoleum from the twelfth century, the upper floor of which was demolished. The tomb was discovered and restored in 1956, and there are tombstones from the period between 1317 and 1318 in this tomb.
Place address: Sahabiye, 38010 Kocasinan/Kayseri, Turkey
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17- Gavur Castle
Gavur Castle – Jafur Castle is one of the important ancient archaeological sites in Ankara, which is believed to have been used as a settlement by the Hittites and Phrygians in the past. It is estimated that settlement in the area dates back to between the sixth and eleventh centuries. Jafur Fort draws attention to the area believed to have been used as a royal burial ground on which there are rock carvings. Two life-size men are depicted on these rock carvings, which makes one think that the area is the tomb of a king. Today, nothing remains of this castle except for some huge monuments and stones, which indicate the greatness and ancientness of history.
Place address: Dereköy, 06860 Haymana/Ankara, Turkey
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18- Anitkabir
Anitkabir – One of the dazzling historical places that a large number of locals and tourists visit due to its historical and tourist importance in the city of Ankara. This place is considered the mausoleum of former President Kemal Ataturk, who founded the modern Turkish Republic and is one of the most important political figures in the world. This mausoleum was designed by the architect Ayman Onat” in 1944 AD, and this large marble mausoleum includes a distinguished museum in which there are many holdings and special things about Kemal Ataturk, including his military purposes, his personal car, his office, many drawings, and amazing historical information about Kemal Ataturk and his importance as a prominent political figure.
Place address: Yücetepe, Anıtkabir, Akdeniz Cd. No:31, 06570 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
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19- Antique Rome Theatre
Antique Rome Theatre – In Ankara, where the Roman civilization resides, the ancient Roman theater is one of the places to go to examine Roman architecture closely, and it was discovered in 1982 AD, after excavations and research were conducted in the area by the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. This structure, which falls on the second century AD when studying the history of its construction, can be a stop for lovers of antiquities, and here you can notice various sections such as audience seats and remains of sculpture.
Place address: Merkez, Altındağ Merkez, Altındağ, Ankara, Kale, 06250 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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20- Shams of Tabriz Masjid and Tomb
Shams of Tabriz Masjid and Tomb – This mosque is another reason why the city of Konya is famous for its religious and spiritual importance, and the mosque is distinguished by its amazing and ancient design from the outside and inside, as the mosque was built of stone that gives the building an amazing archaeological dimension, but from the inside, the mosque is distinguished by its classic design of wood and white walls with writings and Quranic verses, The mosque contains the tomb of one of the most important and famous poets and thinkers in the history of Islam, and he had a great impact on the formation of Sufism and its principles.
Place address: Şemsitebrizi, Shams of Tabriz Masjid and Tomb, Şems Cd., 42030 Karatay/Konya, Turkey
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21- Ankara Houses
Ankara Houses – These are the houses seen in the old settlement areas of the city, especially in the Kaleici district. Ankara houses, a few examples of which date back to the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, are mostly two-storey buildings made of wood and brick. In the lower courtyard of these houses are the servants’ rooms and on the first floor there are rooms for the owner of the house. Overall, the outside of the house includes an open staircase leading to an open colonnaded porch. The geometric, Roman, and Ottoman motifs appear on the ceilings of the houses, on the cores of the roofs, and on the doors.
Place address: Çayyolu, Ankara Evleri, 06810 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
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22- Ayas Houses
Ayas Houses – Concentrated in an organic tapestry around the bazaar area at the bottom of the valley and on the slopes of the valley in northern Ankara, Ayash houses have the typical features of traditional Turkish houses in terms of architectural features. In general, two-and-a-half-story houses built of wood have barns, cellars, and servants’ rooms in large houses on the ground floor, and on the upper floors, which are the main living areas, there are two or three rooms, as well as spaces such as the kitchen, bathroom, and toilet.
Place address: Ayaş/Ankara, Turkey
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23- Kaymakli Underground City
Kaymakli Underground City – The concept of underground cities began in Cappadocia since the Bronze Age of the Hittite era, but it is also famous for its early Byzantine history (6th and 7th centuries), when the Christians in Cappadocia began to live underground for long periods of time to escape from the Persian invaders. Kaymakli, or the Underground City of the Djinn, is the largest living example of ancient Cappadocia, with a maze of rooms connected by tunnels extending up to eight levels. Getting to grips with the network of underground tunnels is quite an experience.
Place address: Kaymaklı, Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir, Turkey
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24- Atakule
Atakule – Opened in 1989, it is a communications and observation tower with a height of 410 feet. Located in Çankaya district, this historical landmark has an open terrace that allows tourists to view the entire city. If you want to dine while getting a panoramic view of the city, visit the restaurant there, which gives you panoramic views of the city without even having to leave your seat.
Place address: Çankaya, Ankara Atakule, Atakule, 06690 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
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25- Granaries
Granaries – The granaries, located within the city limits of Tasman, in the center of Karaman, consist of more than 250 granaries, all carved by human hands, into a high and massive massif of Taskal clayey limestone. Grain products were also transported using the chain pulley system, as these warehouses were used to store grain for a long time, due to the ability of clay limestone to maintain constant heat and humidity, which works like refrigerators today, as grain can be stored in these warehouses for 30 years without being spoiled.
Place address: Granaries, 70000 Taşkale/Karaman Merkez/Karaman, Turkey
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Conclusion
As you embark on your journey to explore Central anatolia region (Turkey) , we hope you discover new perspectives, make unforgettable memories, and form deep connections with the people and places around you. Our guide is just the beginning of your adventure, so be sure to keep an open mind and heart as you explore this wonderful region. Remember to take in the sights, sounds, and flavors that make Central anatolia region (Turkey) so unique, and don’t be afraid to step off the beaten path and discover the hidden gems that await. Whether you’re traveling solo, with friends or family, or on a romantic getaway, Central anatolia region (Turkey) promises to be a destination that will leave you enchanted and inspired. Thank you for choosing to explore Central anatolia region (Turkey) with us, and we look forward to hearing about your travels. Safe travels and happy exploring!