Top Archaeological Sites in Anatolia Turkey-Türkiye

Ephesus

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Turkey: Ephesus is one of the best-preserved ancient Ionian cities in the world, dates back to 12 C BC. The City was an important trade and religious center in antiquity.

Located within what was once the estuary of the River Kaystros, Ephesus comprises successive Hellenistic and Roman settlements founded on new locations, which followed the coastline as it retreated westward. Excavations have revealed grand monuments of the Roman Imperial period including the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre. Little remains of the famous Temple of Artemis, one of the "Seven Wonders of the World", which drew pilgrims from all around the Mediterranean. Since the 5th century, the House of the Virgin Mary, a domed cruciform chapel seven kilometres from Ephesus, became a major place of Christian pilgrimage. The Ancient City of Ephesus is an outstanding example of a Roman port city, with sea channel and harbour basin.

Pergamum (Pergamom, Bergama) is an acropolis. Pergamum was an administrational center during the Roman period and was also famous for its library.
Physician Galen was also born here.

Bergama (Pergamum) (transanatolie.com)

Troy (Truva, Troj) is one of the most famous cities in history. Troy dates back to 4th millennium BC. Homer first mentioned the story of Troy in the Iliad and Odyssey.

One of the most spectacular sites in Turkey especially at sunset is Mount Nemrut. Commagene Kingdom was a strategic crossroad on the important trade routes between Syria, Mesopotamia and Rome.

Catalhoyuk is one of the most important Neolithic settlements of the world dating back 4th Millenium BC.

The city was well-planned and executed. Priene is a very good example of Greek Architecture dating back 7th C BC.

In Uluburun, Kas, the Institute of Nautical Archaeology's (INA) shipwreck excavation in 1980s brought to light one of the wealthiest and largest known collections of Late Bronze Age items found in the Mediterranean.

Sardis

Sardis was the capital of Lydia.
In the 7th C BC the Lydians invented the first coinage in history. The King Croesus controlled most of western Asia Minor in 6th C BC.

Hattusas was the chief center of the Hittite Empire. The principal Hittite inscriptions on 10,000 tablets were found here in early 20th C.

The ancient city of Aphrodisias, dedicated to the goddess of love Aphrodite. The City has the best-preserved stadium in Asia Minor.

Purushanda-Purushattum-Acemhoyuk

Acemhöyük (Ancient Anatolian City of Acemhoyuk-Aksaray) (transanatolie.com)

Aşıklıhöyük-Aşıklı Höyük is an incredible archaeological site with many groundbreaking finds where you can both witness and experience the lives of pre-historic people. It was first settled in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period, around 8,200 BC. Aşıklı Höyük is the first known village in Central Anatolia where a hunter-gatherer society settled down and created a farming community. These people created amazing adobe (mud-brick) homes which they used for generations. Today, you can see both the excavations of these dwellings as well as replicas of these structures rebuilt for visitors to explore. In addition to the amazing Neolithic architecture, the site also offers some incredible finds. The first known brain surgery in history was discovered here. In addition, the people of Aşıklı Höyük used astounding craftsmanship on the obsidian mined from the area that archaeologists still can’t explain today. A definite must-see the next time you’re in the Aksaray-Cappadocia region!
(Aşıklı Höyük Archaeological Site, Aksaray)

Aşıklıhöyük (transanatolie.com)

Asiklihoyuk (transanatolie.com)

Göbekli Tepe (transanatolie.com)

Karahan Tepe (transanatolie.com)