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Rising from the plains of Sanliurfa, Gobeklitepe stands out as one of humanity’s most extraordinary archaeological discoveries. Dating back nearly 12,000 years, the site challenges long-held assumptions about the origins of civilization and is widely described as the “zero point of history.”
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gobeklitepe reveals massive T-shaped stone pillars arranged in circular structures, believed to have been built by hunter-gatherer communities long before the invention of agriculture.
The site was officially opened to visitors in 2018, initially welcoming around 70,000 people, despite sections being closed due to the construction of a protective roof designed to preserve the ancient remains.
Like many cultural landmarks around the world, Gobeklitepe felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when visitor numbers dropped to just under 200,000, as travel restrictions limited tourism worldwide.
In 2025, the site attracted approximately 781,000 visitors, and when nearby excavation areas such as Karahantepe are included, the total number of cultural visitors to Sanliurfa will comfortably exceed one million.
Officials aim to surpass one million visitors to Gobeklitepe alone by 2026, supported by the Tas Tepeler Project and the upcoming TEKNOFEST event in Sanliurfa, which is expected to further boost tourism.
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