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Gobeklitepe, the world’s oldest known sanctuary and a UNESCO World Heritage site in southeastern Türkiye, will take center stage in Germany in 2026.
A carefully curated selection of 96 pieces will be displayed in Berlin under the title "Myths on Stone: Gobeklitepe and the World of the Last Hunters," offering European audiences an in-depth look at this Neolithic treasure.
Türkiye’s Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Gokhan Yazgi explained that the ministry is simultaneously carrying out projects to promote Gobeklitepe both domestically and internationally.
He recalled that the exhibition Gobeklitepe: The Enigma of a Sacred Place, held at the Colosseum in Rome last year, had drawn more than six million visitors, underlining the global interest in the site.
Yazgi stressed that the upcoming Berlin exhibition is the next step in the ministry’s broader plan to promote the Tas Tepeler (Stone Hills) Project, which covers a group of Neolithic settlements around Sanliurfa.
“The Tas Tepeler Project is one of a kind in the world. With this project, Gobeklitepe has secured a unique place in global tourism literature and the field of archaeology. So far this year, we have welcomed over 500,000 visitors, and the numbers continue to grow,” he said.
The ministry is preparing a special selection that highlights Gobeklitepe’s role in the Neolithic era and its importance in world archaeology.
Yazgi said the exhibition on Berlin’s Museum Island would further strengthen the international visibility of both Gobeklitepe and the Tas Tepeler Project, adding that other promotional events in different countries were also in preparation.
“We are working intensively to make this cultural treasure, which enriches Türkiye’s cultural tourism, better known across the globe,” he emphasized.
Highlighting Germany’s central position in Europe, Yazgi noted that the exhibition is expected to reach a wide audience of archaeology and history enthusiasts.
The display will feature replicas of three artifacts from Gobeklitepe, along with multilingual excerpts from films shown at the site’s visitor center.
Digital works and detailed information panels will complement the physical displays, offering visitors a deeper understanding of the sanctuary.
The exhibition is scheduled to open in February 2026 and will remain on view for six months, marking one of the most significant international showcases of Türkiye’s Neolithic heritage to date.
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