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Cycling enthusiasts gathered in the southeastern Turkish city of Sanliurfa to commemorate Professor Klaus Schmidt, the German archaeologist who brought the ancient site of Gobeklitepe to global attention. The event, now in its sixth year, aimed to honor Schmidt’s pioneering work that revealed the significance of the site often referred to as the “zero point of history.
Organized through a collaboration between the Sanliurfa Metropolitan Municipality, the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports, the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the Urfa Bicycle Community Sports Club, and the Gobeklitepe Bicycle Sports Club, the event was named “Cycling to Gobeklitepe in the Footsteps of Klaus Schmidt.” Participants retraced a symbolic route, starting from the house where Schmidt lived during his time in the region.
Around 150 cyclists pedaled approximately 20 kilometers (12.43 miles) from the city center to Gobeklitepe, a Neolithic archaeological site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Once they reached the site, they toured the ancient ruins where Schmidt had led groundbreaking excavations until his passing in 2014.
Aydin Aslan, head of Sanliurfa’s Culture and Tourism Directorate, emphasized the lasting impact of Schmidt’s contributions not only to Gobeklitepe but to humanity’s understanding of prehistoric civilization. He noted that the event followed the route once used by Schmidt and began at the excavation house where he stayed.
Aslan explained that the first edition of the ride was launched in 2019, the same year Türkiye’s president declared it “The Year of Gobeklitepe.” Although the annual ride paused for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has since become a firmly established tradition embraced by the local community.
Mehmet Aslan, president of the Urfa Bicycle Community Sports Club, highlighted the symbolic value of the initiative, saying the aim is “to commemorate Klaus Schmidt, who introduced Gobeklitepe and Sanliurfa to the world, and to express our gratitude to him as residents of Sanliurfa.”
Muhammet Kaplan, president of the Gobeklitepe Bicycle Sports Club, confirmed that 150 cycling enthusiasts had taken part in the event and expressed his gratitude to the organizations that supported the initiative.
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