Hattusha is one of Anatolia’s most important archaeological sites and served as the capital of the Hittite Empire. Located in the Boğazkale district of Çorum Province, this ancient city was the political, religious, and cultural center of the Hittites between 1650 and 1200 BC. The city reflects the architectural style of its time with its expansive walls, monumental gates, temples, and royal structures. Hattusha was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986 and was included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Program in 2001, underscoring its significance in human history.
Divided into two main areas—the Lower City and the Upper City—Hattusha contains religious structures, royal palaces, and administrative buildings. Among the city’s striking monuments are the Lion Gate, the King's Gate, and the Sphinx Gate. Located 2 kilometers to the northeast of Hattusha, the Yazılıkaya Open-Air Temple displays Hittite religious beliefs through its rock reliefs. Excavations in the region have uncovered tens of thousands of clay tablets, shedding light on the Hittites’ legal, economic, and diplomatic systems. Notably, the Kadesh Peace Treaty signed with the Egyptians in 1274 BC is considered one of the world’s first written peace treaties.
Hattusha City (Photo: Kültür Portalı)
Archaeological Excavations
In 1834, French traveler Charles Texier discovered the remains of Hattusha and introduced it to Europe. Excavation work, which began in 1906, was systematized by the German Archaeological Institute starting in the 1930s, and particularly continued under the direction of Kurt Bittel from 1952 onwards. Today, excavations are carried out by a team led by Prof. Dr. Andreas Schachner. Archaeologists have detailed the social structure and urban planning of Hittite society by uncovering the city's walls, temples, palaces, and everyday living areas. Hattusha was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986 and was included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Program in 2001, placing it under international protection.
History of Hattusha City
Hattusha is located within the boundaries of the Boğazkale district in Çorum. It has hosted many civilizations since prehistoric times and, especially in the 2nd millennium BC, became the center of the Hittite State, emerging as a major political and cultural power. Recent excavations indicate that the region's history dates back to the Chalcolithic Age (5000–3000 BC).
The first settlers of Hattusha were the Hatti, one of Anatolia’s indigenous peoples. During that period, the region was known as "Hattuş." The Hatti organized themselves into small principalities and developed advanced stone and mudbrick architecture in their cities. In the 3rd millennium BC, Assyrian traders arriving in Anatolia established trade colonies in and around Hattusha, turning the area into an economically significant center. Cuneiform tablets discovered at Kültepe (Kanesh) reveal that Hattusha possessed an advanced trade network during this time.
In the early 18th century BC, Kuşşara King Anitta seized Hattusha. However, not finding the wealth he expected, Anitta burned and destroyed the city and cursed it. In his texts, he declared that he had razed the city and, on behalf of the gods, cursed it so that no one would rebuild it:
"With a nighttime attack, I captured the city. In its place, I sowed wild herbs. May the curse of the storm god of the heavens be upon anyone who becomes king after me and repopulates Hattusha."【1】
Despite this curse, I. Hattushili, one of the founding rulers of the Hittites (1650–1620 BC), rebuilt the city and made it the capital of the Hittite Empire. The city was fortified with an extensive wall system, and temples, royal palaces, and monumental gates were constructed.
In the 14th and 13th centuries BC, during the most powerful period of the Hittite Empire under Great King IV. Tudhaliya, the city underwent extensive development, with many religious structures built particularly in the Upper City area. Hattusha became the most important religious center of the Hittites, who were known as the "Land of a Thousand Gods," and it housed 31 major temples.
Among the most striking structures in Hattusha are the Great Temple, the Lion Gate, the King's Gate, and the Sphinx Gate. Additionally, the Yazılıkaya Open-Air Temple, located to the northeast of the city, showcases Hittite religious beliefs through its rock reliefs. In 1274 BC, the Kadesh Peace Treaty—one of the first known written peace treaties in history—was signed between the Hittites and the Egyptians. Cuneiform tablets related to this treaty have been discovered during the excavations at Hattusha.
Around 1200 BC, due to large-scale migrations in Anatolia and invasions by the Sea Peoples, the Hittite Empire weakened, and Hattusha was largely destroyed and abandoned. The traces of fire found on the city's walls and buildings indicate that it suffered a severe attack. After the fall of the Hittites, Hattusha was subsequently settled by the Phrygians, Persians, Romans, and Byzantines, yet it never regained its former splendor.
Architectural Structure and Findings
Hattusha, as the capital of the Hittite Empire, is remarkable for its advanced architecture and comprehensive urban planning. The architectural design of the city includes elements that reflect the Hittites’ military might, religious beliefs, and administrative organization. The site is divided into two main areas: the Lower City and the Upper City. The Lower City encompasses religious structures and administrative centers, such as the Great Temple, while the Upper City is characterized by royal palaces, administrative buildings, and fortified systems enclosed by walls.
The city’s geographic layout provided a strategic defensive position. One of Hattusha’s most significant features is its wall system, which stretches approximately 7 kilometers. These walls were constructed with mudbrick blocks on stone foundations. In the Upper City, the walls were, in some sections, designed with double layers and reinforced with high towers. Monumental gates such as the Lion Gate, the King's Gate, and the Sphinx Gate, placed in different parts of the city, served both military defensive functions and were adorned with reliefs that reflected Hittite art and belief systems.
Hattusha Lion Gate (Photo: T.C. Sanayi ve Teknoloji Bakanlığı Kalkınma Galerisi)
The Lion Gate, located on the western side of the city, is decorated with two large stone lion statues, as lion figures were regarded as symbols of protective power among the Hittites. The King's Gate, situated in the southeastern section of the walls, features an image of an armed deity or king. The Sphinx Gate, positioned at the highest point of the Upper City, is embellished with two sphinx statues and has a 71-meter-long tunnel (potern) beneath it. These structures are believed to have served both religious and defensive purposes.
Sphinx Gate at the City Entrance (Photo: Kültür Portalı)
The Lower City of Hattusha was primarily organized as a religious and commercial center. The Great Temple, the largest sacred structure in the city, is dedicated to the Hittites’ most important deities—the Storm God Teşup and the Sun Goddess Arinna. Surrounding the temple are expansive storage areas and granaries, which highlight the agricultural basis of the Hittite economy and the methods used for food storage.
In contrast, the Upper City stands out as the administrative and religious heart of the city. This area contains royal palaces, temples, and governmental buildings. The Great Fortress Palace, where the Hittite kings resided, functioned as the center of administration. Its large courtyards, ceremonial spaces, and storage facilities are evidence of the sophisticated state structure of the Hittites. The palace walls were built with mudbrick on stone foundations, with some sections decorated with frescoes and reliefs.
The Kadesh Peace Treaty was discovered in the excavations at Hattusha, in the archive of cuneiform tablets found around the Great Fortress Palace Complex and the Great Temple. These tablets are among the most important documents detailing Hittite diplomatic correspondence. They include the Hittite version of the peace treaty signed in 1274 BC between Hittite King III. Hattushili and Egyptian Pharaoh II. Ramses. The tablets are currently exhibited at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum, while the version written in Egyptian hieroglyphs is found on the walls of the Karnak Temple in Cairo.
Northeast of Hattusha, the Yazılıkaya Open-Air Temple plays a significant role in Hittite religious life. The rock reliefs carved into the cliffs depict figures of gods and goddesses from the Hittite pantheon. Among these reliefs, the Storm God Teşup, the Sun Goddess Hepat, and Great King IV. Tudhaliya stand out as prominent figures. Yazılıkaya was one of the principal centers for Hittite religious ceremonies, especially during the New Year celebrations in spring.
The 12 Hittite Gods of the Underworld at the Yazılıkaya Open-Air Temple (Photo: T.C. Sanayi ve Teknoloji Bakanlığı Kalkınma Galerisi)
Excavations at the site have demonstrated that Hattusha was not only an administrative and religious center but also a significant hub for trade and production. Tens of thousands of clay tablets recovered during the excavations provide valuable insights into the Hittite legal, diplomatic, and trade systems. In addition to historical texts such as the Kadesh Peace Treaty, these tablets contain information related to agriculture, the economy, and social organization.
