Hattushash

Hattushash is a capital of a powerful ancient Hittite Kingdom (ca. 1800 - ca. 1180 BC). The ruins were discovered in 1834 and in 1986 the remains of Hattushash were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage.

The first settlements in this place appeared in the second millennium BC during the Chalcolithic. At the end of the third millennium BC Hittites (or Anatolians) began to settle here, they called the city Hattush. In 19-18 centuries BC the city has grown and became a trading post for the Assyrian merchants who transported their goods from Mesopotamia. These Assyrian merchants brought writing to Anatolia. Excavations have shown that around 1700 BC the city was destroyed in the great fire. 50 years later it became the capital of the Hittite kingdom.

Despite the fact that tourists can see only ruins on the site, the area is quite beautiful. There is an ancient tunnel in one of the rocks.


In 2005 a 65-meter section of the city wall was renovated. Photos of the reconstruction process can be found here.


















Map of the ruins with a description

Getting there: To get there from Ankara by public transportation, take a bus to the center of Süngürlü, where you'll be changing to a dolmus for the remaining 22.5km (14-mile) ride into Boğazkale. Dolmuses run from 7:30 to 7pm from Süngürlü and from 7am to 4:40pm from Boğazkale. Taxis from Süngürlü run around 30€; clients of the Hattusas Pansiyon, Baykal Hotel, and Asikoglu Hotels can get a pickup for free.