Located in Türkiye, the Gobekli Tepe temple complex is said to be the oldest monument in human history, dating back about 12 millennia.
Located in southeastern Türkiye, Gobekli Tepe is a place that marks the history of the nation and all humanity. Existing nearly 12 millennia (12,000 years) ago, this archaeological site has become a tourist attraction and a source of local pride.
As the oldest existing structure created by humans, Göbekli Tepe became one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the world. The temple was built around the time the last ice age ended. After that, Göbekli Tepe was used for nearly 3,000 years before being abandoned for some mysterious reason about 9,000 years ago.
The structures that make up Göbekli Tepe are surprisingly well preserved, allowing archaeologists to study them in almost their original state. The climate in Türkiye is part of the reason for the temple’s perfect preservation. Additionally, some areas of the temple appear to have been filled with soil before being abandoned. This is also the main factor contributing to the preservation of the project after many centuries.
Gobekli Tepe existed before Stonehenge, one of the most famous structures in human history, built more than 5,000 years ago. This temple also predates the era of Sumer, which is considered the cradle of civilization and the invention of the first writing more than 6,000 years ago.
The combination of time and construction quality of this place is a shocking discovery in the archaeological world. Human resources, engineering and project management are all essential when constructing a project, but it all seemed impossible at that time. The existence of Gobekli Tepe forces archaeologists to rethink the beginnings of civilization. Photo: SiViaggia.Found in the 1960s, this place is believed to be a medieval Muslim cemetery. After that, the archaeological site was ignored until 1994, when people realized the true significance and impressive features of Göbekli Tepe such as its age, size and construction quality.
