One of the oldest structures in the world, the Göbekli Tepe temple complex has become a popular tourist destination in southeastern Anatolia in recent years.
According to AZERTAC, since its opening to visitors in 2019, Göbekli Tepe, which means “Pot-bellied Hill” in Turkish, has been visited by 3 million 645 thousand local and foreign tourists. At the same time, in January-June 2025, 385 thousand 511 tourists visited the megalith.
The complex in the Haliliye district, 18 km from the provincial capital of Sanliurfa, was discovered in 1963, and excavations have been ongoing since 1995.
In July 2018, the Göbekli Tepe complex was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and in March 2019, its official opening took place with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
By decision of the head of the Turkish state, 2019 was declared the Year of Göbekli Tepe in the country.
It should be noted that in order to promote the heritage of Anatolia, the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism periodically organizes events abroad, including in Rome, where the exhibition “Göbekli Tepe: The Secret of a Sacred Place” was visited by more than six million tourists in six months.
