All
the major early-Hittite sites lie in the
province of Corum in Bogazkale National Park,
between Yozgat and the city of Corum.
Impressive double walls, which are situated by
the Royal Gate,the Lion Gate and the Yer Kapi
(an underground tunnel), ring the Hittite city
of Hattusas, known today as Bogazkale. This
city, the Hittite religious center was known
as the City of Temples because over 70 temples
stood there. The largest ruins are those of
the great temple of the storm god Tesup. The
Acropolis contained government buildings the
Imperial Palace and the archives of the
Hittite Empire. In 1180 B.C the Phrygians
devastated the city. After thorough
excavations at the site, the city walls are
now being extensively restored.
Yazilikaya, an open-air rock pantheon dating
from the 13th century B.C. contains fine
reliefs
of all the Hittite gods and goddesses.
Alacahoyuk, north of Bogazkale on the road to
Corum, was the center of the flourishing
Hattian culture during the Bronze Age. The
magnificent Hattian gold and bronze objects in
the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in
Ankara were found in the Royal Tombs of this
period. All the remaining ruins at
Alacahoyuk,however, such as the Sphinx
Gate,date from the Hittite period.
Corum, an important city on the road from
central Anatolia to the Black Sea, produces
the finest chickpeas in Turkey.Significant
historical buildings include the 13th century
Ulu Mosque and the 19th century clock tower. |