SANLIURFA, Türkiye

Gobeklitepe, the ancient sanctuary in southeastern Türkiye and a UNESCO World Heritage site, will be showcased in Germany with a special selection of 96 pieces in 2026.

Türkiye’s Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Gokhan Yazgi told Anadolu that the ministry is carrying out simultaneous projects to promote Gobeklitepe both in Türkiye and abroad.

He recalled that last year, the exhibition Gobeklitepe: The Enigma of a Sacred Place was held at the Colosseum in Rome, attracting over 6 million visitors.

Yazgi said that this time Gobeklitepe will be introduced in Berlin under the title Myths on Stone: Gobeklitepe and the World of the Last Hunters.

Türkiye steps up Neolithic heritage promotion

“The Tas Tepeler (The Stone Hills) Project is one of a kind in the world. With this project, Gobeklitepe has secured a unique place in global tourism literature and the field of archaeology. So far this year, we have welcomed over 500,000 visitors, and the numbers continue to grow,” Yazgi said.

The ministry is preparing a special selection to highlight Gobeklitepe’s role in the Neolithic era and its place in world archaeology, with Yazgi stressing: “We will do our best to promote the Tas Tepeler (The Stone Hills) Project globally and secure the recognition our country and city deserve in tourism.”

He underlined that the Berlin exhibition marks the latest step in promoting the site globally, noting that the ministry will launch a major project on Museum Island to showcase Gobeklitepe, with similar promotional events planned in other countries.

“We are working intensively to make this cultural treasure, which enriches Türkiye’s cultural tourism, better known across the globe,” he said.

Special selection to be displayed

Highlighting Germany’s central position in Europe, Yazgi said the exhibition would reach a wide audience of archaeology enthusiasts.

The display will include replicas of three artifacts from Gobeklitepe, multilingual excerpts from films shown at the Gobeklitepe Visitor Center, along with various digital works and information panels.

The exhibition is scheduled to open in February 2026 and will remain on display for six months, Yazgi added.