Göbeklitepe welcomes 600,000 visitors in 10 months

ŞANLIURFA

The ancient site of Göbeklitepe in southeastern Türkiye hosted 50 percent more visitors in the first 10 months of 2024 compared to the same period last year, Turkish Culture and Tourism Deputy Minister Gökhan Yazgı announced on Nov. 17.

"Thanks to our promotional strategy, we reached 600,000 visitors at Göbeklitepe during this period," Yazgı said during his visit to the city.

He also emphasized that Göbeklitepe in Şanlıurfa is one of Türkiye's most important cultural tourism destinations.

Highlighting the growing global interest in the historic site, Yazgı noted that the ministry carries out special promotional activities for Göbeklitepe every year.

"There is currently an incredible fascination with Göbeklitepe worldwide — everyone is curious about it. Esteemed scientists who visit it often remark that it is far more impressive in person than in photographs. Many are so captivated by its atmosphere that they are reluctant to leave. These are truly unique emotions.

"With our promotional strategies, we achieved 600,000 visitors in the first 10 months of 2024, which is approximately a 50 percent increase compared to the same period last year. We expect this number to grow significantly in 2025."

Yazgı also recalled the opening of the exhibition titled "Göbeklitepe: The Mystery of a Sacred Place" at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, about a month ago.

Discussing the strong interest in the exhibition, Yazgı said: "The exhibition will remain open for six months, and we expect around 6 million visitors. The promotion of Göbeklitepe has generated significant global attention.