Turkey: Gobeklitepe to boost tourism in region

As 2019 is declared as "the Year of Gobeklitepe" in honor of the 12,000-year-old temple in southeastern Turkey, tourism to the world’s oldest archeological site is expected to boost the region.

Located in Turkey's southeastern Sanliurfa province, Gobeklitepe was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in June 2018.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Rahime Yasar, vice president of the Sanlifurfa Tourism Development Association and owner of a tourism agency, said the numbers of tourists in the region have increased.

Yasar said that the region expects around two million tourists in 2019.

She said Gobeklitepe was one of the most visited places in the region, adding their expectation has increased with respect to foreign tourists.

"Even now we have foreign tourists but we expect the big [tourist] boom in March,” she added.

Gobeklitepe has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List since 2011.

It was discovered in 1963 when researchers from Istanbul and Chicago universities were working at the site. Since then, the excavations have never stopped.

The German Archaeological Institute and Sanliurfa Museum have done joint works at the site since 1995 and have found T-shaped obelisks from the Neolithic era measuring 3-6 meters (10-20 feet) high, and weighing 40-60 tons.

During the excavations, 12,000-year-old diverse artifacts like 65-centimeter-long (26-inch) human statues were also discovered.

A 4,000-square-meter steel roof was erected to protect the site during preparations for its candidacy.

After being temporarily closed to visitors due to restoration work, Gobeklitepe partially reopened in February.