Hattuþaþ , near modern Boðazkale (formerly Boðazköy), was the capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze Age. The region is set in a loop of the Kýzýl River in central Anatolia. Hattuþaþ was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1986.

The highest construction in this archaeological site lies in Yerkapi, which means “Earth Gate” or "Gate in the Ground” and is popularly known as the Sphinx gate. The Sphinx gate gets its name from four sphinxes that watch over the inner gate. Around 28 temples have been uncovered in the area and to reach the 15m high artificial banks you have to climb stone steps. There is a 69-meter long tunnel that used to act as a shortcut to enter the city during times of peace, while in the wartime it was a deterrent to invaders.
(Location: Boðazkale)

Uploaded by slavica on 5/4/2009, viewed 5938 times.