Hatuşaş, the Hittite Capital — Travels in Turkey

The Hittites moved into Anatolia around 2000 BCE and established their capital at a place called Hatuşaş, a large fortified city on the side of a mountain, overlooking a large valley.

They eventually ruled a vast empire, conqueroring Babylon and challenging the Egyptian pharoahs. Their empire declined after about 1250 BCE. This is the Great Temple district in the lower city.

The Hittites developed technology to form strong bronze pins, and more impressive yet, to drill precise holes in stone. The pins held the precisely-cut stones in place. 3400 years later, the holes are still very clean!

	The Lower City district, with Büyükkaya (Big Rock) visible across the valley beyond the Great Temple.
	The Sphinx Gate Tunnel, at the upper entrance to the city. The Hittites had a strongly fortified city. The entrances were through easily defended tunnels or fortified gates.
	Archeaologists gave this structure the boring name of "Chamber 1". It is one of two such arched domes at Hatuşaş. They are said to be the oldest domes of stone masonry known in the Near East.
	Luvian hieroglyphs at Nişantaş, former site of a large ediface.
	Luvian hieroglyphs in "Chamber 2", the Hieroglyph Chamber.
	Luvian hieroglyphs in "Chamber 2", the Hieroglyph Chamber.
	Looking down from Büyükkale, or "Big Fortress", at the upper end of the fortified city. In the distance is the village of Boğazkale, and beyond that is the valley leading toward the town of Sungurlu, about 25 kilometers away. "Boğazkale" means "Throat Fortress", and you can see that the Hittites located their city at the "throat" of valleys leading up into the mountains behind this view, and opening into the valleys.
	The carvings in Chamber A at Yazılıkaya. "Yazılıkaya" means "Carved Stone".
	The carvings in Chamber A at Yazılıkaya.
	The carvings in Chamber A at Yazılıkaya.
	The carvings in Chamber A at Yazılıkaya.
	The carvings in Chamber B at Yazılıkaya.
	The carvings in Chamber B at Yazılıkaya.
	View over the village of Boğazkale and lower Hatuşaş, from the top of Büyükkaya.

Practical matters

There is no bus station in Boğazkale, it is a small farming village. Take a bus to the larger town of Sungurlu, there is frequent service on buses out of Ankara. Then take a dolmuş from Sungurlu to Boğazkale. Beware: there may be no dolmuş service on Sundays. You might be able to arrange the rest of trip by hiring a driver in Sungurlu.

You can leave by reversing part of your trip to Boğazkale, or there might be a dolmuş heading through the mountains to Yozgat, where you could continue by bus toward Göreme or other places in Cappadocia.

There is one place to stay in Boğazkale:
Hattusas Baykal Otel ve Pansiyon
+90-(0)364-452-29-57
http://www.hattusha.com/

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