Photo: Rita1234 (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source 8 places to visit in the Boğazkale district of Çorum: Hattuşa (Boğazköy) Ancient City, Yazılıkaya Open-Air Temple and Boğazkale Museum. Plan your trip to Boğazkale with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Boğazkale is a district of Çorum province, with an area of 264 km² and an elevation of 994 metres. It has the smallest population of any district in the province.
Boğazkale, which bears traces of the Chalcolithic period, has early settlement remains dating back to around 5000 BC. Hattuşaş, the ancient city 4 km east of the district, was the capital of the Hittite Empire in the 17th and 13th centuries BC. Boğazkale was made a district in 1987, when it separated from Sungurlu.
The monumental open-air temple of Hattuşa and Yazılıkaya are the district’s major historical sites. Remains from the Hattian, Assyrian, Hittite, Phrygian, Galatian, Roman and Byzantine periods are found here.
Hattuşa was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986. The archive of cuneiform tablets at Hattuşa has been on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register since 2001. The ruins of Hattuşa and Alacahöyük were declared a National Park in 1988. Hattuşa’s two sphinxes have been on display at the Boğazköy Museum since 2011. Boğazkale has a place in history as the capital of the Hittite Empire.
Hattuşa lies in Boğazkale district, 80 km south-west of Çorum. Boğazkale-Hattuşa is 209 km east of Ankara and 83 km south of Çorum.
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The Great Temple, the largest temple in Hattuşa, is dedicated to the Storm God and the Sun Goddess. The temple complex, built over an area of 14,000 m², with its storerooms and courtyards, is the most magnificent example of Hittite religious architecture.
View on mapThe excavation site of the ancient city, founded in the 17th and 13th centuries BC as the capital of the Hittite Empire.
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Photo: Rita1234 (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source The open-air temple of Hattuşa; one of Boğazkale's important historical sites.
View on mapA museum located in the centre of Boğazkale district, south-west of Çorum.
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Photo: Murat Özsoy 1958 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source A museum displaying some of the finds from the Hattuşa excavations, including Hittite-period cuneiform tablets, ceramics and small finds.
View on mapWhile you are in Boğazkale, you can also see the highlights of Çorum province. These places are in other districts; Boğazkale is about 82 km from the provincial centre.
Chickpeas prepared with special roasting techniques, Çorum's most famous snack.
Prepared by cooking cracked wheat and meat for a long time and then pounding them. It is the traditional dish of wedding and festival feasts. Indispensable at wedding feasts, keşkek is prepared in a communal spirit.
Filled with cheese, spinach or potato on dough sheets and cooked on a griddle. It is an essential flavour of village breakfasts. Served with ayran, it reflects the traditional Anatolian table culture.
Boğazkale was home to the capital of the Hittite Empire, the most powerful state in Anatolia in the 2nd millennium BC. Hattuşa has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1986.
The Treaty of Kadesh (1259 BC), the earliest known written peace treaty, was signed between Hittite king Hattusili III and Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II. A copy of the treaty is displayed in the UN building.
The economy of Boğazkale is based on tourism and agriculture. The ancient city of Hattuşa and the Yazılıkaya temple attract tens of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists each year. Wheat, barley and pulses are grown in farming. Small livestock farming is also widespread.
Boğazkale is 82 km from Çorum provincial centre. It is reached via Sungurlu district. There are regular minibus services from Çorum and Sungurlu.
The 8 main sights in Boğazkale are Hattuşa (Boğazköy) Ancient City, Yazılıkaya Open-Air Temple, Boğazkale Museum, Great Temple (Temple I), Hattuşa Ancient City, Boğazköy Museum, Yazılıkaya and Sphinx Gate.
Çorum Leblebisi, Keşkek and Gözleme are the standout foods at tables in Boğazkale.
Boğazkale is known for Hittite Souvenirs and as the capital of the Hittite Empire. Ceramics, sculptures and jewellery with Hittite motifs are produced in Boğazkale as souvenirs. The lion gate and sphinx figures are the most popular products.
Boğazkale is 82 km from Çorum provincial centre. It is reached via Sungurlu district. There are regular minibus services from Çorum and Sungurlu.
Suggested visit length: 1 day. Best time to visit: spring and autumn.