Urfa

Göbeklitepe, a 12,000-year-old Neolithic archaeological site in southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, may have been made by aliens, the city's mayor says.

"The statues in Göbeklitepe depict something other than humans. They seem to be coming from somewhere else. They remind me of aliens," Zeynel Abidin Beyazgül told daily Milliyet on April 25.

The remains of a 12th-century madrasah have been unearthed in the Harran ruins, which is one of the oldest settlements in the world and on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Discovery Channel, one of the best-known documentary channels in the world, has begun filming documentaries on history in important places of the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, particularly Göbeklitepe, which is considered the "zero point of history."

The Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Turkish Tourism Development and Promotion Agency (TGA) have introduced the Stone Hills, which host the first examples of settled life and social communities in the world, at an event held at the Şanlıurfa Museum.

The opening ceremony of the "Karahantepe and Neolithic Man" exhibition was also held during the event.

A replica of an obelisk from a famous site in Turkey over 10,000 years old will be exhibited on the grounds of the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The ancient city of Sogmatar in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, known as the "City of Prophets," attracts local and international tourists with its historical wells, rock tombs and reliefs.

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The first hot air balloons of the season soared into the sky on July 12 at the famed ancient site of Göbeklitepe in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, heralding the festive season.

The rides in Göbeklitepe, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in June 2018, resumed after a long break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As Turkey's rich legacy of civilizations attracts amateur and professional treasure hunters, historical sites and areas believed to contain "treasures" from past civilizations were raided illegally, especially during the pandemic despite the security measures.

Turkey announced on June 27 that it has discovered 11 new hills around the famed ancient site of Göbeklitepe in southeastern Şanlıurfa province.

"We have [discovered] 11 more major hills on a 100-kilometer line around Göbeklitepe. Here, we will give the details for the first time, and now call it 12 hills," Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said at an event in Sanliurfa.

Turkey introduced a promotional program on June 27 for the "Mesopotamia" brand, which was created to promote the tourism potential of the southeastern Anatolia region to the world.

Speaking at the event, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said Turkey has the richest and most unique homeland in the world with its history, culture and geographical structure.