Yazılıkaya, Hattusa

Overview

A short drive from the walls of Hattusa, two narrow chambers open between grey rocks. On their walls, the gods of the Hittites walk in procession. This is Yazılıkaya, “the inscribed rock”.

The Story of Yazılıkaya

The sanctuary lies about 2 km northeast of Hattusa and served the royal New Year celebrations. It had three building phases. The portal links the reliefs of the Great Gallery to Hattusili III and the Small Gallery to his son, King Tudhaliya IV.

Chamber A and Chamber B

In Chamber A, the Great Gallery, gods walk along the west wall and goddesses along the east wall, their names written in hieroglyphs above their heads. At the center, the storm god Teshub meets the goddess Hepat, who stands on a wild cat. Opposite them, the largest figure is King Tudhaliya IV. Then, in narrow Chamber B, two winged demons guard the entrance. Inside, twelve gods march in a line, the god Sharruma holds the king in his arm, and a great sword is carved into the rock.

How to Visit Yazılıkaya

The sanctuary is near the town of Boğazkale, about 3 km from the center and about 2 km northeast of Hattusa. Ask at the Hattusa ticket office whether your ticket covers Yazılıkaya too. Combine it with Alacahöyük, and see our Central Anatolia guide. We plan your day at Hattusa so that Yazılıkaya and Alacahöyük fit in. All three sites fit into our Hattusa tour.

Hattusa Hours and the Road from Boğazkale

The Hattusa site keeps seasonal hours and opens every day, weekends included. Hattusa has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, and its archive of cuneiform tablets joined UNESCO’s Memory of the World register in 2001. So plan Yazılıkaya for the same day, after the Lion Gate and the 71 m (233 ft) tunnel under the Sphinx Gate. Our off the beaten path Turkey tour visits both on its way to Cappadocia.

Would you like to see the Hittite capital with a private guide? From Ankara or from Cappadocia, the Hittite sites are one long day; tell us where you start and when. See our tailor-made trips and our drivers.