Alacahoyuk
Constructed approximately in the year 4,500 BC, Once an important Hittite city, Alacahoyuk is located around 40 kilometers to the south of Corum province nad was first excavated in 1907. Alacahoyuk is also just 35 kilometers from nearby Hattusa, once the Hittite capital. First discovered W.C Hamilton archaeologists in 1835, further excavations took place in 1865 by french archaeologists and later still throughout the 19th century. Important discoveries were made here, amongst them golden treasures, a series of golden disks, and some pre-Hittite royal tombs dating from 3,000 BC. Make sure to visit the nearby town of Bogazkale or the neolithic site of Alacahoyuk if you are in the area.
The Sphinx gates
Two gates can be found in Alacahoyuk. The south gate which was the main gate of the city, portrayed a sphinx, facing any potential invaders. The original sphinxes are today in the archaeological museum of Ankara, however, replicas can be found on the site itself. The second gate located at the West of the city, is where the castle walls were first discovered. Moreover, depictions of goddesses in war stances can be depicted on the castle walls, remnants of a civilization that saw many battles.
Alacahoyuk Hittite Dam
Also called Golpinar dam, it was built around 1,200 BC and is amongst almost a dozen of dams built in the region by Tudhaliya IV. Inscribed in the dam are many hieroglyphic inscriptions of the Hittite goddess Hepat.