Göbekli Tepe
T-shaped pillars opening a view onto early communities.
Why does it matter?
Göbekli Tepe’s monumental enclosures were built by hunter-gatherer communities in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic. Round, oval and rectangular arrangements and animal imagery on T-shaped pillars illuminate their social and symbolic world. Interpretations of the structures’ functions should be read alongside the archaeological evidence rather than presented as certainty.
- T-shaped pillars
- Animal imagery
- Early monumental enclosures
Before you set off.
Read an introduction to the Neolithic before visiting. Follow the protected visitor route and respect barriers around archaeological surfaces. A separate visit to relevant museum displays in Şanlıurfa can help place the site in a wider context.
Opening, admission, restoration and access arrangements can change. Check current conditions with the site’s official operator.
Connect the discovery to a city.
These province guides are starting points for nearby sights and local flavours, rather than a boundary map or an organised tour itinerary.
Source and review date
Based on the property record of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
Read the official property recordReviewed: 29 October 2026Another story to discover.
All heritage guides
Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0
Aphrodisias - Tetrapylon 06.jpg · Resized and cropped. Image source · Licence
Panegyrics of Granovetter · CC BY-SA 2.0
Cathedral of Ani, Kars Province.jpg · Resized and cropped. Image source · Licence
Archaeological Site of Ani
Trade routes and architectural traditions meeting on a plateau.
KarsDiscover the story
Jorge Láscar from Australia · CC BY 2.0
View of surrounding plains - Troy (8708440361).jpg · Resized and cropped. Image source · Licence