Gendarmerie teams guard Hittite cities

ÇORUM

Gendarmerie teams have been working at the ancient Hittite cities of Hattusha, Alacahöyük and Şapinuva in the central province of Çorum, one of Türkiye’s most important archaeological hubs.

Hattusha, which served as the Hittite Empire’s capital for 450 years, Alacahöyük, the largest Hittite metropolis, and Şapinuva, considered the first administrative and military center in Anatolia, are all located within the province’s borders.

Located 80 kilometers southwest of the city center, the ancient city of Hattusha in Boğazkale, surrounded by a 7-kilometer-long wall and spanning a 2-square-kilometer settlement area, along with the nearby Yazılıkaya sanctuary, offers insights into Anatolia’s multi-millennial heritage.

Another significant site, the Alacahöyük Ruins, lies 53 kilometers from the city center. With a history dating back to the Late Chalcolithic period, it has seen continuous settlement throughout the Hatti, Hittite, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods, spanning nearly 7,000 years.

These ancient cities, which are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage and Memory of the World lists, are regularly patrolled by gendarmerie teams.

In addition to routine patrols carried out by the Çorum Provincial Gendarmerie Command, motorcycle units also conduct frequent checks around the archaeological sites to protect the area’s historic legacy.

Officers remain alert to suspicious behavior and maintain a presence around the ancient settlements to prevent unauthorized excavations and artifact smuggling.

Boğazkale Mayor Adem Özel stressed the significance of preserving the ancient cities, especially Hattusha, Alacahöyük and Şapinuva, which illuminate thousands of years of Anatolian history.

“Our gendarmerie teams are diligently monitoring and protecting the area. Police officers also serve in the region. On behalf of myself and the people of Boğazkale, I extend my sincere thanks to our gendarmerie. They are working tirelessly to protect our touristic landmarks,” Özel said.

He noted that Hattusha, first constructed during the Hatti period, bears traces of Hittite, Phrygian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman civilizations. Archaeological excavations in the area have been ongoing since 1906, continuing for more than 119 years.

Özel highlighted that the artifacts unearthed in the region shed light on thousands of years of Anatolian history. “Hattusha was among the first three places in Türkiye to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage list after the Republic was founded. During its golden era, Hattusha was a major capital of the Hittite Empire,” he said.

“One of the most significant findings here is the Treaty of Kadesh, considered the world’s first known written peace treaty, signed between the Hittites and the Egyptians. The original is on display at the Istanbul Archaeological Museum and at the United Nations headquarters in the United States.”