Catalhoyuk, Turkey

From series “Remains of the First Ancient Cities”

Year: 8 millenium B.C..

Another interesting ancient Neolithic city is located in Turkey. It is called Çatalhöyük. It is the largest Neolithic settlement that has been discovered in the Middle East. The earliest finds of these places date back to the 8th Millennium BC. The city was completely abandoned by the inhabitants in the middle of the 6th Millennium. According to rough estimates, there were about 2,000 residential buildings on the territory of the ancient city. About 10,000 people lived permanently in the city.

Only about 5% of the large-scale archaeological area is currently explored by archaeologists. Therefore, many of its mysteries remain unsolved. British Explorer James Mellaart is considered the discoverer of the archaeological area. He arrived in these places with his team back in 1958. Turkish authorities suspected the researcher of stealing treasures in the middle of the 20th century. Therefore, he was deprived of the right to conduct excavations a few years later. The study of the region resumed much later, in 1993.

The main task of researchers is to dig up old one-story houses today. They were built of mud bricks. The pace of archaeological work is low, even though some of the best archaeologists in the world work in the archaeological area. They dig up no more than two buildings a year. One of the main mysteries of the ancient city continues to be special houses, decorated richer than others. Researchers have considered such houses sanctuaries for many years. But it became clear that they were not much different from traditional residential buildings. Archaeologists discover unique frescoes in such houses.

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Catalhoyuk - interactive map

Useful staff nearby

ATM bankomat: 'Türkiye İş Bankası Bankamatik' located in 11 km (

check the route on the map).

Car rental office: 'Alerk Rent A Car' is located in 34 km (

on the map).

Fuel station: 'Best Oil Küçükköy Köyü' in 2.44 km

Supermarket: 'Adese' in 10 km

Parking: 'Otopark' in 0.33 km

Apotheek: 'Karkin Pharmacy' in 5.61 km

Police station: 'Çumra Emniyet Müdürlüğü Olay Yeri İnceleme Kriminal Şubesi' in 11 km

Cafe/restaurant: 'Oses Çiğ Köfte' in 11 km

Railway station: 'Çumra Garı' in 11 km

Nearest airports:
» Konya Airport KYA - in 41 km

» Nevsehir Airport NAV - in 193 km

» Antalya Airport AYT - in 196 km

» Afyon Airport AFY - in 227 km

» Etimesgut Airport ANK - in 254 km

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Cities nearby

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» Guide to Manavgat

» Cuisine & restaurants

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Best hotels near Catalhoyuk

Apron Suite (Studyo Palace)

Located in 35 km from Catalhoyuk
Route on the map:

Rooms: 53

All units of Suite Apron feature air conditioning, flat-screen satellite TV and a fully-equipped kitchenette. The private bathroom comes with a … More: photo, rates and booking

Mevlevi Hotel

Located in 36 km from Catalhoyuk
Route on the map:

Rooms: 12

All rooms at Hotel Mevlevi are equipped with air conditioning and flat-screen satellite TV. The private bathroom includes a shower, hairdryer and … More: photo, rates and booking

Ozkaymak Konya Hotel

Located in 37 km from Catalhoyuk
Route on the map:

Rooms: 108

Ozkaymak Konya Hotel boasts picturesque city views from its Teras Bar & Restaurant where guests can enjoy lunch and dinner in à la carte style. The … More: photo, rates and booking

Bera Konya Hotel

Located in 38 km from Catalhoyuk
Route on the map:

Rooms: 137

The rooms of Hotel Bera are decorated with light colours and wooden furniture. All rooms have a minibar, a safety deposit box, and a private … More: photo, rates and booking

Nearest unique sightseeing spots to visit

28 km - Mummy Alien Sarcophagus

From the series 'Most Curious Artifacts of Extraterrestrial Origin'

The crystal carcass with the mummy of the extraterrestrial being was discovered by Turkish speleologists. It is a unique artifact that has attracted many quarrels among researchers and ordinary people. The opinion that the transparent sarcophagus is made from the …

166 km - Aspendos Amphitheatre

From the series 'Ancient Amphitheaters and Arenas, That Are Still Operational'

Turkey is famous for a variety of beautiful ancient amphitheatres. Nowadays, however, only a few of them are used today for cultural events. One of these amazing ancient theaters is located in the city of Aspendos. Together with the preserved aqueduct, the amphitheater …

184 km - Derinkuyu

From the series 'Unbelievable Underground Mini-Cities'

Turkey is a country that full of various archaeological items and places. Cappadocia is a city that has several unusual places. There were found several underground cities, one of them is Derinkuyu. This city adores with its area and construction. It is a seven-layer …

201 km - Duden Waterfalls

From the series 'Greatest Waterfalls on Earth'

In Turkey which is known for its desert landscapes there is an incredibly beautiful waterfall – Duden. It is located in the immediate neighbourhood of Antalya and formed by the rapid course of the Duden River. The waterfall is notable for its impressive height which …

204 km - Gamirasu Cave Hotel

From the series 'Hotels Harmoniously Built into the Natural Landscape'

The experienced travelers who visited Cappadocia know that the ancient subterranean cities are one of the main attractions of this region. These cities and cave monasteries were built by the first Christians more than 1,000 years ago. Today, some of the strange …

206 km - Peri Bacasi

From the series 'The Most Mysterious Geological Formations on the Planet'

Peri Bacasi are amazing geological formations in Cappadocia and they can’t be compared to any other on the planet. In appearance these rock formations with high conical peaks resemble chimneys, which gave such a fairy-tale title to these unusual sights. Since ancient …

Top destination around Catalhoyuk - Konya

Local restaurants will variegate your vacations; restaurants of local cuisine are highly in demand among guests of Konya. Not far from the Mevlana garden there is a Turkish restaurant Gülbahçesi. It impresses not only with luxurious decor of the hall, but also with treats of excellent quality. In addition to classic national dishes, the restaurant serves a lot of interesting chef’s masterpieces. This restaurant is certainly worth to be visited by gourmets.
Literally at every turn there are budget restaurants and small stalls, which offer guests to enjoy fresh kebabs, vegetable salads and meat cooked on the grill. Among reasonably priced places the most notable is Adanali Köfteci restaurant located a few steps from the train station. The chef prepares signature barbecue right in front of visitors. Adanali Köfteci restaurant will also please with a variety of drinks.

We can also recommend to thrifty travelers the Mithat Tirit restaurant. Its specialty is kebab. It is a popular dish that is served here in more than a dozen variations. In a beautiful historic building Turkish restaurant Kösk Mutfagi is housed. Visitor will be able to choose suitable treats from an extensive menu; both fans of meat dishes and vegetarian food advocates would like it. The only drawback may be the lack of alcoholic beverages in restaurant; to complete the meal a cup of Turkish coffee is served here.
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